{"id":5107,"date":"2019-02-24T11:19:33","date_gmt":"2019-02-24T18:19:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/?p=5107"},"modified":"2026-03-07T08:29:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T15:29:56","slug":"lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/24\/lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas\/","title":{"rendered":"Hikers Need a Lands Pass for Many California Wildlife Areas and Ecological Reserves"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Hikers now must buy a lands pass to hike many wildlife areas and ecological reserves managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. This post explains which visitors need to buy a lands pass, how to buy it, and which wildlife areas and ecological reserves require it. <strong>Updated for 2026. <\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5126\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5126\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5126\" src=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/lands-pass-hikers-shasta-valley-wildlife-area-trout-lake-1.jpg\" alt=\"Hikers and visitors need a lands pass for California Department of Fish and Wildlife trails, like Shasta Valley Wildlife Area's Trout Lake.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/lands-pass-hikers-shasta-valley-wildlife-area-trout-lake-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/lands-pass-hikers-shasta-valley-wildlife-area-trout-lake-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/lands-pass-hikers-shasta-valley-wildlife-area-trout-lake-1-480x320.jpg 480w, https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/lands-pass-hikers-shasta-valley-wildlife-area-trout-lake-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/lands-pass-hikers-shasta-valley-wildlife-area-trout-lake-1-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5126\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A lands pass lets hikers visit beautiful Trout Lake in the Shasta Valley Wildlife Area. Yes, that&#8217;s Mount Shasta! (See Hike 63 in my book <a href=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/day-hiking-mount-shasta-lassen-trinity-alps-trails\/\"><em>Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen &amp; Trinity Alps Regions<\/em><\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Why Do Hikers Have to Buy a Lands Pass to Hike California Department of Fish and Wildlife Ecological Reserves and Wildlife Areas?<\/h2>\n<p>In short, it&#8217;s about raising revenue. It costs a lot of money to manage the wildlife areas and ecological reserves, and most of that cost is borne by fees paid by hunters and anglers. The California State Legislature directed the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop new ways to generate more revenue, thus the lands pass for hikers who want to hike the trails, and for general visitors who just want to enjoy the beauty. More details about the entire program <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildlife.ca.gov\/Licensing\/Lands-Pass\/FAQ\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"color-block\">\n<h4>The Top 100 Day Hikes and Backpacking Trips in Northern California<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-3154\" src=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/northern-california-hikes-100-classic-trails-4e-300.jpg\" alt=\"100 Classic Hikes in Northern California covers the best hiking trails in the Trinity Alps, Lassen Volcanic National Park, the Sierra Nevada, the redwood coast, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Includes numerous day hikes along with major backpacking trips.\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/northern-california-hikes-100-classic-trails-4e-300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/northern-california-hikes-100-classic-trails-4e-300-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/northern-california-hikes-100-classic-trails-4e-300-38x50.jpg 38w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><strong>The all-color fourth edition features the best trails:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Northern Sierra Nevada<\/li>\n<li>Lassen and Mount Shasta areas<\/li>\n<li>Trinity Alps and Marble Mountains<\/li>\n<li>Redwood Coast<\/li>\n<li>Wine Country and Bay Area<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Includes trailhead directions and detailed maps and trail descriptions<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy it:<\/strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/2FDrBF3\">on Amazon<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/22742\/9781680510560\">on Bookshop.org<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Often available at Barnes &amp; Noble, REI, and other quality bookstores<\/strong> <strong>and outdoor stores <\/strong>(call first!)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Who Needs to Buy A Lands Pass? Only Hikers?<\/h2>\n<p>Basically, anyone 16 years old and older needs to have a lands pass when visiting any of the wildlife areas and ecological reserves listed below, whether they are hiking the trails or just taking in the sights.<\/p>\n<h3>Exemptions<\/h3>\n<p>However, people who already have a valid California hunting license or fishing license do not have to purchase the lands pass, nor do school groups and youth groups (including adults with the groups).<\/p>\n<h2>How Much does the Lands Pass Cost in 2026?