The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series
A pass is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. Each pass covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as standard amenity fees (day use fees) at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A pass covers entrance, standard amenity fees and day use fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at per vehicle fee areas (or up to four adults at sites that charge per person). Children age 15 or under are admitted free.
See a list of all federal recreation sites (PDF), including national parks, where the passes are issued.
The following passes are available:
Senior Pass Price Increase
Learn more about the Senior Pass, what the recent changes mean for you, and how the additional funds benefit the national parks.
Ching Fu, Bridger-Teton National Forest, 2018 Share the Experience Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner.
Annual Pass
- Cost: $80 annual pass
- Available for: Everyone
- How to purchase:
- In person at a federal recreation site (see PDF list of federal recreation sites that issue passes),
- By phone at: 888-ASK USGS (1-888-275-8747), extension 3 (Hours of operation are: 8 am to 4 pm Mountain Time)
- Online—Buy now from the USGS store!
- Non-transferable
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Interagency Annual Pass (USGS website)
Ching Fu, 2018 Share the Experience Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner
Free Annual Pass for U.S. Military
- Cost: Free annual pass
- Available for: Current U.S. military members and dependents in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard as well as Reserve and National Guard members.
- How to obtain: In person at a federal recreation site (see PDF list of federal recreation sites that issue passes) by showing a Common Access Card (CAC) or Military ID (Form 1173).
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Annual Pass for U.S. Military (USGS website)
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado/Patrick Myers, NPS
Annual 4th Grade Pass
- Cost: Free (valid for the duration of the 4th grade school year though the following summer (September-August)
- Available for: U.S. 4th graders (including home-schooled and free-choice learners 10 years of age) with a valid Every Kid Outdoors paper pass
- How to obtain:
- Paper passes can be obtained by visiting the Every Kid Outdoors website and can be exchanged for the Annual 4th Grade Pass at federal recreation sites that charge Entrance or Standard Amenity fees (Day Use Fee) (see PDF list of federal recreation sites that issue passes).
- Digital version of the paper pass (such as on smart phones or tablets) will not be accepted to exchange for an Annual 4th Grade Pass.
- More information:
- Non-transferable.
- Educators can also be involved! Learn more at the Every Kid Outdoors website.
- Additional Details about the Annual 4th Grade Pass (USGS website)
Lifetime Senior Pass - Yellowstone National Park/Lori Wilkinson
2020 Annual Senior Pass - Ching Fu, 2018 Share the Experience Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner
Senior Pass
- Cost:
- $80 Lifetime Senior Pass
- $20 Annual Senior Pass
- Available for: U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over. Applicants must provide documentation of age and residency or citizenship.
- How to purchase:
- In person at a federal recreation site (see PDF list of federal recreation sites that issue passes)
- Online–buy the lifetime pass or the annual pass online now through the USGS store!
- Through the mail using this application form (PDF).
- NOTE: There is an additional cost of $10 for passes purchased online or by mail. See more information about changes to the Senior Pass.
- Additional information:
- The Senior Pass may provide a 50 percent discount on some amenity fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launch, and specialized interpretive services.
- The Senior Pass generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners.
- Golden Age Passports are no longer sold. However, these passes will continue to be honored according to the provisions of the pass.
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Interagency Senior Pass (USGS website)
Steven Koehler, Yellowstone National Park
Access Pass
- Cost: Free (see note in "how to obtain" for more details)
- Available for: U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Applicants must provide documentation of permanent disability and residency or citizenship.
- How to obtain:
- In person at a federal recreation site (see PDF list of federal recreation sites that issue passes)
- Through the mail using this application form (PDF).
- NOTE: The cost of obtaining an Access Pass through the mail is $10 for processing the application (the pass is free).
- Additional information:
- The Access Pass may provide a 50 percent discount on some amenity fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and specialized interpretive services.
- The Access Pass generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners.
- Golden Access Passports are no longer sold. However, these passes will continue to be honored according to the provisions of the pass.
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Interagency Access Pass (USGS website)
Ching Fu, 2018 Share the Experience Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner
Volunteer Pass
- Cost: Free (valid for 12 months from the date of issue)
- Available for: Volunteers with 250 service hours with federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program
- Contact your local federal recreation site for more information about volunteer opportunities or visit Volunteer.gov.
More Information
These six agencies participate in the Interagency Pass Program:
- National Park Service
- U.S. Forest Service
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Bureau of Land Management
- Bureau of Reclamation
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
For more information about the terms used (for example, "non-commercial vehicle" or "pass owner," see Pass Program Definitions on the USGS website.
You can also see a list of all federal recreation sites (PDF), including national parks, where the passes are issued.
Last updated: February 11, 2020