OGDEN — Disabled veterans can take advantage of free admittance into state parks across Utah with a recently implemented honor pass.

The Veterans With Disabilities Honor Pass allows Utah residents with an honorable discharge and a service-connected disability day use of all state parks with the exception of This Is The Place Heritage Park.

While the pass covers qualified veterans and up to seven guests in the same private vehicle, it does not cover fees charged by Davis County for travel on the Antelope Island Causeway or special charges or fees within any park such as camping fees.

Honor passes are valid only when in possession of the veteran to whom it is issued. They are non-transferable and expire yearly.

In order to receive a new pass, veterans must provide updated documentation to their Utah State Parks region office.

American Legion Post 9 chaplain and Air Force veteran Barbara Beck said veterans of the post did not know about the honor pass until two months after it became available in May.

Terry Schow, chairman of the Weber County Veterans Advisory Committee, sent a mass email to post members informing them of the new benefit on July 1, after checking the veterans benefit fact sheet at veterans.utah.gov.

“We’ve had reduced fare for veterans before, but this is the latest variation of what’s out there,” Schow said.

Post members are grateful for free access to state parks in Utah, said Beck, because many, including herself, have had free entrance to national parks and federal recreation areas for many years with the Military Pass.

In partnership with Operation Live Well, the National Park Service implemented the free Military Pass in 2012 as a way to thank America’s veterans, Gold Star families, current military members and their dependents for supporting their country.

A service-related disability is not a qualifying factor for the Military Pass. Congress also recently passed legislation authorizing a lifetime pass. The free lifetime pass is expected to be available by the end of the year. Until then, veterans and Gold Star families may receive the annual Military Pass.

More information on the Military Pass program can be found at store.usgs.gov.

The National Park Service’s lifetime pass is an interagency program waiving all entrance and standard amenity fees for the Bureau of land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Newsletter