The pass

The America the Beautiful pass

One pass, six agencies. The America the Beautiful — National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass is an annual pass that covers entrance and standard amenity (day-use) fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The standard Annual Pass costs $80 and is valid for 12 months from the month of purchase. It admits the pass holder plus everyone in one non-commercial vehicle (or the holder + 3 adults where per-person fees apply; under-16s are always free). For exactly what it does and doesn’t cover, see how it works — and remember it never covers concessionaire fees like shuttles, tours, or camping.

Where to buy

Recreation.gov Digital Buy a digital pass and use it right away on your phone — no waiting for mail. Option to also order a physical card. Buy on Recreation.gov → USGS Store Order a physical pass by mail. This is also where Senior and Access passes are commonly issued. Buy at the USGS Store →

You can also buy or pick up a pass in person at many national parks, forest offices, and federal recreation sites. Find a pickup location →

Which pass is right for you?

These are all “interagency” passes — every one of them is honored at the same sites Passlands lists. Some are free if you qualify:

Pass	Cost	Who it’s for
Annual Pass	$80 / year	Anyone. The standard pass, valid 12 months from the month you buy it.
Senior Pass	$20 / year · $80 lifetime	U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62+.
Military Pass	Free	Current U.S. military members and dependents (annual); veterans and Gold Star families (free lifetime).
Access Pass	Free (lifetime)	U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a permanent disability.
4th Grade Pass	Free	U.S. 4th graders (incl. homeschool), for the school year — via the Every Kid Outdoors program.
Volunteer Pass	Free	Volunteers with 250+ service hours for participating federal agencies.

Have a pass? Check before you go. Even with the pass in hand, acceptance varies by site. Search a site on Passlands to see our confidence level and the source — and always confirm with the managing agency.

Prices and eligibility are set by the federal agencies and can change. See the official NPS entrance passes page for current details.