Adventure Pass: Where to Buy & How It Works
Need an Adventure Pass for your hike? A physical pass costs $5 daily or $30 annual for designated fee sites in four Southern California national forests. Buy from a listed seller before heading up, or check the San Bernardino digital day pass for that forest. A valid America the Beautiful interagency pass already covers Adventure Pass sites.
Find sellers by route · REI & Big 5 · Order a physical pass · If stores are closed or sold out
The facts
- Price
- $5/day, $30/year
- Where to buy
- Listed local vendors and Forest Service offices; REI or MyScenicDrives for physical passes. San Bernardino also offers a separate digital day pass.
- Also covered by
- Valid America the Beautiful interagency passes
- Where you need it
- Designated standard-amenity fee sites in the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres and San Bernardino national forests; check the exact site and posted signs.
- Where you don't
- National, state, county and city parks; private properties; non-fee sites. Camping, wilderness permits and special-use fees may be separate.
- Enforcement
- Display your valid pass as instructed; failing to pay a required recreation fee can lead to a citation.
Getting there
Where to buy an Adventure Pass near your route
Choose a stop on your approach, rather than assuming the trailhead sells passes. These businesses are listed in the Forest Service vendor map, checked September 19, 2026. A listing confirms participation, not today’s stock or opening hours. Check with the seller before making a detour; ask specifically for a daily or annual pass. Route labels below are planning suggestions, not road-opening reports.
Jump to Mt. Baldy · Azusa / East Fork · Big Bear · Crestline / Running Springs · Idyllwild.
Mt. Baldy Road: Icehouse Canyon and Manker Flats
Mount Baldy Lodge — 6777 Mt Baldy Rd, Mt Baldy, CA 91759-9000. Listed for daily and annual passes. Directions.
The Lodge is a business, not the Forest Service visitor center. Confirm sales hours before an early start. Buy the day before if your hike begins before it opens; a pass does not replace a wilderness permit or override a closure.
Azusa and East Fork Road
Shell — 1195 W Foothill Blvd, Azusa, CA 91702. Listed for daily and annual passes. Directions.
Camp Williams Café — 24210 E Fork Road #A, Azusa, CA 91702. Listed for daily passes only. Directions.
Camp Williams is an East Fork Road stop; the Shell listing is in Azusa before the canyon approach. The vendor map lists only daily passes at Camp Williams, so check another listed seller if you want an annual.
Big Bear Lake: Village and town stops
Big Bear Visitor Center — 40824 Big Bear Blvd, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315. Listed for daily and annual passes. Directions.
The Visitor Center’s own page confirms daily and annual pass sales, cash or card, and published hours of 9am–5pm daily. Call 909-866-7000 to check availability or holiday changes.
Big 5 Sporting Goods — 41385 Big Bear Blvd, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315. Listed for daily and annual passes. Directions.
Crestline and Running Springs approaches
Lake Drive Hardware — 23895 Lake Drive, Crestline, CA 92325. Listed for daily and annual passes. Directions.
Arrowbear Liquor and Deli — 32861 Hilltop Blvd, Running Springs, CA 92382. Listed for daily passes only. Directions.
Choose the stop that fits your drive: Crestline for the Heart Rock approach, or Running Springs / Arrowbear along Highway 18. The Arrowbear listing is daily-only; do not assume it carries the annual pass.
Highway 243: Idyllwild and Humber Park
Pine Cove Market — 23235 Hwy 243, Idyllwild, CA 92549. Listed for daily and annual passes. Directions.
Shell — 26128 CA-243, Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA 92549. Listed for daily passes only. Directions.
Pine Cove is north of central Idyllwild on Highway 243. Choose a stop that fits your approach before continuing to Humber Park. A parking pass and any required wilderness permit are separate.
Does REI or Big 5 sell Adventure Passes?
REI lists both versions: $5 daily Adventure Pass and $30 annual Adventure Pass. Select your store to check pickup availability, or check delivery timing before ordering. A product listing does not establish stock at every store.
Big 5 has participating locations. The Forest Service lists its Big Bear Lake store above for daily and annual passes. Use the official vendor map to find other participating branches, then confirm with that branch. Do not assume every Big 5 has either pass in stock.
Need a pass today? San Bernardino’s digital day pass
The official San Bernardino National Forest Day Use Pass is a separate digital option for that forest’s standard-amenity fee sites. Check the location, date, vehicle and current price on Recreation.gov before paying. Do not treat this forest-specific product as a four-forest Adventure Pass.
