Northwest Forest Pass vs Discover Pass: Comparison [2024]

Northwest Forest Pass vs Discover Pass: Are you planning to be productive this season, get out of your house, and go on exploring some of the beautiful landmarks and places in Northwest Forest or Washington? If yes, then you must be confused about which pass you should be getting to cover per-site fees.

To cover places in North West Forest and Washington DC, there are a variety of different passes that come to mind, two of the most relevant being the Northwest Forest Pass and Discover Pass.

So, which one are you supposed to get? Which one is better for you? If you also want to compare these passes, then our comparison between the Northwest Forest Pass vs Discover Pass mentioned below will surely be of your help.

Overview

Northwest Forest Pass 

The Northwest Forest Pass is required to enter recreational day-use areas in Washington and Oregon. This pass will let you pass through the individual fees for entering these areas – automatically saving a ton of money, not only on specific days, but throughout the year. 

The main highlight of the Northwest Forest Pass is that it can be used to get your entire group into trailheads, except for the places require per person fee. 

Discover Pass

The Discover Pass is known as Washington's Discover Pass for all those who wish to explore the emerald state. Starting from the San Juan islands to the Columbia basin, there’s much to see, and with this pass – you can go past the gates of almost all the highlights.

The main highlight for this pass can be that you will save enough if you are interested to visit more than 2 sites per day. Why? Because the per person fee for sites is usually $10, and with this pass, you can get back the money by only visiting 2 highlights.

Cost

Northwest Forest Pass 

You can pay for the Northwest Forest Pass for a day or annually. The per-day charge is $5 per day and $30 annually.

Discover Pass

The Discover Pass can be bought for a day or annually, where, the per day pass is $10 – $11.50 including the transaction and dealer fee, and the annual fee is $30 – $35, including the transaction and dealer fees, only in case you bought them a licensed vendor (online or by phone). 

Coverage: Northwest Forest Pass vs Discover Pass

Northwest Forest Pass 

The Northwest Forest Pass offers coverage for federal recreation sites. The list includes many highlights, including national wildlife refuges, national historic sites, Bureau of Land Management Lands, and national forest – along with all the sites under the Bureau of Reclamation.

Discover Pass

The Discover Pass covers Washington state land, including sites like natural resource conservation areas, natural area preserves, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife lines, and Washington state parks. 

Other Benefits

Northwest Forest Pass 

• It allows the pass holder along with anyone else with them to travel in a private vehicle at recreation facilities.
• The pass holder can go through per-person fee sites.

Discover Pass

• It offers coverage for over 350 primal recreation places, including picnic areas and campgrounds.
• You get about 700 water-access points. 

Main Difference

Indeed, both the Northwest Forest Pass and Washington’s Discover Pass let you go through a good bunch of sites, but in different areas and for different highlights. 

Yes, the main difference between the Northwest Forest Pass and Washington’s Discover Pass is that, while the Northwest Forest Pass is used for federal land landmarks, the Discover Pass is used only on state lands. 

Which Pass is Right For You?

If you have read all the headlines mentioned above, then it might be clear to you that the Northwest Forest pass is right for you if you want to discover the federal lands in the country. Apart from that, if you are interested in exploring the state lands, then the Discover pass is your answer. 

Frequently Asked Questions