How to Get the (Free) 4th Grade National Park Pass: +7 More Ways to Save

National Park Passes

The United States National Parks are incredible places to visit on a family vacation. Not only are they are bursting with some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, but they are also fantastic places for families to explore and for kids to learn. Better yet, a National Park Pass helps make visiting these amazing sites incredibly affordable (and in some cases even free!) There are several different types of passes offered by the National Park Services, but in this post I want to focus on the free and fairly new “Every Kid Outdoors Pass” (also known as the 4th Grade Annual National Park Pass.)

Our family has had the opportunity to use the 4th Grade National Park Pass three separate years now and we love it! Even though we already regularly visit U.S. national parks, this 4th grade pass made our visits these years even more special. This was because it was our then 4th graders who were getting us into these incredible sites for free! And they loved this!

The 4th Grade Annual National Park Pass

The 4th Grade Annual National Park Pass is my favorite National Park Pass!

And it’s Free! I wish every family knew about this incredible pass!

In 2015, the Every Kid in a Park program was launched. (The name later changed to the Every Kid Outdoors program.) With this program all 4th graders (including home-schooled learners, 10 years of age) and their families are granted free admission to all national parks, national monuments and national seashores; all national forests & grasslands, all national wildlife refuges, all fish & wildlife sites and to all lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management for a full year! Basically it works anywhere that the regular America the Beautiful Pass works. That’s a lot of free places for your family to take advantage of!

*Please note that the 4th Grade Pass does not cover Amenity Fees such as camping, boat launch fees or interpretive fees and it does not work at State or Local Parks.

How Do You Get the 4th Grade Annual National Park Pass?

Luckily they made it really simple to get a 4th Grade National Park Pass. Just follow this link to the official homepage of “Every Kid Outdoors.” Then click on “Get Your Pass.” From here your child will get to complete an “Adventure Diary.” (Don’t worry, the questions are easy and they are mainly about what your child would like to do or see in a national park.) When they are done, you just print out your voucher.

Here’s a link to the brochure that answers most questions you may have.

*Electronic versions cannot be accepted so make sure you print out your child’s voucher and bring it with you.

Then just give your printed voucher to the ranger when you enter. He’ll probably say hi to your 4th grader and then exchange your paper voucher for a plastic 4th Grade National Park Pass and a free hang tag for your rearview mirror.

If no ranger is available, then just place your printed voucher on your dashboard and you can go enjoy the park.

What Are the Benefits of 4th Grade National Park Pass?

The 4th Grade National Park Pass grants any 4th grader and their family access to over 2,000 sites across the country for free!

All entrance fees are covered for the 4th grader and any passengers with them in a non-commercial vehicle. And at sites that charge per person, this pass covers the pass holder and up to 3 adults, plus any other children under 15 as well. This is an amazing deal!

Many national parks around the United States cost between $20-$35 per vehicle per day or $10-$20 per person. See a list of entrance fees here. So for families with a current 4th grader, just think of the incredible savings you will have just by printing out this free pass!

How Long is the 4th Grade National Park Pass Good For?

The 4th Grade National Park Pass is valid for your child’s entire 4th grade school year (from September 1st to August 31st)! So don’t delay in signing up. This makes the perfect year to plan a national park road trip!

And if you have an up and coming fourth grader, it’s not too early to start thinking about which national parks you might want to visit the following year. Keep in mind that in some of the big name parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon, lodging can fill up early so you’ll want to try and book your reservations as soon as you can.

Help Your 4th Grader Be Involved in Planning Your National Park Trip

Find Out What Types of Parks Interest Them:

Let your child read and look at pictures of different national parks so that they can figure out what type of parks they like. Do they like walking through incredible forests? (Like the Redwoods in California or the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina) Do they love bizarre looking formations like Devils Tower in Wyoming or Chiricahua in Arizona? Or is running up and sliding down dunes something they would love to try? (Like Great Sand Dunes in Colorado or White Sands in New Mexico.) For us, we discovered that our children especially love hiking on rocky trails where they feel like they are exploring a new land (like in the Badlands in South Dakota, Joshua Tree in California, or the incredible slot canyon at Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks in New Mexico.)

