The National Park Service requires permits for large groups, even just for traveling through the preserve. This is from their website:
Special use permits are required for all organized events. Events include but are not limited to tours,weddings, First Amendment activities, sporting events, and other gatherings. Additionally, any group traveling with 7 or more vehicles or 15 or more participants must obtain a special use permit. Examples of groups requiring a permit include:
- College field trips with 15 or more students.
- Equestrian rides of 15 or more participants.
- Bicycle tours or races with 15 or more participants.
- 4-wheel drive groups traveling together with 7 or more vehicles or 15 or more participants.
- Street-legal motorcycle tours involving 7 or more vehicles.
- Groups camping together in roadside camps sites with 7 or more vehicles or 15 or more participants.
When Toro put together the TMR run in April of this year, we got stopped by rangers twice asking for our permit. They typically cap your permit at 14 or 15 vehicles and 30 people, and my understanding is that the fines are pretty steep if you get caught without one.