It is tied to the selected date and vehicle and expires at 11:59pm that day. Recreation.gov recommends printing it when buying ahead; for an on-site purchase, compliance is checked by license plate. Buy before losing service and follow the display instructions.
A valid interagency pass covers the same standard-amenity fees, so check what you already hold before buying. Neither pass guarantees a parking space or covers campground charges or separate permits.
Buy online: physical daily and annual passes
The Forest Service links to MyScenicDrives for physical daily passes ($5) and physical annual passes ($30). REI also lists both. A shipped pass is not an instant download.
MyScenicDrives’ delivery FAQ says its forest passes arrive by mail, cannot be printed, and cannot be replaced by an order receipt. Check shipping charges and the estimated arrival date at checkout. For a same-day trip, choose an in-person seller or an applicable official digital product instead.
If stores are closed or passes are sold out
First, check whether you already have a valid America the Beautiful interagency pass. Otherwise, find a second seller in the Forest Service vendor map and confirm the pass type and hours before driving there.
For San Bernardino fee sites, check the official digital day option. For another forest, use that forest’s official fee instructions; do not buy the San Bernardino product and assume it transfers. If you cannot obtain the required pass, choose a confirmed non-fee destination or change your plans. An order receipt, a closed shop or a full lot does not authorize parking.
Price, coverage and which pass you need
The Forest Service’s Adventure Pass rules list the physical daily pass at $5 and the annual at $30, valid for 12 months from the purchase month. At those prices, six daily passes cost the same as one annual; the annual costs less starting with a seventh fee-paying day within its validity period.
The pass covers designated standard-amenity fee sites in the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres and San Bernardino national forests. It is not required at every trailhead or roadside stop. Check the destination’s fee notice and posted signs. Valid America the Beautiful interagency passes are accepted wherever the Adventure Pass is required; follow the instructions for your pass.
National parks, California state parks, county and city parks, and private properties use their own fee systems. An Adventure Pass does not pay those charges or replace a separate wilderness permit. Check your trailhead parking guide and the official destination page before leaving.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an Adventure Pass?
The physical Southern California Adventure Pass costs $5 daily or $30 annual. The annual is valid for 12 months from the purchase month. Online delivery charges may be extra. A valid America the Beautiful interagency pass also covers Adventure Pass sites.
Where can I buy an Adventure Pass near me?
Use the Forest Service vendor map and the route-based seller list above. Named options include Mount Baldy Lodge, Big Bear Visitor Center, Lake Drive Hardware in Crestline and Pine Cove Market near Idyllwild. Confirm opening hours and daily or annual stock before making a special trip.
Does REI sell Adventure Passes?
REI lists the $5 daily and $30 annual physical Adventure Pass. Check the selected store’s pickup availability or the delivery estimate; the listing does not guarantee stock at every location.
Does Big 5 sell Adventure Passes?
Participating Big 5 branches appear in the Forest Service vendor map. The Big Bear Lake branch at 41385 Big Bear Blvd is listed for daily and annual passes. Confirm directly with your chosen branch before driving there.
Can I buy an Adventure Pass online and use it today?
A physical pass ordered from MyScenicDrives must arrive by mail; its order receipt is not a pass. San Bernardino National Forest separately offers an official digital day pass through Recreation.gov for its own fee sites. Check the exact forest, date and vehicle before buying.
Does the San Bernardino digital day pass work in Angeles National Forest?
Do not use the San Bernardino product for Angeles National Forest. It is forest-specific, unlike the physical four-forest Adventure Pass. Follow Angeles National Forest’s official fee instructions for your destination.
Where do I buy an Adventure Pass for Mt. Baldy or Idyllwild?
The Forest Service vendor map lists Mount Baldy Lodge at 6777 Mt Baldy Rd and Pine Cove Market at 23235 Hwy 243 near Idyllwild for daily and annual passes. Confirm sales hours and stock before leaving. These purchases do not replace a required wilderness permit.
Is an Adventure Pass required at every Southern California trailhead?
No. It applies at designated standard-amenity fee sites in the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres and San Bernardino national forests. Check your exact destination and posted fee signs. Other parks and private properties have separate rules.
Facts on this page last verified September 19, 2026. Fees, hours, and access rules change seasonally — confirm with the official source before a long drive.