Most Forest Recreation Passes Can Now Be Ordered On Tonto National Forest Web Site

The Tonto National Forest announced today that forest recreation passes, as well as the national Interagency pass, can now be bought via the forest Internet site. This includes the half-price Tonto day passes for holders of the national Senior and Access passes.

Until today, forest visitors could purchase passes at forest administrative offices, at over 200 retail outlets throughout Arizona, and by mail.

Program Coordinator Dave Killebrew says, “Our customers gave us feedback about wanting even more convenient ways to purchase the various recreation passes — and we listened. We’re delighted that barely into the second year of the new Tonto Pass program we are able to provide them this increased convenience.

“Probably the only two passes they can’t acquire by Internet are the national Senior and Access passes which still have to be purchased through a forest administrative office because documentation is required to buy these passes.”

Another increased convenience for visitors is the half-priced Tonto passes for eligible seniors and disabled customers, which are now available at several retail outlets throughout Arizona in addition to the Internet site and at administrative offices..

Since the Tonto Pass program began a little over a year ago, seniors and persons with a permanent disability who hold one of the national interagency passes (Senior or Access Pass) have been limited to purchasing discounted Tonto passes and watercraft-use stickers at Tonto National Forest administrative offices.

Discounted passes, along with the national pass which entitles the holder to the discount, must be prominently displayed on customers’ vehicles when visiting a forest recreation site that requires a pass.

Daily passes are required at more than 50 recreation sites on the Tonto National Forest, including sites on the Salt and Verde rivers and on the chain of lakes north and east of Phoenix. Included are day- use sites such as boat launch ramps, swimming sites, and overnight sites such as campgrounds.

For more information about the Tonto Pass program, to make pass purchases online, and to find a list of retail vendor locations, go to the Tonto National Forest website, www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto or call the Tonto National Forest at (602) 225-5200.