Why Every National Park Lover Needs an America the Beautiful Pass (Especially Now)

America’s National Parks are one of the things that truly make us great, so it’s disappointing to know that as we celebrate National Park Week, April 19-27, they face staffing cuts, and seasonal hiring has been halted.

But there is a little something we can all do to help, and that’s purchase an America the Beautiful Pass. This $80 annual pass provides access to more than 2,000 recreation areas managed by six Federal agencies, and the proceeds are used to improve and enhance visitor recreation services.

Planning a “Mighty 5” National Parks trip this year? It could cost you $155 to pay individual entrance fees for each of them, so an America the Beautiful Pass would save you $75. And remember, it’s good for more than just the “big” parks - the National Park Service manages many other monuments, preserves, memorials, historical sites, and recreational areas. You can search for them by state here.

In keeping with this year’s National Park Week theme of National Park Playlist, here’s a playlist of the places I used my pass. More links will come as I add more stories on this site about each of them.

• Capulin Volcano National Monument
• Great Sand Dunes National Park
• Mesa Verde National Park
• Canyonlands National Park - The Needles 
• Arches National Park
• Canyonlands National Park - Islands in the Sky
• Timpanogos Cave National Monument
• Zion National Park
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Grand Canyon National Park - North Rim
• Walnut Creek National Monument
• Sunset Crater National Monument
• Wupatki National Monument
• Grand Canyon National Park - South Rim
• Montezuma Castle National Monument
• Petrified Forest National Park
• Bandelier National Monument
• Valles Caldera National Preserve
• Big Bend National Park
• Guadalupe National Park
• Fort Davis Historical Site

I estimate that over the year I was a remote working vagabond, this pass saved me more than $300 while visiting all those sites. (I probably also spent that much buying stickers and patches at each one, though, so maybe it was more like it got me free souvenirs.) 

But you don't have to be on an epic road trip to take advantage of this pass.

Chances are pretty good that somewhere near you is a great place to visit that is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the USDA Forest Service, or the US Army Corps of Engineers, where you can also use the America the Beautiful Pass.

Note that the annual pass does not cover expanded amenity fees such as camping, boat launching, parking, special tours, special permits, or ferries. And you must have the physical pass card, so allow a couple of weeks for it to be mailed to you if you order online. You can also purchase them in person at several sites listed here. 

#NationalParkWeek