Military veterans: FREE national, state park passes, list of military campgrounds
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)—Did you know that veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces get discounts at National Parks and Forests and have access to campgrounds that are not available to most civilians?
There are more than 400 national parks and more than 2000 recreational areas in the United States, and if you have one of the following, you quality for a LIFETIME MILITARY PASS:
DOD ID card
DD For 2
DD Form 2765
Veteran Health Identification Card
Veteran ID Card
Veterans designation on state-issued U.S. driver's license or ID card
The Military Lifetime Pass is for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, Gold Star Families, and next of kin of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who lost his or her life in a 'qualifying situation,' such as a war, an international terrorist attack, etc…
National parks vs. national forests: the differences
Are you a current member of the US Armed Forces? If so, you and your dependents can enjoy a Military Annual Pass.
You'll need one of the following to get your pass:
Unexpired Common Access Card (CAC)
Unexpired DD Form 1173
Unexpired Next Generation Dependent ID (Replacement of DD Form 1173)
The Interagency Military Annual Pass is available to current military members and their dependents. It covers entrance fees to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service sites and Standard Amenity Fees at Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites.
If you have an Interagency Military Annual Pass, you can take any accompanying passengers with you (in a private, non-commercial vehicle) to federal recreation sites. The pass owner can also bring up to three adults, ages 16 and up, to federal sites that charge per person.
Veterans and civilians with permanent physical, mental, or sensory impairments that limit one or more major life activities are eligible for an America the Beautiful Access Pass. The permanent disability does not have to be 100%.
The pass admits the pass holder (and passengers accompanying them in a non-commercial vehicle) to participating sites across the United States.
This lake in a NWLA National Forest was once one of the most popular parks in the state; now it's rarely visited
To qualify for the pass, you must provide a VA-issued document showing that you received federal benefits due to a disability.
With the Interagency Access Pass, you'll receive a 50% discount on some expanded amenity fees.
American the Beautiful passes cover entrance and standard day-use fees at lands that are managed by the:
National Park Service
US Fish & Wildlife Service
US Forest Service
Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Reclamation
US Army of Corps of Engineers
ATB annual passes are available to everyone and cost $80 a year. But seniors get the annual pass for $20, and seniors also have the option of buying a Senior Lifetime Pass for $80.
Source of Shreveport's Red River is most popular state park in Texas
Whether you're a veteran or not, there are seven days a year when it's free to enter National Park Service sites.
Jan. 9 (National Day of Mourning for President James Earl Carter, Jr.
Jan. 20 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
Apr. 19 (begins National Park Week)
June 19 (Juneteenth Nation Independence Day)
Aug. 4 (anniversary of Great American Outdoors Act
Sept. 27 (National Public Lands Day)
Nov. 11 (Veterans Day)
Some veterans in Louisiana qualify for free hunting and fishing licenses and free entrance to all Louisiana state parks.
Contact your local service officer to begin the process.
It's important to remember that many national parks allow camping for only 14 days out of a 28-day period. Some parks have a 5-day limit, while others allow you to stay for a month.
Before you load up and go, just remember to ask about the maximum amount of time you will be able to spend camping at a national forest or park.
Native Americans in NWLA traded ancient salt from Saline Bayou; now you can camp near the site
Did you know that military campgrounds are a thing? RV sites are located on military bases across the country. In Louisiana you can camp at Fort Polk, Barksdale Air Force Base, New Orleans NSA RV Park, and Twin Lakes. You can camp in Arkansas at Ft. Chaffee RV Park or Little Rock Air Force Base's FAM Camp.
