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Why a Parks Pass?
If your family explores National Parks or Monuments more than once per year, the Annual America the Beautiful Pass just makes sense. We lived 15 minutes from a National Monument for 8 years, and made a lot of use of our pass. Instead of paying $30 each time we drove in, we paid $80 for the whole year. When you break that down it’s just shy of $7 a month….that’s one coffee!! However, you are not here for full price, so let’s look at all the ways to save!
Fourth Grader
If your child is in fourth grade, you get a free parks pass, or technically, they do! You will need to go to the Every Kid Outdoors Website to sign your student up at the beginning of the School Year. Then you will take their paperwork with you into a park, and they will receive their free pass. It is valid from September 1 – August 31.
Military
Current Military
Current Military members can get an Annual Pass each year by showing a DoD CAC card. Military Cadets and Active Reservists who hold a CAC card can also use this as identification. If you are a dependent of a current active military member, you can earn this pass by producing a DD Form 1173 or Next Generation USID replacement.
Veterans and Gold Star Families
Veterans and Gold Star Families are eligible for Lifetime Annual Passes. Gold Star Families can print off a special voucher HERE and present it at a National Parks facility to obtain their lifetime pass. Veterans can gain their pass by presenting a Department of Defense Identification Card, a Veteran Health Identification Card, a Veteran ID Card, or a Veterans designation on a US state-issued drivers license or ID card.
Disabled Veterans
With a disability you will qualify for the Interagency Access Pass, which is a lifetime pass for any medically determined permanent disability. You could choose between the Veteran’s Lifetime Pass or this pass.
Disability
Anyone with a medically determined permanent disability is eligible for the Interagency Access Pass which grants lifetime free admission to National Park Service properties, as well as the others listed on their site HERE. This site also provides documentation needs to earn the disability pass which is helpful in acquiring the appropriate paperwork before applying.
Lifetime Senior Pass vs Annual Senior Pass
As a Senior, you can get either the $20 Annual Pass which lasts for one year, or you can pay $80 for a Lifetime Senior Pass. That’s the same price as the America the Beautiful Pass for one year, and a total no-brainer if you love National Parks.
Regional Passes
You can buy regional passes for several of the regions that are densely populated with National Parks properties. These passes are $55, which is cheaper than paying entry fees at each park, but also not much of a savings beyond the America the Beautiful pass if you will be at other park properties.
The passes available for this are: Hawai’i Tri-Park Pass, Southeast Utah Parks Annual Pass, Flagstaff Area National Monuments Annual Pass, Northern California/Southern Oregon 4-Park Pass, Oregon Coast Passport, Assateague Island National Seashore Annual Pass/ Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Annual Pass, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Annual Pass, Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot Annual Pass, Great Falls Annual Pass.
Free Entrance Days
All National Parks are entrance fee free on a number of days during the year. For 2024 they are free the following days:
January 15 – MLK Day
April 20th – First Day of National Park Week
June 19 – Juneteenth
August 4th – Anniversary of Great American Outdoors Act
September 28 – National Public Lands Day
November 11 – Veterans Day
Conclusion
There are so many ways to get access to National Parks for free or cheap, and we highly recommend taking advantage of any of these options in which you are eligible. We have found the National Parks properties to consistently be some of our best family adventures. Looking for more? Read all about how we get three souvenirs for a dollar every time we go to a National Park.
