America the Beautiful - 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.
Search a list of all federal recreation sites, including national parks, where the passes are issued. In addition to direct sales of Interagency Passes at national parks and other federal recreation sites, many of the America the Beautiful (Interagency) Passes are available for purchase online. Please visit the USGS Online Store for detailed information about how to purchase a pass online and whether purchasing a pass at this time is the right decision for you.
Please remember when making your purchase that Interagency Passes are non-refundable, non-transferable, cannot be extended and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen.
The following passes are available:
Passes for Veterans & Gold Star Families
A new pass program grants U.S. military veterans and Gold Star Families free access to national parks.
Senior Pass Changes
Learn more about the Senior Pass, what recent changes mean for you, and how the funds benefit national parks.
Photo on the pass by Mark Gruenhaupt, San Juan National Forest, 2020 Share the Experience Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner
Annual Pass
Cost: $80 annual pass
Available for: Everyone
How to purchase:
- In person: Find a location to purchase this pass at a federal recreation site.
- Online: Buy this pass from the USGS Store.
- By phone: Call 888-ASK USGS (1-888-275-8747), extension 2. Hours of operation are 8 am to 4 pm Mountain Time.
Additional Information:
- Find detailed information about this pass on the USGS Store's Annual Pass and Frequently Asked Questions webpages.
- This pass is non-transferable to another person.
Photo on the pass by Mark Gruenhaupt, 2020 Share the Experience Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner
Military Pass
Cost: Free annual pass
Available for:
- Current US military members and their dependents in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force, as well as Reserve and National Guard members
- US military veterans
- Gold Star Family members
How to obtain:
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In person: Find a location to purchase this pass at a federal recreation site.
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Online: Order this free pass from the USGS Store.
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Please check requirements before arriving, such as showing a Common Access Card (CAC) or Military ID (Form 1173) or exchanging a Gold Star Voucher.
Additional Information:
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Find detailed information about this pass on the USGS Store's Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
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NOTE: There is an additional cost of $10 for passes obtained online.
Photo on the pass by Carlo Godoy, Channel Islands National Park, California
4th Grade Pass
Cost: Free pass valid for the duration of the 4th grader's school year though the following summer (September-August)
Available for: US 4th graders, including home-schooled and free-choice learners 10 years of age, with a valid Every Kid Outdoors paper pass
How to obtain:
- Step 1: Obtain a paper pass by visiting the Every Kid Outdoors website and following the instructions.
- Step 2: Exchange for the Annual 4th Grade Pass at federal recreation sites that charge entrance or standard amenity fees (day use fee). Find a location to pick up this pass at a federal recreation site.
- NOTE: Digital versions of the paper pass, such as on smart phones or tablets, will not be accepted to exchange for an Annual Fourth Grade Pass.
Additional Information:
- Find detailed information about this pass on the Every Kid Outdoors website and the USGS Store's Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
- Educators can also be involved! Learn more at the Every Kid Outdoors website.
Photos for the passes by Lori Wilkinson, Yellowstone National Park (top) and Mark Gruenhaupt, 2020 Share the Experience Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner (bottom)
Senior Pass
Cost:
- $80 Lifetime Senior Pass
- $20 Annual Senior Pass
Available for: US citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over. Applicants must provide documentation of age and residency or citizenship.
How to purchase:
- In person: Find a location to purchase this pass at a federal recreation site.
- Online: Buy lifetime pass or the annual pass from the USGS Store.
- Mail: Purchase a Senior Pass using an application form (660KB PDF) that may be exchanged by mail.
- NOTE: There is an additional cost of $10 for passes purchased online or by mail.
Additional Information:
- Find detailed information about this pass on the USGS Store's Lifetime Senior Pass, Annual Senior Pass, and Frequently Asked Questions webpages.
- Learn about changes to the Senior Pass that took affect in 2017.
- 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.
Photo on the pass by Steven Koehler, Yellowstone National Park
Access Pass
Cost: Free lifetime pass
Available for: US citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Applicants must provide documentation of permanent disability and residency or citizenship.
How to purchase:
- In person: Find a location to purchase this pass at a federal recreation site.
- Online: Order this free pass from the USGS Store.
- Mail: Purchase a Senior Pass using an application form (558KB PDF) that can be exchanged through mail. The cost of obtaining an Access Pass through the mail is $10 for processing the application (the pass is free)
Additional Information:
- Find detailed information about this pass on the USGS Store's Access Pass and Frequently Asked Questions webpages.
- Find Frequently Asked Questions about this and other interagency passes on the USGS Store's website.
- 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.
Photo on the pass by Mark Gruenhaupt, 2020 Share the Experience Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner
Volunteer Pass
Cost: Fee annual pass
Available for: Volunteers with 250 service hours with federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program
How to obtain: Volunteers should contact their volunteer coordinator for more information.
Additional Information:
- Find Frequently Asked Questions about this and other interagency passes on the USGS Store's website.
- The Volunteer Pass is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
- 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.
Last updated: January 2, 2022