America The Beautiful - The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass
A "Volunteer Pass" is an Annual Pass awarded to those individuals who volunteer 250 hours at one or more recreation sites managed by five Federal agencies as a way to say "thank you!"
Volunteer hours may be accrued on lands managed by the following:
http://www.volunteer.gov/gov/ OR http://www.fws.gov/volunteers/volProgramList.html OR Inquire Locally
The Volunteer Pass will be issued free of charge to volunteers who accrue 250 volunteer hours.
No. There is no specific timeframe in which volunteer hours must be accrued. Hours can be accrued over one, or several, calendar years.
Work with your local Federal recreation site supervisor or Volunteer Coordinator/Manager to track your hours. Whatever format you use to track your time, be sure to keep copies for your records.
Once the 250 hour requirement is reached, a pass is issued, and the volunteer's "pass hours"; are reset to zero and the count begins again.
You can accrue 250 hours by volunteering on Federal recreation lands managed by one or all of five agencies - NPS, BLM, USDA FS, FWS, and Reclamation. For example, you can volunteer 100 hours for each of the five agencies and earn a pass.
All activities that have been pre-approved by the Volunteer Coordinator count toward the required 250 hours. Remember to get your record of volunteer hours signed by applicable Volunteer Coordinator(s).
No. If a volunteer works more than the 250 hours a year they still earn only one pass per year.
Yes. Campground hosts are eligible to receive a Volunteer Pass once they have completed 250 hours of service.
The Federal Volunteer Coordinator/Manager who authorizes that a volunteer has accrued 250 hours.
The Volunteer Pass is valid for 12 months from the month of issuance, expiring the last day of that month.
Each Annual Pass admits pass owner/s and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas; and pass owner + 3 adults, not to exceed 4 adults, where per-person fees are charged. (Children under 16 are always admitted free).
Note: Photo identification will be requested to verify pass ownership.
No. Only the vehicle with the pass owner is covered. The second vehicle is subject to an entrance fee, or must have (or buy) a second pass.
A Volunteer Pass permits entrance for one motorcycle.
The Volunteer 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.
At Federal recreation sites that don't have entrance stations you 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.
DECALS
If you own an open-topped vehicle (jeep, motorcycle, etc.) you may obtain a free decal to attach to your vehicle that will serve as proof of payment at sites that don't have a staffed entrance station.
No. The Volunteer Pass does not provide discounts at Cooperating Association bookstores or on-site gift shops.
No. The Volunteer Pass does not cover discounts on any Expanded Amenity or Concessionaire (Concessioner) Fees such as: camping, RV hook-ups, boat launching, backcountry permits, parking at Mount Rushmore, guided cave tours at Wind Cave National Park, or parking at some historic monuments or homes.