Affordable admission
National park entrance fees range from $3 to $30, which make the parks an economical vacation that’s open to pretty much anyone. But the cost is even more affordable or even free on certain days of the year or for specific groups of people. Here are some of the lowest-cost ways to visit national parks.
Free parks
The majority of National Park Service sites don’t charge an entrance fee. Only 118 of 417 National Park Service sites charge admission to enter the area. Check out the free national monuments and recreation sites in your area.
Free days
National Parks that normally charge entrance fees have several free days each year. In 2017, National Park Service sites provide free admission to everyone on 10 days including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, the weekends of National Park Week, the National Park Service Birthday, National Public Lands Day and Veterans Day weekend.
Bring your fourth-grader.
U.S. fourth-graders are eligible for free admission to sites that charge entrance and standard amenity fees beginning in September of the year they enter fourth grade and continuing through August of the summer after fourth grade. The Every Kid in a Park program provides free entry for the fourth-grader and up to three accompanying adults, and no admission will be charged to children age 15 and under. Alternatively, all the passengers riding in a noncommercial vehicle with a fourth-grade pass holder may enter the park without charge.
Active duty military
An annual military pass grants current U.S. military members, the dependents of deployed military in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard and most members of the U.S. Reserves and National Guard free access to National Parks for themselves and up to three additional adults or the other people riding in their private vehicle. Proper military ID is required to obtain the pass, such as a CAC Card or DoD Form 1173.
Citizens with a permanent disability
The access pass provides free lifetime admission to National Parks to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have been medically determined to have a permanent disability. A permanent disability is a physical, mental or sensory impairment that substantially limits the ability to complete major life activities, such as working, caring for yourself or performing manual tasks. You may be required to produce documentation of your disability, such as a statement from a licensed physician or a document from a federal or state agency, perhaps including the Veteran’s Administration, Social Security Disability Income, Supplemental Security Income or a vocational rehabilitation agency.
Volunteer
Volunteers who accrue at least 250 hours of service are eligible for a free volunteer pass that is valid for 12 months. Those who volunteer at federal recreation sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could qualify for a volunteer pass. The hours do not need to be accrued in a single year. Once a pass is issued the volunteer hours are reset to zero.
Senior citizen pass
A senior pass provides retirees with lifetime access to National Parks in exchange for a one-time fee. But watch out for the price hike. The cost of a senior pass increases from $10 to $80 beginning on August 28, 2017. U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 and older are also eligible for an annual senior pass for $20. A senior citizen who pays for four annual senior passes can exchange them for a lifetime senior pass.
Annual pass
If you plan to visit a lot of National Parks and federal recreation lands in a single year, the America the Beautiful pass can be purchased for $80. This annual pass provides admission to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas. The proceeds from the pass are used to improve visitor recreation services. Each pass admits the passengers in a noncommercial vehicle or up to three adults in addition to the pass holder.
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Bargain Ways to Visit National Parks originally appeared on usnews.com
