National Park Freebies – Ten Tips to Trim Your Travel Budget

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Although there’s Genius Zone, no such thing as a free lunch, it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to visit one of over 400 national parks and recreation areas across America. There’s no shortage of freebies in these beautiful public lands, from free admission and tours to special programs and even transportation. And although many of these cost-saving deals are well advertised, some are held as closely guarded secrets. With that in mind, here are ten tips to help trim your travel budget on your next national park visit.

National Park Freebies - Ten Tips to Trim Your Travel Budget 1

US Citizens with a permanent disability can get a free Access Pass, which is good for free admission to all national parks, recreation sites, national monuments, and wildlife refuges. Passes can be obtained at entrance kiosks with proof of citizenship and disability. The key also offers a 50% discount on campsites and boat launch fees. Active military members can also get a free annual pass by presenting their Common Access Card or Military ID (Form 1173). This pass is available to members of all military branches- including reservists and National Guard members- and has the same benefits as the Access Pass. Many parks have free cell phone tours. For example, In Olympic National Park, visitors can call (360) 406-5056 to get recorded information on different park areas. Consult the park newspaper to see if a cell phone tour is available.

If you’re traveling with someone who can’t walk far, check with the park visitor center, as they often have manual wheelchairs for loan. Some parks offer free tours on a first-come basis. Over in Zion, visitors can take a free 90-minute ranger-led bus tour of Zion Canyon. Seats are limited and can only be reserved in person at the visitor center up to three days in advance. It’s always a good idea to inquire at the visitor center whenever you visit a park, as that’s how you’ll discover freebies like this. While we are on the subject, rangers are an excellent source of free information, so don’t hesitate to ask them for specific suggestions. On one visit to Yosemite, a ranger told me that Washburn Point was an excellent stop for wheelchair users. This information wasn’t in the park newspaper, but the ranger knew because her brother was disabled.

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