Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Permits & Fines

Out of curosity, does anyone know what the actual fines are for entering a national forest trail area (which requires a permit) without a permit? Conversely, do you know anyone who has actually been fined for such a violation?

I was curious about this and was not able to find anything out on the internet. I was even curious to the point that I actually called the Lone Pine ranger station (which, as ususal was little or no help). The person who answered said that she thought it was up to $1,500 but was not sure if that was absolutely correct...

Curious...

I could not tell you the current amount of the fine, but work with Rangers in another National Forest and have seen them both fine people and/or have them immediately leave the area. I actually think that having to stop a trip after all of the training and preparation is a worse penalty that any dollar fine.

I suggest that you be flexible since there are almost always permits for different trails. Some of my best wilderness adventures have come from being unable to get a permit for my first choice of a hike and going into a great area where there were permits available.

The last I read was it $200 for being without backpacking permit and $100 for day hiker sans permit.

I've don't know of anyone being fined but I saw a guy ticketed by a sworn ranger for being obnoxious with one of the Whitney permit checkers.

Bill