Academic Fee Waiver

***Note - This process is strictly for academic fee waivers for field trips and does not provide a reservation for ranger-guided tour.

Academic (school) Groups with students less than 16 years of age

Those organized, educational groups of children who are less than 16 years of age with less than 75 students and no more than 10 adult teachers and chaperones must call to schedule a field trip to the park at least two weeks in advance of their visit in order to enter the park free of charge without a fee waiver.

All other educational groups must apply for a fee waiver before their visit.

Applying For A Fee Waiver

National Park Service regulations allow school groups and other approved national and international academic institutions to obtain a waiver of park entrance fees, provided the visit is for educational or scientific purposes, and the resources or facilities that the group intends to use support those purposes.

Academic fee waivers are not granted automatically. Applicant groups must demonstrate that they qualify for the waiver. There are three requirements (listed below) that the group must meet to qualify for an academic fee waiver: eligibility, educational purpose, and relevancy of park resources or facilities.

Criteria One - Eligibility

Describe and/or attach current official recognition or accreditation as an educational institution by a federal, state, or local government or other documentaiton attesting to educational status, such as an accreditation letter, educational tax-exempt letter.

Criteria Two - Educational Purpose

Verify how this visit supports a specific curriculum for which academic credit is offered. For example, attach a course syllabus/description, course catalog, lesson plan, letter detailing the educational purpose, etc., and/or describe.

Criteria Three - Relevance of Park Resources

Identify the pertinent park resources and/or facilities and detail how they are relevant to support the educational purpose of the visit (attach letter or describe).

Completed fee waiver applications with required documentation should be submitted via email or mail.

Email: [e-mail]
Mail to: Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
Interpretation Division
35110 State Highway 194
La Junta, CO 81050

In the subject line of email, please type Academic Fee Waiver.
Applications should be received two weeks prior to your anticipated trip.

Fee Waiver Application Please complete Sections 1, 2, and 5, and sign and date the bottom of the form under "Authorized Signature."