In some cases, yes. The national forest system provides a variety of resources and activities for personal and commercial use. Most commercial activities on the national forest require a permit (e.g., fishing tournaments, boat rentals, trail rides). Permits are required for collecting firewood, ginseng, grapevines, and other forest products. You must contact the Forest Service for permit requirements prior to collecting.

No. Dispersed camping (camping without any developed facilities) is allowed in most areas of the Forest without a permit. However, you must follow travel management restrictions for driving and parking and you are limited to no more than 14 days stay at the same location. Also, to minimize your impacts, please try to camp where others have already camped, especially in fragile areas.

You can collect plants without a permit for personal use. For commercial purposes, you need to visit your local ranger district and apply for a permit.

See current information on cutting a Christmas tree on the Shoshone by going to their Web site at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/shoshone/christmas_tree/index.htm.

Yes, with a permit. It is illegal to collect anything on national forest system lands without a permit. Permits for ginseng must be obtained from the Ranger District office responsible for the area where you plan to collect. Visit the Permits Page for more information.

The lands encompassing the Tahoe National Forest were first set aside in 1891 by President Benjamin Harrison as part of the four million acre "Sierra Forest Reserve", which stretched from Yosemite National Park northward. In 1899, President William McKinley created the "Lake Tahoe Forest Reserve", a 136,335 acre portion of the Sierra Reserve, as a "forestry reserve and public park.

Unfortunately, we are not in the fruit business. The Berry Botanic Garden is named for Rae Selling Berry, and we have a large collection of rhododendrons, native plants, alpines, and unusual trees and shrubs, many with beautiful but inedible berries.

There are over 45 miles of designated ATV trails throughout the forest. Parking is available at each trailhead. WMA check-in stations contain hunting brochures with a district map on the back or you can pick one up at the district office. A permit can be purchased at any self-service fee station or at the district office in Rolling Fork. Annual permits are only sold at the district office.

In the Rocky Mt. Region, you need a back country permit in the Indian Peaks Wilderness (near Rocky Mt. National Park and Boulder, CO). Also, the White River National Forest now requires a Wilderness Pass to use the Holy Cross and Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Areas. They are FREE and can be self-issued at wilderness trailheads. Monthly passes are available at the District offices. Entrance Fees and Use Fees are required in some areas but are separate from a back country permit.

The Daniel Boone National Forest system lands occur in 21 counties of eastern Kentucky, consisting of over 706,000 acres within a 2.1 million-acre proclamation boundary. The northern tip of the forest occurs near Morehead, KY and runs south to the Tennessee state line.

Until the mid-1960s, National Forest lands in Placer County were part of the Tahoe National Forest. National Forest lands within Eldorado County were part of the Eldorado National Forest, and National Forest lands on the Nevada side were part of the Toiyabe National Forest. This made it difficult to coordinate National Forest management around the Lake Tahoe Basin.

There is a 14 day maximum stay allowed for a site. You can extend your stay by relocating to a new site on different National Forest.

The highest point is at Pine Mountain on the Redbird Ranger District, Bledsoe quadrangle. The elevation is 2,708 feet above sea level.

Tree stands are legal as long as you don’t leave them in the forest unattended and you don’t damage the tree. Tree stands need to be portable and removed when not in use. You cannot put nails or screws in a tree, or remove limbs, without causing damage to the tree. There are tree stands on the market that meet these requirements.

The California Department of Fish and Game regulates hunting and fishing on Inyo National Forest lands. Check with their office in Bishop at 760-872-1171 or look on the CA DFG website at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/. Most streams and lakes on the Inyo National Forest are open for fishing from the last weekend in April through the end of October each year. Some waters in southern Inyo County open in early March.

Anywhere in the National Forest where it is not expressly prohibited by Special Order. All Forest Service offices should have the Special Orders that pertain to their area of responsibility for you to review. IMPORTANT NOTE: Please respect the rights of private landowners. Ask permission first. Some local favorites for boating and such are Rampart Reservoir, Manitou Lake and the tri-lakes of the North Slope Recreation Area.

Yes, permits are required in all wilderness areas, National Parks, and other restricted areas along the trail. You can obtain a permit from the agency on which your PCT trip originates. For example, if you plan to travel from Echo Lake to Castle Crags State Park, you would need to contact the Eldorado National Forest since your trip would begin in that forest. They would issue a permit good for your entire trip. The PCTA can issue a wilderness permit for trips of 500 miles or more along the PCT.