Your 4th Grader Can Get Your Family A Free National Parks Pass | The Money Manual

Your 4th Grader Can Get Your Family A Free National Parks Pass

If you’ve got a fourth grader and plan to take a trip to a national park, then you are in luck! Because with Every Kid in a Park every U.S. fourth grader (including home-schooled kids) and their family get free access to hundreds of national parks, lands, and waters for an entire year. Planning a summer camping or hiking trip? Here are all the details about how you can access to the deal…

What are the benefits?

The pass allows free admission at sites that charge entrance, standard amenity or day use fees. Passes are valid from September through August of the student’s 4th-grade year. The pass does not cover extra fees such as camping or boat launch. The Forest Service,  National Park Service, U.S. Army of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation all honor the 4th Grade Pass.

How do I get the pass?

Have your 4th grader head on over to the Every Kid in a Park website where they will then complete the web-based activity and be awarded their voucher for printing. Once you arrive at the park or site, you can exchange the voucher for the Annual 4th grade Pass. Here is a list of sites that issue passes.

Free days for everyone

If you don’t have a fourth grader, don’t worry, the national parks have set aside a few days a year where everyone gets in free. Don’t miss out this weekend!

April 21: First day of National Park Week

September 22: National Public Lands Day

November 11: Veterans Day