The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest is waiving fees at most of its day-use recreation sites January 14-16 for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend.  The fee waiver – the first of four scheduled this year – is offered in cooperation with other federal agencies under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

"We’re encouraging people to get outdoors and enjoy the forest," said Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Supervisor George Bain. "Dyar Pasture on Lake Oconee and the Dry Creek Trail System in northwest Georgia are just two of the special places where folks can take advantage of the Forest Service’s fee waivers this sunny three-day weekend. I invite people to visit these or other areas and take a hike, look for wildlife, go paddling, fishing or bird-watching, and explore their national forests," Bain stated.

Most day-use recreation areas in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest that are open for the season and operated by the Forest Service will waive their normal day-use fees. Other sites operated by concessionaires may or may not participate in the waiver. All sites with fee-free days in effect will post notice at the fee stations.  Forest visitors may check with their local Forest Service office to find out in advance if fee-free days will exist at specific sites:

·         Blue Ridge District Office, Blairsville, GA – 706-745-6928

  • Chattooga River District Office, Lakemont, GA – 706 754-6221
  • Conasauga District Office, Chatsworth, GA – 706 695-6736
  • Oconee District Office, Eatonton, GA – 706 485-7110

Additional information about the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, including which sites are open during the winter season, is available on the web at www.fs.usda.gov/conf.

The Forest Service will waive fees three additional times in 2012:  National Get Outdoors Day – June 9; National Public Lands Day – Sept. 29; and Veterans Day Weekend – Nov. 10-12. The fee waiver days support the goals of President Obama’s "America’s Great Outdoors" initiative, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move Outside” program. For more information on the Forest Service’s recreation fee program and how these funds are used, please visit http://www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/about-rec-fees.shtml.

The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. Encompassing around 867,000 acres across 26 counties, the Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests provide the finest outdoor recreation opportunities and natural resources in Georgia. Featuring nearly 118,000 acres of designated Wilderness, more than 800 miles of recreation trails, and dozens of campgrounds, picnic areas, and other recreation activity opportunities, these lands are rich in natural scenery, history and culture. The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests is part of the Southern Region, with the Forest Supervisor’s office in Gainesville, Georgia, managing four District units in Blairsville (Blue Ridge District), Lakemont (Chattooga River District), Chatsworth (Conasauga District), and Eatonton (Oconee District).