Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Pacific Region
 

Your Fee Dollars at Work!

Entrance fees collected at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge are used to support recreation related expenses. In February 2008 the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge used Recreation Fees to replace rutted and worn timbers on the access bridge to the Refuge's River 'S' Unit. This bridge is the only access route to the River 'S' Unit with approximately 140,000 annual visitor crossings. Approximately $1900 dollars of Recreation Fees were used to replace 500 square feet of timbers that form the driving surface for visitors over the bridge.

Before

After

Entrance Fee Program

An daily entrance fee of $3.00 per non-commercial vehicle is charged at the entrance of the Carty and River 'S' Units. This fee covers the occupants of the entire vehicle and allows visitors to move between both areas without repaying the fee. Directions are posted at either entrance to the Refuge. All entrance fees collected at the Refuge will be used to support recreation related expenses including; brochures, signage, facilities enhancement, trail/road maintenance, restoration associated with wildlife-dependent recreation, and public safety. Many pass options are availalbe to waive the entrance fee, the tables below summarize the pass options.

Ridgefield Annual Refuge Pass:

What is it? Entrance pass to Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Who is it for? General Public
Time Period One year from date of purchase.
Cost $15
Admits Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free of charge.
How to get one?

1) May be purchased directly at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge office.

2) May be obtained by mailing a self-addressed stamped envelope and check or money order for $15.00, made payable to 'U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service' to P.O. Box 457, Ridgefield, WA, 98642. Please include the name of the individual to be named on the pass and a phone number in the event of a question. Passes will be mailed to the address on the check, unless otherwise noted. All efforts will be made to process requests and mail passes within 10working days

3) May also be obtained by placing $15.00 cash, check, or money order (please make checks or money orders made payable to 'U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service') into a fee envelope. Also include in the fee envelope a note identifying the name of the individual to be named on the pass, a mailing address for the pass, and a phone number to contact in the event of a question. Please retain the envelope stub as proof of payment. Deposit the fee envelope into the fee collection vault at either the Carty or River 'S' Unit. All efforts will be made to process requests and mail passes within 10working days.

Federal Duck Stamp:

What is it? Entrance pass to all National Wildlife Refuges
Who is it for? General Public
Time Period July 1 to June 30 of each year.
Cost $15
Admits Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free of charge.
How to get one?

1) May be purchased directly at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge office.

2) May be purchased at United States Post Offices.

Interagency Annual Pass:

What is it? Entrance pass to Nation Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management sites that charge entrance fees.
Who is it for? General Public
Time Period One year from date of purchase.
Cost $80
Admits Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free of charge.
How to get one?

May be purchased directly at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge office.

Interagency Senior Pass/Golden Age Passport

What is it? Entrance pass to Nation Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management sites that charge entrance fees. It also provides a 50% discount on some federal recreation use fees.
Who is it for? Citizens or permanent residents or the United States that are 62 or older.
Time Period Lifetime
Cost $10
Admits Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free of charge.
How to get one?

Must be purchased directly at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge office in person. Proof of age required.

Is my Golden Age Passport still valid? The Senior Pass replaces the Golden Age Passport. Golden Age Passports will continue to be honored. There is no need to replace existing Golden Age Passports with the new Senior Pass.

Interagency Access Pass/Golden Access Passport

What is it? Entrance pass to Nation Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management sites that charge entrance fees. It also provides a 50% discount on some federal recreation use fees.
Who is it for? Citizens or permanent residents or the United States that are legally blind or permanently disabled.
Time Period Lifetime
Cost No charge.
Admits Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free of charge.
How to get one?

Must be purchased directly at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge office in person. Must present documentation of permanent disability and residency.

Is my Golden Access Passport still valid? The Access Pass replaces the Golden Access Passport. Golden Access Passports will continue to be honored. There is no need to replace existing Golden Access Passports with the new Access Pass.

Interagency Volunteer Pass

What is it? Entrance pass to Nation Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management sites that charge entrance fees.
Who is it for? Issued to volunteers who accrue 500 volunteer hours.
Time Period One year from date of issue.
Cost No charge, to those that qualify.
Admits Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free of charge.
How to get one?

Accrue 500 volunteers hours since January 1, 2007.

Additionally, entrance fees may be waived for environmental education visits and refuge volunteers. To qualify for an educational waiver, visits must be: prearranged by no less than one week, support clearly stated educational objectives with clear links to the Refuge, AND the visit must integrate into a larger course of study that relates to the natural environment or cultural history. Refuge volunteers may be eligible for a volunteer pass of various durations. Eligible volunteers must volunteer have >100 hours of annual service, be in good standing as a volunteer, have a signed Volunteer Services Agreement, AND have a proven record of submitting a record of volunteer hours in a timely and accurate manner.

Last updated: November 24, 2008