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If you are going to the U.S. for the summer, be sure to get your free National Parks Pass.
The National Parks Pass is an amazing benefit offered to our military members and now Veterans and Gold Star families have been extended the priviledge.
The pass covers the entry costs for U.S. National parks. This includes the driver and passengers for parks that charge per vehicle. For parks that charge per person, the pass covers one adult pass holder, their child dependents and three adults (ages 16+).
Current active-duty members are eligible to get a free Interagency Military Annual Pass via the America the Beautiful program. You can get your pass for free during your first visit to most national parks, see the list at NPS.gov for a complete list of locations. Alternately, visit the USGS Military Pass page to order one with a ten-dollar processing fee.
Starting in 2022, both Veterans and Gold Star Families were awarded the honor of receiving a free Military Lifetime Pass to the National Parks. These must be acquired in person during entry to a National Park.
Veterans are asked to bring on of the following forms of ID:
Unexpired Department of Defense Identification Card (DD Form 2, DD Form 2765, or Next Generation USID replacement)
Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
Veteran ID Card
Veterans designation on a state-issued US driver’s license or identification card
Gold Star families are asked to bring a downloaded copy of the Gold Star Family Voucher which can be exchanged for a pass, or simply placed in the vehicle windshield at unstaffed sites.
By downloading and signing the voucher, Gold Star Family members are self-certifying that they meet the required criteria as identified in sections 3.2 and 3.3 of Department of Defense Instruction 1348.36.
Take advantage of this huge perk, and visit some of your American National Parks if you are heading back to the States.
Being interagency passes also means they cover Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites that charge an entry fee. The passes do not cover additional fees like camping, tours or special permits.
