Big changes are coming - America the Beautiful Interagency Passes are going digital
In response to the EXPLORE Act, the phased rollout for digital pass implementation on Recreation.gov will begin with the Interagency Annual Pass launch on October 1, 2025. Digital passes will be available for purchase through the Recreation.gov Field Sales, website, mobile application, or Contact Center. A Recreation.gov account will be required for all digital pass purchases. Visitors will be eligible to purchase digital Interagency Annual Passes for use across National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, and US Army Corps of Engineers locations.
The suite of America the Beautiful passes - Senior, Military, 4th Grade, and Access passes - will be available as digital versions through Recreation.gov beginning on January 1, 2026.
After purchase, the valid digital pass will be displayed within the visitor-s account details and can be added to a digital wallet. Visitors will immediately have access to their pass on their mobile device and they-ll be instructed to simply present their digital pass for scanning.
Certain pass types (Access, Senior, and Military) will require additional information for eligibility verification, similar to the current process for physical passes. Physical passes will still be available, and visitors may opt to link valid, corresponding digital and physical passes for convenient cross-use.
Improved Pass Data and Management
With the launch of digital America the Beautiful passes, agencies and facilities will have access to more robust data and reporting on pass usage and trends. All digital passes will have an associated digital record; and physical America the Beautiful passes, where the necessary data is shared with Recreation.gov, will also result in an associated digital record. Pass records will be available through the Recreation.gov internal management portal, The Hub, alongside other utilization data, to support more robust Interagency Pass data collection. Field users with Hub access can leverage existing Recreation.gov scanning functionality and/or the Ranger App, for validation, similar to the current processes used for digital activity passes, tickets, etc.
The launch of digital passes fulfills a legislative mandate and supports broader goals shared by Recreation.gov and agency partners. Section 322 of the EXPLORE Act directs the need for America the Beautiful-the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes to be provided to the public in a digital format. This initiative will simplify access to public lands by allowing visitors to purchase, store, and use their passes directly on their mobile devices - creating a seamless, convenient experience that supports trip planning to federal recreation sites.
- Frequently Asked Questions for Visitors
- USACE Training and Documents
- Digital America the Beautiful Pass Quick Start Guide for Recreation.gov Hub Users (hub account required)
- Sample Posters/Flyers
- Training Webinars
- Digital Pass Q&A For USACE
