Did you know all families with fourth-graders are eligible to receive a free National Park Pass, usable from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31? Homeschool families qualify, too!
To get your pass, follow the directions at the everykidoutdoors.gov website. The pass includes National Parks, lands and waters. Yellowstone, Jamestowne, Mount Rainier, and Assateague Island are just a few of the parks you can visit for free.
Check ahead of time at nps.gov to make sure the site you are visiting accepts the pass. The NPS App allows you to download information and maps (some parks do not have cell service) for your visit.
If you visit a site that charges entrance fees per person, the pass admits all children under 16 and up to three adults for free.
If you visit a site that charges vehicle entrance fees, the pass admits all children under 16 and all adults in up to one passenger vehicle.
Almost every park has a Junior Ranger program booklet filled with educational activities by age to complete to earn a Junior Ranger badge.
So far, our family has visited five National Parks in three states: Great Sand Dunes and Mesa Verde (Colorado), Arches and Zion (Utah), and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (Arizona).
At every park, we explored the natural beauty and diversity of God’s colorful creation.
Highlights of our trip included:
- Encountering baby bison
- Observing the stars at the Grand Canyon
- Scrambling up the base of a humongous arch
- Getting a close-up view of ancient cliff dwellings
- Experiencing refreshing waterfalls
- Sledding down an extremely steep slope of sand dunes
Our 4th grader’s favorite memory: hearing the echo of his voice across a vast canyon.
Our best tips for an enjoyable National Park trip:
- Make sure you bring your paper pass. As the website explains, “Your pass has a unique code. That means you can’t copy it and give it to friends. Encourage your friends to get their own pass if they’re in the fourth grade.”
- Arrive as early as possible to beat the crowds.
- Bring and drink more water than you think you need.
If you have used the free 4th grade National Park pass, tell us about your adventures or your tips. If you are looking forward to using a pass, tell us where you hope to go!
This guest blog post was submitted by Jennifer Laporte, one of MPE’s Board members.
