The USDA Forest Service is taking another step to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina by temporarily rescinding the fee requirement for campgrounds and the 14-day stay limit
for camping on some National Forest System lands in the Southern Region. The normal fee range is $4.00 to $25.00 depending on the location.
The forests offering free camping include the Kisatchie National
Forest in Louisiana, the National Forests of Alabama, the Ozark-St. Francis
National Forest in Arkansas, the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas and
Oklahoma and the National Forests and Grasslands of Texas. In all, 106
campgrounds are open without charge to victims of Hurricane Katrina as they
transition through these first weeks of the disaster.
Location information on the fee-free campgrounds will be shared
through the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and state
and local assistance agencies. Individuals and families with
communications capabilities can call their nearest USDA Forest Service
office.
