PEDRO – The Wayne National Forest’s 2019 recreation season will begin in April. Trails, campgrounds and permits will become available to the public on various dates during the month.

Designated trails will open for bike, horse, and off-highway vehicle (OHV) riding beginning April 15 and will be available through mid-December. Hiking is allowed on all trails year-round. While permits are no longer necessary for riding bikes and horses on Wayne National Forest trails, they are still required for OHV riders (except on designated fee waiver days).

Digital permits (E-permits) will be available for OHV trail use beginning Monday. They may be purchased through the Wayne National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/wayne and clicking on the Your Pass Now logo in the bottom right corner. Alternatively, visit Your Pass Now at https://yourpassnow.com/parkpass or Recreation.gov at https://www.recreation.gov/.

Motorized trail users may also purchase paper trail permits. They will be available at Wayne National Forest Visitor Centers on or after April 8 and from designated local vendors on or after April 11. Beginning in 2020, the Wayne National Forest will only offer digital permits (E-permits) in order to reduce the administrative cost of managing trail passes.

A copy of the permit must be carried when riding OHV trails. Permits may be printed or displayed on mobile devices such as smart phones, tablets, etc. Permit prices remain unchanged at $35 for a seasonal pass and $20 for a three-day pass.

Campgrounds at Lake Vesuvius will open April 5. All other campgrounds will open on April 15.

These include Leith Run Campground and its group picnic shelters, Oak Hill Campground, Iron Ridge Campground, Two Points Group Campground and Picnic Shelter, and Lake Vesuvius’ Roadside and Furnace Group Picnic Shelters. All other sites, including Burr Oak Cove, Lane Farm, Hune Bridge, Ring Mill, and Lamping Homestead Campgrounds, are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Some campsites may be reserved on the National Recreation Reservation System at https://www.recreation.gov/.

The 244,00-acre Wayne National Forest offers recreational opportunities such as  camping, fishing, hunting, nature viewing and canoeing.