Most veterans know about the free America the Beautiful Pass. Fewer know that a second, significantly better pass exists for disabled veterans — and that the two work differently in ways that matter for trip planning. Here is what each one covers and who qualifies.
The Military Annual Pass
The Military Annual Pass is free for all veterans with any discharge other than dishonorable. There is no service length requirement, no combat requirement, and no income threshold. If you served and were discharged under honorable, general, or other-than-honorable conditions, you qualify. Active duty members and activated National Guard and Reserve also qualify, as do Gold Star families.
The pass covers entrance fees and standard 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 specifically, it substitutes for the Northwest Forest Pass in Washington and Oregon and covers fee areas at forests like Inyo and White Mountain where trailhead parking fees apply.
The pass is annual, meaning it requires renewal each year. Renewal is free with the same documentation. Most veterans use a DD-214, which doesn't expire, so the process is straightforward.
What it does not cover: nightly campground fees. At any federal campground — national park or national forest — you still pay the per-night site fee. The pass gets you through the entrance gate, not onto a reserved campsite.
The Access Pass for Disabled Veterans
The Access Pass is the better deal, and most veterans who qualify don't know it exists.
Eligibility is narrower: you must have a 100% service-connected disability rating from the VA, or be certified as disabled by the Social Security Administration. If you meet that threshold, the Access Pass is free and lifetime — you never renew it.
The pass covers the same entrance and day-use fees as the Military Annual Pass. The key difference is camping. Access Pass holders receive a 50% discount on many camping and amenity fees at federal sites. That means if a national forest campground costs $30 per night, an Access Pass holder pays $15. Not all campgrounds participate — concession-operated sites may not honor the discount — but the majority of Recreation.gov sites at national forests do.
For veterans who camp regularly, the math is significant. A week of camping at a forest campground at $25-35 per night adds up. The Access Pass cuts that cost in half, every trip, for life.
Documentation to bring: VA letter confirming 100% service-connected disability, or SSA disability certification. A ranger station can issue the pass on the spot with documentation in hand.
Where Both Passes Work
Both passes are accepted at all 154 national forests and at the vast majority of other federal recreation sites. In practice, this covers almost everywhere you want to go on public land.
For the Pacific Northwest forests — Deschutes, Mount Hood, Gifford Pinchot, and others — both passes substitute for the Northwest Forest Pass, which otherwise costs $30 per year or $5 per day. This is one of the most practical applications because the Northwest Forest Pass fee area is large and the fee stations are staffed.
For national parks, both passes cover the standard vehicle entrance fee (currently $35 at most major parks). They do not cover special permit fees — the Whitney Zone permit, Enchantments lottery, Desolation Wilderness day-use fee, or similar quota systems. Those are handled separately through the permitting system.
BLM recreation areas, Army Corps of Engineers day-use areas, and Bureau of Reclamation sites are also covered.
What Neither Pass Covers
A few categories where neither pass applies:
Nightly camping fees (Military Annual Pass only — Access Pass gets the 50% discount). The campsite reservation fee at any Recreation.gov campground is not covered by the Military Annual Pass.
Wilderness permit lottery fees. The application fee for the Enchantments, Whitney Zone, or other high-demand permit systems is not a federal recreation fee in the sense these passes cover. Pay those separately.
Concession-operated facilities. If a fee is collected by a private concessionaire rather than a federal agency, the passes may not apply. Look for the federal fee station, not a private booth.
Transportation, guided tours, shuttle fees. Passes cover access, not services.
How to Get Your Pass
In person: Go to any staffed entrance station at a national park or national forest. For veterans, bring a DD-214, a VA-issued Veterans ID Card, or a state driver's license with a veteran designation. For the Access Pass, bring your VA disability letter or SSA documentation. The pass is issued on the spot at no cost.
Online: Visit store.usgs.gov/pass. Both passes can be ordered online with documentation upload. Shipping takes a few weeks, so order before your first planned trip.
The DD-214 is the most reliable documentation at any station. Some smaller or unstaffed stations are less familiar with alternate forms of ID, and carrying the DD-214 eliminates ambiguity.
At unstaffed trailhead fee stations with iron rangers, display your pass on the dashboard. The pass covers the fee without requiring anyone to verify your documentation.
For more detail on how the passes work across different land types and specific fee situations, see our full guide: Free America the Beautiful Pass for Veterans and Gold Star Families.