Your Dollars At Work

Oak Bottom Shower House being lifted into place by a large crane in 2015. The replacement of this building at Oak Bottom was funded by entrance pass revenue.

Thank you for paying your mandatory entrance pass at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area!!! We collect entrance fees under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act and this money provides a vital source of revenue for improving facilities and services for you, park visitors. That means that the money you spend when you buy your entrance pass is put to use inside Whiskeytown to make the park—and your visit—better. Some improvements take place behind the scenes while others may be a direct part of your park experience. Either way, all of these projects are important for the continued preservation and public use of your national recreation area. Scroll down the page to learn about some specific projects funded by entrance pass revenue over the last few years.

2023 Entrance Fee Projects

Repairs of South Fork, Brandy Creek, and Mill Creek unpaved visitor access roads.
Removal of many hazard trees in developed visitor use areas.
Construction of shade structures at Brandy Creek Marina and other picnic areas.
Removal of invasive vegetation along trails and creeks.
Improvements in the Tower House Historic District.
Clear, Regrade and Resurface the upper 1 mile section of the unpaved Brandy Creek Road.
Replace poor condition traffic regulatory and visitor guide signs to improve visitor safety.
Repair drainage issues at infrastucture sites.
Replace visitor amenities at Brandy Creek and Oak Bottom Beach.
Improve visitor accessibility and enhance andscaping at Oak Bottom Beach.

2022 Entrance Fee Projects

Built and installed several new concrete picnic tables at Brandy Creek Marina shoreline to better serve visitors.
Resurfaced, regraded, and replaced failing calverts on Mill Creek Road and Brandy Creek Road.
Purchase and install pet waste stations across the park to encourage pet owners to pick up waste, throw it in the trash, and help improve lake water quality.

Trail signs along four trails at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. These brown signs with white text were created and installed using entrance pass revenue in 2021. — Photo collage of trail signs. These signs and several others were installed at trailheads and trail junctions to better orient visitors. The signs were funded thanks to entrance pass revenue.

2021 Entrance Fee Projects

The creation and installation of approximately 25 trail signs throughout the park to better orient hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers, and horseback riders to the national recreation area's trail system.
The creation and implementation of Leave No Trace and BARK Ranger programs. Designed to encourage visitors to recreate responsibly by keeping lake water clean and keeping wildlife wild, specific projects for this program include but are not limited to the creation and printing of BARK Ranger Activity Books, dog tags, leashes, and pet wastebags to encourage and reinforce proper pet etequette at the park; and the fabrication and installation of several bilingual interpretive signs throughout the park designed to encourage visitors to not feed wildlife.

Freshly paved and accessible Guardian Rock Trail. The first 1/4-mile of the trail is accessible and leads to a vista of Clear Creek Canyon. The project was paid for using entrance fee money. NPS Photo.

2020 Entrance Fee Projects

Replace the failing vault yoilet and improve accessibility at Horse Camp Primitive Campground.
Repave Guardian Rock Trail from Horse Camp trailhead to Guardian Rock Vista.
Repair Carr Fire damage to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area beaches.
Renovate Whiskey Creek Day Use Group Picnic Area.