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The Great Outdoors•Destinations•Travel Tips

The National Parks Annual Pass, AKA America the Beautiful Pass

November 12, 2020
Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon, one of many parks where the National Parks annual pass works

Are you a National Parks Annual Pass holder? If not, and you’re one of the 327.5 million people who visited a national park last year, you likely spent a substantial amount on admission fees alone.

The average cost is $30 per vehicle, but some parks charge more. Keep in mind, that’s just for a single park. If you were, say, road-tripping through Utah and taking on the best hikes in Arches and Canyonlands, you could easily spend upwards of $100 — just to get inside the gates. That’s where the National Parks Annual Pass, also called the America the Beautiful pass, comes in.

Last January, we were fortunate enough to have won the “lottery” to get sunrise reservations at Haleakalā National Park in Maui. When I say fortunate, I mean beyond fortunate — these tickets go in literal seconds and only a handful of people get them.

Anyhow, I digress. The Haleakalā entrance fee was $30 and we were going to pay again the following day to hike Pipiwai Trail, so purchasing the National Parks Annual Pass was a no-brainer for us. We’ve since used it at nine other national parks, so it was money well-spent.

Jump ahead to:

  • What is the National Parks Annual Pass?
  • America the Beautiful pass variations and costs
  • Military Veterans and Gold Star Free Access Program
  • Where can you buy a National Parks Annual pass?

What is the National Parks Annual Pass?

A person holding an America the Beautiful Pass, AKA National Parks annual pass

The America the Beautiful pass, or the NPS annual pass, gives you access to over 2,000 recreation areas nationwide.

In addition to the 62 national parks (fun fact: Missouri’s Ste. Genevieve National Park officially became the newest one on October 30, 2020), national monuments, national recreation areas, national forests, national wildlife refuges, and more are covered.

The National Parks Annual Pass costs $80 annually, although there are some exceptions to that.

America the Beautiful pass variations and costs

NPS Annual Pass for U.S. Military: Free national park pass available for all current U.S. military members, as well as their dependents. U.S. military Reserve and National Guard members and their dependents are also eligible.

America the Beautiful Pass for Seniors: U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents who are over the age of 62 qualify for a discounted NPS annual pass. The national park pass cost for seniors is $20 annually. Seniors are also eligible for a Lifetime Senior Pass, which costs $80.

NPS Access Pass: U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have permanent disabilities are eligible for a free National Parks annual pass. Note that you’ll be required to provide documentation of the disability when applying for the Access Pass.

Free National Park Pass for 4th Graders: For those who enjoy family hiking and exploring The Great Outdoors together, the wonderful Every Kid Outdoors program gives American fourth-graders a free NPS annual pass.

The free national park pass for 4th graders is valid for one school year, from September to August. Home-schooled children are also eligible. Families must first print a paper pass from the Every Kid Outdoors website, then exchange it in person at a national park.

Special note: Many families missed taking advantage of the free national park pass for 4th graders in 2020 due to COVID-19. In light of this, the National Parks Service extended its free national park pass program to fifth-graders for the 2020-2021 school year.

Families can download and print their voucher for a free NPS annual pass, then exchange it in person at a participating national park.

Military Veterans and Gold Star Free Access Program

Steaming geysers at Yellowstone National Park, one of the parks the National Parks Annual Pass gets you into

Active geysers at Yellowstone National Park

On November 11, 2020, the National Parks Service introduced a new program, the Military Veterans and Gold Star Family Free Access Program.

While it’s not technically a free national park pass, this pseudo-America the Beautiful pass does permanently grant U.S. veterans and Gold Star Families waived entrance fees. Prior to this program, there was only a free National Park Pass for active-duty military members.

In order to take advantage of this incredible (and much-deserved!) program, veterans must present an acceptable form of identification upon entering a participating national park. Those forms of identification include:

  • Drivers’ license or identification card with a “Veteran” designation
  • Veteran ID card
  • Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
  • Department of Defense Identification Card (CAC Card)

The process is slightly different for Gold Star families, who the USO defines as having “lost an immediate family member in the line of duty of military service.”

Before going to a national park, Gold Star family members must print and sign a special voucher. The voucher must then be presented to a park ranger upon entry. In unstaffed parks, the Gold Star Family Voucher must be clearly displayed on your vehicle dashboard.

Where can you buy a National Parks Annual pass?

The Zion National Park Visitor Center, one place that sells America the Beautiful passes

You can purchase an NPS annual pass online from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s website. Please note that you are not given any temporary credentials; the physical pass comes in the mail. Take this into consideration if you want an annual pass for an upcoming trip.

Hundreds of federal recreation sites also issue the National Parks annual pass in person. The extensive list includes many — but not all — national parks and monuments, so be sure to check on your specific destination.

