Fourth graders can get free passes to national parks

Did you know fourth graders can get a free pass to explore the country’s national parks and other federal recreation sites for the coming school year?

Through the National Park Service’s Every Kid Outdoors program, fourth-grade students can receive a free pass that provides access to participating federal lands and waters for a full year.

The program is designed to give children and their families an opportunity to experience public lands while learning about the country’s natural, cultural, and historic resources.

The pass is available to fourth-grade students, including those who are 9 to 11 years old, as well as homeschool students and students in equivalent age-based programs.

Students can obtain their pass through the Every Kid Outdoors website by completing a short educational activity. The pass can then be printed or presented digitally, depending on the site.

The pass covers the fourth grader and accompanying passengers in a private vehicle at sites that charge per-vehicle entrance fees. At sites that charge per-person fees, it generally covers the student and up to three accompanying adults.

The pass is valid from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31 of the following year, making it available throughout the fourth-grade school year and the following summer.

For local families, the program offers an opportunity to explore nearby public lands as well as Utah’s five national parks farther afield.