Trail use permits available for Hoosier National Forest
The Hoosier National Forest, administered by the USDA Forest Service, has more than 260 miles of recreational trails, spread over nine counties, from Monroe Lake to the Ohio River. Some sites allow only hiking, but most sites are available for hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders.
Horse riders and mountain bikers (age 17 years and older) are required to have a trail use permit to use trails designated for those uses on the Hoosier National Forest. Trail users have the option of purchasing an annual permit for $35 per person or a day use permit for $5 per person. The 2020 permits are now available at the Hoosier National Forest offices in Bedford and Tell City, weekdays from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and will be at more than 20 local vendors across the area by the end of December. Orders for permits can also be taken over the phone with a credit card by calling Bedford at 812-275-5987 or Tell City at 812-547-7051. Vendor locations and details are available at https://go.usa.gov/xPM8D.
The Recreation Enhancement Act allows federal land management agencies, such as the USDA Forest Service, to charge modest fees for some recreation uses. Trail use fees on the Hoosier National Forest are used to maintain trails, enhance trailheads and improve visitor services. Current and future generations benefit as 95 percent of the funds from trail use permits are reinvested in facilities and services for visitors.
The mission of the organization is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 30 percent of the nation’s surface drinking water to cities and rural communities, and approximately 66 million Americans rely on drinking water that originated from the National Forest System. The agency also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which more than 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.