There are just so many incredible sites all over the country to choose from! And it’s hard to believe that with the 4th Grade National Park Pass, they are all Free!

For more of our favorites sites, check out the Destinations tab at the top of this page.

Books:

Another great way for you or your child to research which National Parks they would like to visit is with National Park Books. Below are my favorites! The first two are geared for adults but the third book would be perfect for a fourth grade child. These books are life-savers when trying to figure out and plan a trip through our amazing National Parks!

An Incredible Planning Guide

Moon USA National Parks:

The Complete Guide to all 62 Parks

2020 Edition!

Discover Top Hikes (with trail maps), Top Scenic Drives, Native Wildlife, Available Adventures, Nearby Parks & Nearby Attractions, along with Great Tips on When to Visit and Where to Stay!

Great Travel Ideas

100 Parks, 5000 Ideas: Where to go, When to Go, What to See, What to Do

Amazing National Geographic photos, Fascinating Facts, Expert Tips and a ton of Family Friendly Ideas for your visit.

A Great National Park Book for Kids!

America’s National Parks

(Lonely Planet Kids)

Beautiful Photos, Fun Facts, Things to See and Things to Do

Reading Age 9-12

Make Sure You Check Out the Incredible Junior Ranger Program While Visiting!

The Junior Ranger Program, created by the national park service, as a whole is the Best Education Program about Nature that I’ve come across in travel in the entire United States! And with the free 4th Grade Pass, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore this fantastic free program.

There are over 200 Junior Ranger Programs located at National Parks across the country. These programs not only teach kids about nature, but they also help them to discover the history behind the land and encourage them to observe their surroundings as they visit. In addition, they teach how we can protect these lands for future generations.

How it Works

Just pick up a Junior Ranger booklet at any National Park Visitor Center and have your child complete the activities that are marked for their age (all the way up to 13+ years.) Then return the booklet to any visitor center in the park. Your child will then be sworn in as a Junior Ranger. Next, they will receive a certificate and a badge for their accomplishment!

And if you don’t have time to finish the activities or it is not convenient to swing back by a visitor center, then most parks will give you the option to mail the booklet back to them so that your child can still receive their goodies.

Our family loves the Junior Ranger Program and I love how they make learning about the environment fun for kids. I also love how this program really helps kids to have a greater appreciation for the park they are visiting. It really adds to any national park experience. So make sure you check out this program the next time you visit one of our incredible national parks.

Great Gear for Kids Visiting National Parks

Real Binoculars for Kids!

Kid’s Compass with Magnifying Glass!

CamelBak Mini M.U.L.E. Kids Hydration Pack

BEARZ Outdoor, Compact Picnic Blanket!

More National Park Passes if You Don’t Have a 4th Grader

The America the Beautiful Pass

The America the Beautiful Pass costs $80 and is available to everyone! This pass is valid for 1 year from date of purchase (through the last day of that month). You can purchase a pass in person at a federal recreation site, by calling or online.

This is the perfect pass to get if you think your family will be visiting more than 2 national parks or public federal lands in a year. This is the pass our family gets every year that we don’t have a 4th grader.

The Senior Pass

The Senior Pass is available for any U.S. citizen or permanent residents 62 years or older. (Documentation must be provided.) This pass is $20 for an Annual Senior Pass or $80 for a Lifetime Senior Pass. Passes cover the pass holder + 3 adults. Children under 16 are always free. Passes can be purchased in person, online or through the mail. Click here for more information.

If your family is traveling with your parents or grandparents (over 62) then this would be the perfect pass to get for visiting national parks together.

U.S. Military Pass

The U.S. Military Pass is available for current U.S. 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. This is a free pass and can be obtained at a federal recreation site by showing your Common Access Card or a Military Id. Free access is also given to veterans and any Gold Star Family.

Access Pass

The free Access Pass is available for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. (documentation needed)

Volunteer Pass

The Volunteer Pass is available to individuals with 250 hours of volunteer service with federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program.