WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.), the Chair and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Parks, are urging the National Park Service to offer a digital version of “America the Beautiful” passes that give access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites, in addition to the existing paper version. In a letter to National Park Service Director Charles Sams, the Senators highlight how a digital America the Beautiful Pass would improve efficiency and visitor experience at busy parks, and promote the long-term success of “America’s greatest treasures”. The Senators specifically highlight Acadia’s online entrance pass as a model for the America the Beautiful Pass to follow. This letter follows months of feedback the Senators have received from top NPS officials and conservation how Americas public lands can be preserved and improved for future generations.

“We write to request that you coordinate with the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and Army Corps of Engineers to offer a digital America the Beautiful Pass option, in addition to the existing physical pass,” said the Senators. “The digital age has dramatically increased the information available at the tap of a finger, and the public has grown to expect the convenience of modern technology during daily activities.”

“Despite options to purchase America the Beautiful Passes online, the passes themselves are not available for digital download or use on mobile devices. This means those who lose or forget to bring their physical pass to a federal recreation site must buy another at the entrance station, and those who purchase a pass online must wait days to receive it in the mail,” the Senators continued. “This can create unnecessary barriers and inconvenience for would-be public lands visitors.”

“The Acadia National Park website encourages visitors to “Avoid long lines by buying your Entrance Pass online” and provides links to purchase an Acadia-specific park pass and a vehicle reservation for the Cadillac Summit Road, both of which may be downloaded immediately. These types of digital options should be extended to America the Beautiful Passes,” concluded the Senators. “Offering a digital America the Beautiful Pass option, in addition to the existing physical pass, would improve visitor experience and increase efficiency at entrance stations. We look forward to working with you on this issue.”

American the Beautiful passes covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as standard amenity fees at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In total a pass gives access to over 2,000 federal sites. A pass covers entrance, standard amenity fees and day use fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at per vehicle fee areas. Passes are free to U.S. military members and veterans; they are also free for Gold Star Families after legislation led by Senator King was signed into law last year. Currently, the passes are only available in a physical plastic form, and are available at recreation sites and to be mailed to purchasers – in contrast to the more consumer-friendly digital versions available nationwide for food, theaters and other private sector services.

A member of the Energy and Natural Resources and Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Senator King is among the Senate’s loudest voices advocating for public lands and encouraging outdoor recreation. He was recently awarded the inaugural National Park Foundation (NPF) “Hero” Award. Senator King helped lead the passage the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) into law; the legislation includes the Restore Our Parks Act – a bill led by Senator King – and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Permanent Funding Act. The historic legislative package continues Senator King’s career-long focus on conservation efforts, dating back to his work prior to running for elected office through his years as Governor and his service in the Senate. Over the course of his time in the Blaine House, Governor King was responsible for conserving more land across Maine than all Governors before him combined. 

Senator Daines is the top Republican on the U.S. Senate’s National Parks Subcommittee and has championed efforts to increase access to public lands and support national parks and gateway communities. While Chairman of the National Parks Subcommittee in the 115th and 116th Congress, Daines held a field hearing in Gardiner, Montana, a gateway community to Yellowstone National Park, to hear firsthand the benefits and concerns faced by communities, as well as a hearing at Grant Kohrs National Park to discuss visitation at smaller park units. Daines also championed the “Great American Outdoors Act” that invests in our national parks and public lands.

The full letter can be read HERE and below.

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Dear Director Sams,

We write to request that you coordinate with the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and Army Corps of Engineers to offer a digital America the Beautiful Pass option, in addition to the existing physical pass.

The digital age has dramatically increased the information available at the tap of a finger, and the public has grown to expect the convenience of modern technology during daily activities—from ordering off of a contactless QR code menu to scanning a mobile boarding pass at the airport. The technology in use on public lands often lags behind visitor expectations. Despite options to purchase America the Beautiful Passes online, the passes themselves are not available for digital download or use on mobile devices. This means those who lose or forget to bring their physical pass to a federal recreation site must buy another at the entrance station, and those who purchase a pass online must wait days to receive it in the mail. This can create unnecessary barriers and inconvenience for would-be public lands visitors.

We are pleased to see that some public lands passes are already digitally available through Recreation.gov. The Acadia National Park website encourages visitors to “Avoid long lines by buying your Entrance Pass online” and provides links to purchase an Acadia-specific park pass and a vehicle reservation for the Cadillac Summit Road, both of which may be downloaded immediately. These types of digital options should be extended to America the Beautiful Passes, which provide access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites by covering entrance fees at National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges, as well as day use fees at National Forests, National Grasslands, and lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Offering a digital America the Beautiful Pass option, in addition to the existing physical pass, would improve visitor experience and increase efficiency at entrance stations. We look forward to working with you on this issue.