<\/h2>\n<p>In 2026 the California Department of Fish and Wildlife lands pass increased to $5.97 for a single day and $33.48 for the entire calendar year.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;ll be hiking more than a few times a year at fee-based wildlife areas and ecological reserves, it&#8217;s best to just get the annual lands pass (and it&#8217;s much less hassle, too).<\/p>\n<h2>OK, How Do I Buy a Lands Pass?<\/h2>\n<p>Go the the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildlife.ca.gov\/Licensing\/Lands-Pass\">follow these directions<\/a>. You&#8217;ll find out how to buy pass online, on the phone, and in person. Note: <a href=\"https:\/\/wildlife.ca.gov\/Licensing\/Lands-Pass\/FAQ#517081651-where-can-i-purchase-daily-1-day-or-annual-lands-passes\">also see this FAQ\u00a0 for more details<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Key Details: Purchasing a One-Day Lands Pass<\/h3>\n<p><strong>You can purchase a one-day lands pass over the phone with your credit card by calling 800-565-1458.<\/strong> You&#8217;ll get a &#8220;temporary authorization number&#8221; (TAN) for the specific day and the specific California Department of Fish and Wildlife wildlife area or ecological reserve where you want to hike.<\/p>\n<h2>You&#8217;ll Need the Lands Pass at these Wildlife Areas and Ecological Reserves<\/h2>\n<p>Note that there are some wildlife areas and ecological reserves that do not charge fees. Also, this list can expand or contract, so always check the California Department of Fish and Wildlife page <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildlife.ca.gov\/licensing\/Lands-Pass\">for any updates<\/a> before heading out to explore any CDFW lands.<\/p>\n<div class=\"color-block\">\n<h4>Best Day Hiking Trails in Upper California<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2GUNIqj\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3153\" src=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/day-hiking-shasta-lassen-trinity-trails-300-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"Day Hiking Mount Shasta, Lassen &amp; Trinity Alps Regions. Includes trails in other regions of Northern California: Castle Crags, Russian Wilderness, Marble Mountain Wilderness, Lava Beds National Monument, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Lassen National Forest, and the Redding area.\" width=\"214\" height=\"300\" data-wp-editing=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/day-hiking-shasta-lassen-trinity-trails-300-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/day-hiking-shasta-lassen-trinity-trails-300-36x50.jpg 36w, https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/day-hiking-shasta-lassen-trinity-trails-300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><\/a><strong>My<\/strong> <strong>compact guidebook has the 125 best day hikes:<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mount Shasta and nearby<\/li>\n<li>Lassen Volcanic National Park<\/li>\n<li>Trinity Alps and Marble Mountains<\/li>\n<li>Redding area<\/li>\n<li>Whiskeytown and Shasta Lakes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Includes trailhead directions and detailed maps and trail descriptions<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buy it:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2GUNIqj\">on Amazon<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/22742\/9781680510584\">on Bookshop.org<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Often available at bookstores<\/strong> <strong>and outdoor stores <\/strong>(call first!)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Northern California<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Alpine County<\/strong><br \/>\nHope Valley Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<p><strong>Butte County<\/strong><br \/>\nGray Lodge Wildlife Area<br \/>\nNorth Table Mountain Ecological Reserve<br \/>\nUpper Butte Basin Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<p><strong>Glenn County<\/strong><br \/>\nUpper Butte Basin Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lake County<\/strong><br \/>\nCache Creek Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lassen County<\/strong><br \/>\nBass Hill Wildlife Area<br \/>\nWillow Creek Wildlife Area<br \/>\nAsh Creek Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<p><strong>Merced County<\/strong><br \/>\nLos Banos Wildlife Area<br \/>\nVolta Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<p><strong>Modoc County<\/strong><br \/>\nAsh Creek Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<p><strong>San Joaquin County<\/strong><br \/>\nWoodbridge Ecological Reserve<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shasta County<\/strong><br \/>\nBattle Creek Wildlife Area<br \/>\nMouth of Cottonwood Creek Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<p><strong>Siskiyou County<\/strong><br \/>\nButte Valley Wildlife Area<br \/>\nHorseshoe Ranch Wildlife Area<br \/>\nShasta Valley Wildlife Area (See Hike 63 in my book <a href=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/day-hiking-mount-shasta-lassen-trinity-alps-trails\/\"><em>Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen &amp; Trinity Alps Regions<\/em><\/a>)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sutter County<\/strong><br \/>\nGray Lodge Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tehama County<\/strong><br \/>\nBattle Creek Wildlife Area<br \/>\nMouth of Cottonwood Creek Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<h3>Southern California<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Kern County<\/strong><br \/>\nCanebrake Ecological Reserve<\/p>\n<p><strong>Riverside County<\/strong><br \/>\nSan Jacinto Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<p><strong>San Diego County<\/strong><br \/>\nBoden Canyon Ecological Reserve<br \/>\nHollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area<br \/>\nSan Felipe Valley Wildlife Area<\/p>\n<h2>Your Take<\/h2>\n<p>Questions or comments? How do you feel about this new California Department of Fish and Wildlife policy?