Three separate federal pass programs reduce or eliminate entry fees at national forests and other public lands. Most visitors know only about the pass that applies to them, or don't know any of them exist. This article covers all three so you can identify what you qualify for.
Military Annual Pass
The Military Annual Pass is free for all veterans discharged under any conditions other than dishonorable. There is no service length requirement and no combat record requirement. If you served and were discharged honorably, under general discharge, or under other-than-honorable conditions, you qualify. Active duty members (including activated National Guard and Reserve) also qualify, as do Gold Star families.
The pass covers entrance and day-use fees at all federal recreation sites: national parks, national forests, BLM land, Army Corps of Engineers areas, Bureau of Reclamation sites, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service areas. At national forests in Washington and Oregon, it substitutes for the Northwest Forest Pass, which otherwise costs $30 per year or $5 (as of 2026) per day.
The pass is annual and must be renewed each year. Renewal is free with the same documentation. Since the DD-214 does not expire, renewal is straightforward for most veterans.
What it does not cover: nightly campground fees. The pass covers entrance gates and trailhead fee areas, not reserved campsites.
For a detailed breakdown of how the Military Annual Pass and Access Pass work for veterans, see Veteran Benefits at National Forests: Free Passes and What They Actually Cover.
How to get it: In person at any staffed ranger station or national park entrance with a DD-214, VA-issued Veterans ID Card, or a state driver's license with a veteran designation. Also available at store.usgs.gov/pass with documentation upload. Allow a few weeks for mail delivery if ordering online.
Senior Pass
U.S. citizens and permanent residents age 62 and older can purchase a Senior Pass for a one-time $20 fee. The pass is lifetime: you buy it once and it never expires. An annual version is also available for $30 (as of 2026) per year, which may be useful if you want to start using the pass before committing to the lifetime version.
The pass covers the same entrance and day-use fees as the Military Annual Pass: national parks, national forests, BLM land, and other federal recreation sites. It also provides a 50% discount on expanded amenity fees at many campgrounds, the same camping discount as the Access Pass. Not all campgrounds participate (concessionaire-operated sites may not honor the discount), but the majority of Recreation.gov sites at national forests do.
The lifetime pass price increased from $10 to $20 in 2017 under the National Defense Authorization Act. At $20, a single trip to a fee area at a national park or forest typically recoups the cost.
How to get it: In person at any staffed entrance station with proof of age (driver's license, passport, or birth certificate) and U.S. citizenship or permanent residency (passport or naturalization certificate if a driver's license does not establish citizenship). Also available online at store.usgs.gov/pass. Unlike the Access Pass, the Senior Pass can be purchased and shipped by mail.
Access Pass
The Access Pass is free for U.S. citizens and permanent residents with a permanent disability, regardless of age. Eligibility documentation includes:
- SSA disability certification
- A physician's certification of permanent disability on official letterhead
- A VA letter confirming 100% service-connected disability rating
The pass is lifetime and covers the same entrance and day-use fees as the other passes. The key difference: Access Pass holders receive a 50% discount on many camping and amenity fees at federal sites. For a week of camping at $25-35 (as of 2026) per night, that discount adds up quickly. The majority of Recreation.gov campgrounds at national forests honor the discount.
The Access Pass cannot be ordered online. In-person verification is required. Go to any staffed ranger station or fee site with documentation.
For veterans with both Military Annual Pass eligibility and a permanent disability, the Access Pass is the better choice: it is lifetime rather than annual, and it includes the camping discount.
What All Three Passes Cover
All three passes work at the same sites: all 154 national forests, all national parks, BLM recreation areas, Army Corps of Engineers recreation areas, Bureau of Reclamation sites, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service areas. In practice, this covers almost everywhere you want to go on federal public land.
For national forests specifically:
- Fee areas: Trailhead parking fees, day-use areas, and recreation area entrance fees at forests like Inyo, Angeles, and others with fee stations
- Northwest Forest Pass substitution: All three passes substitute for the Northwest Forest Pass at forests including Mount Hood, Deschutes, Gifford Pinchot, and others in Washington and Oregon
- No-fee forests: Most national forest trailheads have no fee at all. No pass required.
What the Passes Do Not Cover
Several fee categories are not covered by any of these passes:
Nightly campsite fees. The Military Annual Pass provides no discount on camping. The Senior Pass and Access Pass give a 50% discount at many campgrounds, but not all.
Wilderness permit fees. Lottery and quota permit application fees for high-demand areas (Enchantments, Mt. Whitney Zone, Desolation Wilderness) are not federal recreation fees in the sense these passes cover.
Concessionaire-operated facilities. Fees collected by private operators under concession agreements may not be covered. Look for a federal fee station, not a private booth.
Transportation, shuttles, and guided services. These passes cover access, not services.
State parks. All three passes are federal programs. They do not apply at state parks, state forests, or local recreation areas.
The Standard Annual Pass
If none of the above programs apply, the standard America the Beautiful Annual Pass covers the same entrance and day-use fees at all federal recreation sites for $80 (as of 2026) per year. It is valid for 12 months from the purchase date. For anyone who visits two or more national parks or fee-area national forests per year, the pass typically pays for itself quickly.
Cross-Reference
For more detail on military and veteran pass benefits:
- Veteran Benefits at National Forests: Free Passes and What They Actually Cover: full comparison of the Military Annual Pass and Access Pass for veterans
- Free America the Beautiful Pass for Veterans and Gold Star Families: Gold Star family eligibility, documentation requirements, and how the pass works across different land types