Every Kid in a Park Annual 4th Grade Pass Use
1. What are the benefits for the 4th Grade Pass?
The pass allows free admission at sites that charge Entrance or Standard Amenity fees for one full year (September through August of the student’s 4th grade year).
- Allows pass owner and accompanying passengers in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle to enter federally operated recreation sites across the country where per vehicle fees are charged.
- Covers the pass owner and three (3) accompanying adults age 16 and older at sites where per person fees are charged. No entry fee charged for children 15 and under.
The pass does not cover or provide a discount on expanded amenity fees such as camping, boat launch or interpretive fees.
2. Who qualifies for the 4th Grade Pass?
Only U.S. 4th grade students (including home-schooled and free-choice learners 10 years of age) with a printed voucher from the Every Kid in a Park website. Students may not receive a pass without a valid voucher.
3. Where can my 4th Grader use their pass?
Please contact a site directly if you have a question about pass acceptance and fees. The Forest Service, the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation honor the 4th Grade Pass at sites where Entrance or Standard Amenity Fee(s) are charged.
US Army Corps of Engineers will not be issuing this pass, however; they may honor it for free access at some sites. For more information contact your local US Army Corps of Engineers site.
4. How do I get my pass?
Once your 4th grader has completed their web based activity on the Every Kid in a Park website, they will be awarded their voucher package for printing. Once your 4th grader arrives at the participating Federal recreation site they may exchange their Every Kid in a Park printed voucher for the Annual 4th Grade (plastic) Pass. A list of parks that issue passes is available. Please contact the Federal land you will be visiting in advance to ensure that they have the pass available. Indiana Dunes National Lakshore Every Kid in a Park passes can obtained at the Visitor Center, but once again, please contact us in advance to make sure we have some available upon your arrival.
5. Can I loan my 4th Grader’s pass to a friend or to use on my own?
No. The pass owner must be present when the pass is used and it is not transferrable.
6. If I have more than four people in my car, how many passes do I need?
One pass covers the vehicle at sites that charge "per vehicle." At "per person" sites, the applicable fee will be charged for each additional adult.
7. My family is traveling in two vehicles; will one pass let all of us into the site?
No. Only the vehicle with the pass owner is covered. The second vehicle is subject to an Entrance fee or Standard Amenity fee, or must have (or purchase) a second pass.
8. My 4th Grader and the family ride our bikes into a Federal recreation site that charges an entry fee. Are we all covered under the Annual 4th Grade Pass?
Yes, generally the pass owner and up to 3 other bicyclists can enter for free. Be sure to check with the recreation site you plan to visit before leaving because there can be differences in the way a pass is honored at different sites.
9. What is NOT covered by the Pass?
The Pass does not cover Expanded Amenity fees such as camping, boat launching, parking, special tours, special permits or ferries.
Also, some facilities and activities on Federal recreation lands (including those mentioned above) are managed by private concessionaires. The concessionaires charge for their services as any private company does and the Pass is not valid for their services.
10. Can lost or stolen passes be replaced? Is there a way that the serial numbers can be tracked?
No. Due to privacy and logistical considerations, passes cannot be replaced if lost or stolen; a new voucher or pass must be accessed by going to the Every Kid in a Park website and completing the activities to obtain a new paper voucher.
11. How do I show my pass at a site that doesn't have an entrance station?
At unstaffed Federal recreation sites you may need to display your pass or show proof of pass ownership to compliance officers via one of the two following methods:
- Hangtags
A pass can either be displayed on your rearview mirror using a free hangtag or on your dashboard with the signature side showing. Remember, the hangtag itself is only a way to display your Pass, and is not valid for entry unless it holds a valid Pass.
- Every Kid in a Park Voucher
A valid Every Kid in a Park voucher can be displayed on the dashboard of the vehicle with the bar code showing if it hasn’t been exchanged for the Annual 4th Grade Pass.
12. If I forget to bring my pass to a site and pay the Entrance or Standard Amenity fee, can I mail in the receipt and a photocopy of my pass and get a refund?
Sorry, refunds are not issued.
13. If I purchased an $80 Annual Pass earlier in the year can I return the pass and get a refund?
Refunds will not be issued for passes purchased before the free passes became available.