<\/p>\n<div class=\"color-block\">\n<h4>Camp for Free in California National Forests<\/h4>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-6295\" src=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/dispersed-camping-boondocking-camp-free-300.jpg\" alt=\"Camp for Free: Dispersed Camping &amp; Boondocking on America's Public Lands book cover. Free camping in the United States.\" width=\"250\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/dispersed-camping-boondocking-camp-free-300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/dispersed-camping-boondocking-camp-free-300-188x300.jpg 188w, https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/dispersed-camping-boondocking-camp-free-300-31x50.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><strong>California&#8217;s national forests and BLM lands have thousands of miles of dirt roads with lots of spots for dispersed camping (boondocking).<\/strong> My book provides all the info you need to get started (but is not a guide to specific sites):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Researching the best locations<\/li>\n<li>Finding the best camping spots<\/li>\n<li>Backcountry safety and ethics<\/li>\n<li>What to take<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2CPMlbP\">Buy it on Amazon<\/a><br \/>\nBuy it on <a href=\"https:\/\/books2read.com\/u\/3RnavL\">Apple, Kobo, and Nook<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hikers now must buy a lands pass to hike many wildlife areas and ecological reserves managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. This post explains which visitors need to buy a lands pass, how to buy it, and which wildlife areas and ecological reserves require it. Updated for 2026. Why Do Hikers Have [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5126,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5107","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-northern-california-hiking-and-backpacking-trails","8":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Hikers Need a Lands Pass for Many California Wildlife Areas and Ecological Reserves - Northern California Hiking Trails<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hikers: get 2026 details on buying a lands pass to hike California Department of Fish and Wildlife ecological reserves and wildlife areas.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/24\/lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hikers Need a Lands Pass for Many California Wildlife Areas and Ecological Reserves - Northern California Hiking Trails\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hikers: get 2026 details on buying a lands pass to hike California Department of Fish and Wildlife ecological reserves and wildlife areas.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/24\/lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Northern California Hiking Trails\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/JohnSoaresHikingGuidebookAuthor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-02-24T18:19:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-07T15:29:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/lands-pass-hikers-shasta-valley-wildlife-area-trout-lake-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"John Soares\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@TheJohnSoares\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@TheJohnSoares\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"John Soares\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/24\\\/lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/24\\\/lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"John Soares\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cfbd80e89d5015ea3e341b5087a2e2e1\"},\"headline\":\"Hikers Need a Lands Pass for Many California Wildlife Areas and Ecological Reserves\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-02-24T18:19:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-07T15:29:56+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/24\\\/lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":897,\"commentCount\":2,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/24\\\/lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/lands-pass-hikers-shasta-valley-wildlife-area-trout-lake-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Northern California Hiking and Backpacking Trails\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/24\\\/lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/24\\\/lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/24\\\/lands-pass-hikers-california-wildlife-areas\\\/\",\"name\":\"Hikers Need a Lands Pass for Many California Wildlife Areas and Ecological Reserves - 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