Bay Area National Parks Launch Second Year of 'Every Kid in a Park' Pass

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA — National park sites in the Bay Area are encouraging all fourth-graders to participate in the National Park Service's second year of the Every Kid in a Park program. For one year, each fourth-grade student and those accompanying them are granted free access to Bay Area national parks as well as more than 2,000 public lands and waters nationwide.

“Our Bay Area national parks are important places of learning and exploration,” said Aaron Roth, acting general superintendent of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. “This special welcome mat is out again to fourth graders for a second year to visit all our national parks for free.”

As of Sept. 1, this year’s Every Kid in a Park pass is valid for a full calendar year. After completing a fun educational activity on EveryKidinaPark.gov, fourth-graders can download and print a pass. Locally, the printed pass can be traded for a more durable annual Every Kid in a Park pass at the three national park sites with entrance fees: Muir Woods National Monument, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Pinnacles National Park.

The pass grants free entry for fourth-graders and up to three accompanying adults to most federally managed lands and waters, including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and marine sanctuaries.

Every Kid in a Park Field Trip Grants

The Every Kid in a Park program also includes field trip grants from the National Park Foundation, which will support educational trips to Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Pinnacles National Monument. The website of each park has information about field trip and education offerings.

According to a news release, Every Kid in a Park is part of President Barack Obama’s commitment to protect our nation’s unique outdoor spaces and ensure that every American has the opportunity to visit and enjoy them. The program is a call to action for children to experience America’s spectacular outdoors, rich history and culture.

Every Kid in a Park is a crucial component of a multi-pronged approach to inspire the next generation to discover all that our nation’s public lands and waters have to offer, including opportunities to be active, spend time with friends and family, and serve as living classrooms to build critical skills.

The Every Kid in a Park program is an Administration-wide effort between the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Army, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The program continues each year with the then-current group of fourth graders. After 12 years, every school-age child in America will have had an opportunity to visit their public land and waters for free, inspiring the next generation to be stewards of our nation’s shared natural and cultural heritage.

The Bay Area national park sites include:

• Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (Danville)
• Fort Point National Historic Site (San Francisco)
• Golden Gate National Recreation Area (Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo Counties)
• John Muir National Historic Site (Martinez)
• Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (Many Bay Area Locations)
• Muir Woods National Monument (Mill Valley)
• Pinnacles National Park (Paicines)
• Point Reyes National Seashore (Point Reyes)
• Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial (Concord)
• Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park (Richmond)
• San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park (San Francisco)

Images courtesy of National Park Service