  • Note that NPS states all annual passes “are non-refundable, non-transferable, cannot be extended, and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen.” We keep ours in a wallet because you just never know when you may end up on a spontaneous road trip through Montana and Wyoming, visiting multiple national parks.

 

Thanks for reading, and be sure to pin this post about the National Parks annual pass for later!

Four images of national parks with the words, "National Parks Pass Annual Guide"

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About Taryn

Taryn is happiest when she's outside and always up for an adventure — especially if it involves a hike, sunset, or limited cell service. She also travels as frequently as she can, which, of course, is never frequently enough.

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Comments

  1. Jaime says

    November 19, 2020 at 11:02 am

    Wow, I had no idea that you would also get access to so many other recreational areas too. And I totally agree that it’s worth buying the pass if you plan to go to multiple national parks. I can’t wait to buy one of these passes now!

    Reply
  2. CHRISTINE says

    November 19, 2020 at 8:20 pm

    I JUST found out about this pass after visiting my first nation park in a few years and being blown away. Such a great deal, especially now. Nature is the only safe place to retreat during this pandemic!

    Reply
  3. Kalu says

    November 20, 2020 at 10:32 am

    Thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to visit all these beautiful places.

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      November 23, 2020 at 10:40 am

      Me too! I have a few new ones on my bucket list!

      Reply
  4. Norma says

    November 20, 2020 at 5:28 pm

    This is great! I did not know that you could get a pass to multiple national parks. It’s so nice and relaxing to spend time in nature.

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      November 23, 2020 at 10:40 am

      I totally agree! A perfect (and affordable!) way to experience new places during uncertain travel times.

      Reply
  5. Margie says

    November 23, 2020 at 1:24 pm

    We LOVE this pass and plan to get it in the future. We have been able to use the 4th grade national parks pass, but plan on purchasing the annual next year.

    Reply
  6. Sarah- Last Minute Wanders says

    November 23, 2020 at 1:34 pm

    I haven’t made it over to the US yet but I would LOVE to visit some of these amazing National Parks! It’s good to know that it’s worth buying the annual pass if you’re planning to visit a few NPs, even if you may not use it for the whole year. $80 versus $30 each time is a great saving!

    Reply
  7. Cristina says

    November 23, 2020 at 11:18 pm

    It’s amazing to know that you can save lots with the annual pass 🙂 I’d love to explore USA National Parks.

    Reply
  8. @postcardfromizabelita says

    November 24, 2020 at 4:25 am

    Such a useful article – thank you so much! I am planning a trip to US and National Parks are my must see so it is so handy to find out about this pass! And your photos give me a real wanderlust – hopefully will be able to travel to US soon!

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      November 25, 2020 at 11:35 pm

      Hopefully – fingers crossed!

      Reply
  9. Jamie Sharpe says

    November 24, 2020 at 1:49 pm

    Hope I can travel enough next year to make the pass worth it!

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      November 25, 2020 at 11:35 pm

      I hope you can too, Jamie!

      Reply
  10. Shelbs says

    December 2, 2020 at 6:52 am

    We’re definitely buying this next year!!

    Reply
  11. Ildiko says

    December 5, 2020 at 6:47 pm

    I never purchased such a pass, but definitely see the value especially if you live in an area that has many national parks that charge an entry fee. I first really experienced this when we were traveling to the Pacific Northwest, through Washington state and Oregon. $30 here,$30 there and it quickly adds up.

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      December 5, 2020 at 11:51 pm

      That’s exactly right! That’s what inspired us to get one a few years ago and now having it sort of ensures that we get out and explore – like a little bit of extra motivation.

      Reply
  12. Patri says

    December 12, 2020 at 6:21 pm

    Very useful information! I used to have one when I lived in Utah, how could I not! lol

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      December 12, 2020 at 11:31 pm

      Absolutely, Patri! With so many parks close by, I totally agree with you. We get a ton of use out of ours also (we live in southern Arizona) between the parks in AZ, Utah, New Mexico, and California alone!

      Reply
  13. molly says

    December 12, 2020 at 11:41 pm

    We love the National Parks Pass! I have had one every year for at least 20 years! I have a favorite park in Michigan where I try to get my pass each year. It is like a reminder to go there. Old passes make great keepsakes too

    Reply
  14. Krista says

    December 13, 2020 at 2:46 am

    I had no idea you needed an annual pass! Great article with lots of helpful points.

    Reply
  15. Josy A says

    December 13, 2020 at 3:28 pm

    This would make SUCH a good Christmas present for people that love exploring National Parks. If I was in the States I would totally purchase this!

    It sounds like you made the most of it by visiting so many parks! 😀

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      December 14, 2020 at 1:26 pm

      I think it’s such a great gift idea too, Josy! We’re actually gifting someone one this year, and our hope is that it encourages them to get out and visit more parks than they otherwise would!

      Reply

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