Summer is a great time for extra recreation and for many of us, the National Parks are a choice destination. We have 12 parks in Georgia with 3 being in the Metro Atlanta Area - Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park.
Did you know that as an United States citizen or green card resident with permanent disabilities you can obtain the America the Beautiful Access Pass from the National Park System which will enable you to visit these parks for free for life?
what is an access pass?
"A free, lifetime pass - available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability (does not have to be a 100% disability) - that provides admittance to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by six Federal agencies.
At many sites the Access Pass provides the pass owner a discount on Expanded Amenity Fees (such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and guided tours)." - National Park Service Website
There is no age limit and parents may sign for those who are unable to speak or sign their name. The only stipulation is the pass is in the name of the person with the disability and not a parent, caregiver or guardian.
two ways to obtain an access pass
The strongly suggested method of obtaining the pass for those in our area is in person at the Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Park Visitors office. The paperwork can be completed immediately and the pass can be obtained on the same day. If you have the appropriate documentation, bring it with you. If you are at the park without your paperwork, you have the option to read and sign an affidavit stating you are permanently disabled. The visitors office does not charge a processing fee for it's service, so the pass will be a little cheaper.
The second method is to go online and purchase it through the website. There is a processing fee of $10 to purchase the pass online. I went through the process myself and it took about 10 minutes since my documentation is already in digital format. A few quick tips, create an account first then add the access pass to your checkout cart. Once you checkout, you will be given an option to upload the documentation. Once complete, the pass will be mailed to you.
Please note that it may take up to 6 weeks to receive a pass in the mail with the online method while you can receive it on the spot with an in-person visit to the visitor center and avoid the processing fee.
Qualifying for the pass
You must have a permanent disability that limits one or more aspect of your daily life to qualify for the pass. Age does not matter and children may obtain the pass as well.
According to the National Parks website,
"A permanent disability is a permanent physical, mental, or sensory impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working."
You will need to provide a form of identification which could include a GA driver's license or ID, passport, green card or birth certificate AND
Another document which confirms your permanent disability. If you come in person to the Kennesaw Mountain Visitors Center, you may also read and sign an affidavit.
Accepted Documentation
- Statement by a licensed physician which documents that the individual has a permanent disability that limits one or more areas of their daily life and the nature of those limitations.
- Document issued by Federal agency such as the Veteran's Administration, Social Security Disability Income, or Supplemental Security Income
- Document issued by a State agency such as a vocational rehabilitation agency.
Click here for a more specific list of accepted and not accepted items.
the app
If you are looking for more information about the parks, I recommend checking out the National Park Service App which you can find in the App Store on your device. It has park information, audio tours and webcams as well as other information which might inspire your journeys. Even though I have been to Kennesaw Mountain more times than I can count, the app showed me a little more about self guided tours, volunteer opportunities, news and amenities. You can even create a postcard from your photos to digitally share with friends.
ranger-led group tours at Kennesaw Mountain
I had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca Roarty, Supervisory Recreational Fee Technician, at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. She shared that with some advance notice for scheduling (1-2 weeks or more), ranger-led site visit for any group can be arranged. It could be a history visit or perhaps a hike. They have hosted school groups, local nursing homes, military bases, scout groups, etc. The park rangers will tailor the activities to the group's abilities. She also noted the park can do a group issue of the access passes to qualified individuals. If your group is interested, please contact the park office at (770) 427-4686.
Lake Allatoona
The pass also works at other federal lands as well. The list is available on their website, but locally this includes Lake Allatoona. You may use the pass to cover day use fees at the Army Corps sites.
Get out there and enjoy the great outdoors!
