You can visit any national park in the country with your 4th grader this year, as many times as you want, for FREE! The National Park Service provides vouchers for all fourth graders each year, and that student's entire family (one carload) gets in free to any national park all year long and during the summer following fourth grade. I print these out and pass them out to students at the beginning of each school year, but if you lose yours, you can go to their website and print out another one. Here are the rules published on their website:
The pass is for U.S. fourth-grade (or home-school equivalent) students.
The pass is for the 2024 to 2025 school year. It expires August 31, 2025
Students can't transfer the pass to anyone else.
We can’t accept electronic versions of this paper for access or to exchange for a pass.
No refunds are given for previously purchased passes, or if you forget your pass when you visit.
If you lose your pass, get a new one by visiting the website and signing up again.
Educators can get one paper pass for each of their fourth-grade students.
This program only provides passes for fourth graders.
Show your pass to a ranger when you enter. If there is no ranger, leave it on the dashboard of your car.
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 your group visits a site that charges vehicle entrance fees - The pass admits all children under 16 and all adults in up to one passenger vehicle. Commercial vehicles can't use a pass to get in.
If you arrive at a site on bicycle— The pass admits all children under 16 and up to three adults on bicycles.
The pass doesn't cover things like parking fees, camping, boats, and special tours. Also, some sites are managed by private operators. They may not honor the pass. Check with the site ahead of time to find out.
The pass doesn’t cover fees for local, city, or state parks and recreation areas unless they say that they accept this pass.
Paper passes can be exchanged for plastic passes at certain sites.