Military campgrounds in Texas include:
Fort Bliss RV Park
Fort Cavazos – Belton Lake Recreation Area
West Fort Cavazos Travel Camp
Fort Sam Houston – Canyon Lake Recreation Area
Fort Sam Houston Recreational Vehicle Park
Red River Army Depot – Elliott Lake Recreation Area
Brooks AFB – FAM Camp
Goodfellow AFB – FAM Camp
Lackland AFB – FAM Camp
Lackland AFB – Lake Amistad Recreation Area
Laughlin AFB – FAM Camp
Sheppard AFB – Lake Texoma Recreation Annex
NAS Corpus Christi – Shields Park Recreation Area
NAS Kingsville – Escondido Ranch
NAS Kingsville – Rocking K RV Park
Randolph AFB – Canyon Lake Recreation Area
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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These dwellings are some of the best preserved in the world and are the hallmark of Mesa Verde National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its rare blend of cultural heritage and natural beauty, Mesa Verde isn't just a stop or another national park on the list—it's a journey into the deep history of the American Southwest. Dalton Dorrell is a park ranger on the Interpretation and Visitor Services team at Mesa Verde National Park. He has worked for the National Park Service for over 10 years. Brian Bartlett is the tourism director and CEO at Mesa Verde Country, a local organization that provides information for travelers visiting Mesa Verde National Park and the surrounding area. Scenic view of Mesa Verde National Park from the Visitor and Research Center. JohnMesa Verde National Park is open daily, year-round. No reservations are needed to enter the park, and entrance passes are $20 per vehicle during the low season (Oct. 23–April 30) and $30 during the high season (May 1–Oct. 22). Passes are good for seven days. If you want to walk inside one of the park's renowned cliff dwellings, you must book a tour up to 14 days in advance. Cliff dwelling tours run from May to October, ending in the winter. The park is still open in the colder months, but many of the facilities close, including the lodge, campground, and most dining options. It is worth noting that all of the park's historic sites and cliff dwellings are at least 45 minutes by car (one way) from the park's entrance on Highway 160. Brian Bartlett, the tourism director and CEO of Mesa Verde Country, advises travelers to 'gas up before you come as there is almost no fuel to be purchased in the park.' The park is also completely cashless, so bring a card. And finally, Mesa Verde National Park is different from most because it contains so much human history. The ancestral sites are extremely important to the park's 26 affiliated tribes and are also very fragile. "Two easy ways you can visit with respect is to not touch or sit on ancestral site walls and to leave any artifact where you find it," Dorrell said. The Mesa Top Loop Road Ruins contains some of the most elaborate Pueblo dwellings found today. Christian Kober/robertharding/Getty Images The park is between the Colorado towns of Cortez and Mancos, near the Four Corners region, where Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado meet. It shares some land with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe reservation. The nearest airports to Mesa Verde National Park are Cortez Municipal Airport (CEZ), about 36 miles away, Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO), about 70 miles away, and Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN) in Farmington, New Mexico, 89 miles away. If you're flying in, you'll need to rent a car, as there's no way to get to or around the park by public transportation. It's a 45-minute drive from the park entrance off of Highway 160 to the first view of a cliff dwelling. The best time to visit Mesa Verde National Park is in late spring and early fall, when the cliff dwellings are still open, but the peak travel season of summer hasn't quite begun yet. The popular, ranger-led cliff dwelling tours begin in May and end in mid to late October. 'I really enjoy September and October in the park," said Dorrell. "It's cooler, there are still tours occurring in parts of the park, and some days are slower. If you do visit during that time, be sure to check the weather. Some years we can start getting snow that early." However, there's a reason why summer is a popular time to visit: the weather is more reliable around this time of year, and the park is usually fully open. Plus, summer comes with wildflowers and chances to spot wildlife, including bears and bobcats. Winter isn't a bad time to visit, either, and you can see sites like Spruce Tree House covered in snow, or you could even cross-country ski or snowshoe the park's winter trails. However, keep in mind that many of the park's facilities close in the colder months. In addition to its national park website, you can follow Mesa Verde's Facebook page, where delayed openings and temporary park closures are posted. Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde National Park is the the largest cliff dwelling in North America. Daniel A. Leifheit/Getty Images Cliff Palace was once home to over 100 people and is the largest known cliff dwelling in North America. It is believed to have been built between 1190 and 1280 C.E. and has 23 kivas, or ceremonial rooms. You can see the Cliff Palace from the Cliff Palace Overlook on Cliff Palace Loop Road, but if you want to step inside this massive structure, you must book a ranger-guided tour. Tours are limited to 50 people and take 45 minutes. Tourists exploring the Balcony House ruin, an Ancient Puebloan (Anasazi) cliff dwelling that was inhabited until the 13th century. wanderluster/Getty Images If you're physically fit and enjoy a bit of a challenge, reserve a tour of Balcony House, where Dorrell said visitors must 'climb a 32-foot ladder, climb two smaller ladders, and crawl through a 12-foot tunnel.' But the effort is all worth it. The path leads to a mid-sized village of 38 rooms set inside a rock alcove. Like the Cliff Palace, the Balcony House can be viewed from the six-mile-long Cliff Palace Loop Road. Those who want to set foot in the village must book a guided tour. Bartlett recommends that first-time visitors drive the six-mile Mesa Top Loop Road, which gives a good overview of the park. The loop is open year-round and provides access to 12 archeological sites, including pueblos and pit houses. You'll also see stunning views of Square Tower House, Cliff Palace, and Sun Temple. The Mesa Top Loop Road is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. The interior and exterior of a pit house reconstruction inside the Step House ruins. Rebecca L. Latson/Getty Images The only cliff dwelling you can visit without a ranger or a reservation is the Step House on Wetherill Mesa. Visiting it lets you explore a part of Mesa Verde National Park that very few people get to see. "This year, the Weatherall Mesa Road will be open, allowing folks to access and discover the other 50 percent of the park," Bartlett said. The journey to Step House usually takes three to four hours, and the site itself requires a hike on a one-mile, steep trail. There's usually a ranger on-site to answer questions. The Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings lit by lantern light sit under a star filled sky. BradWhile most people come to the park to see how early humans lived, the park becomes a stargazing destination at night. Due to its high elevation, arid climate, and distance from the nearest community, the skies above Mesa Verde tend to be clear and inky black—ideal conditions for stargazing. Mesa Verde National Park became the world's 100th International Dark Sky Park in 2021. Booking a campsite at Morefield Campground (open May through October) is a great way to see the night sky. And in late summer, the park runs evening stargazing programs. A guest room at the Far View Lodge within Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park. Morefield is the only campground in the park and is open from May to October. But if you time a visit just right, you can enjoy a night in one of the 267 campsites that dot the grassy canyon near the park's entrance. Each site has a picnic table, fire pit, and barbecue grill. RVs and trailers are permitted. There's also a camp store as well as showers and laundry. The only traditional accommodations within the park are at Far View Lodge, typically open from April to October. The lodge is in the center of the park, around 30 minutes from the park entrance. The rooms in Far View Lodge have private balconies, Wi-Fi, and free guest parking. Pets are allowed, and there are ADA accessible rooms. The property also has a lounge and bar, and a dining room. Mesa Verde Motel is in Mancos, one of the park's neighboring towns. The motel provides just the basics, but it's modern and clean with a hip Americana feel. The property has a community fire pit and an onsite coffee shop and cocktail lounge. Bartlett describes the motel 'is not to be missed.' This little gem in Cortez describes itself as "a little different than the norm"—and it's easy to see why. The Retro Inn has a host of eccentrically decorated rooms—including the hippy-dippy Woodstock Suite—and a range of interesting amenities, including lawn bowling, nostalgic board games, and old-school video games. As an added bonus, there's an outdoor theater with swings and a fire pit. For in-park fine dining, head to the Metate Room in Far View Lodge. The menu highlights regional heritage foods, including wild game, local produce, and fresh fish. Above the lodge, the aptly named Far View Lounge has views that stretch for hundreds of miles and it's a great place to get a pre or post-dinner drink. 'While in the park one must dine at the incredible Metate Room, enjoy a cocktail at the Far View Lounge, and enjoy our incredible dark skies firsthand," Bartlett said. Another favorite of Bartlett's is Cortez's Loungin' Lizard, located on Main Street. The restaurant and bar are set in a hip, contemporary space and serve unique fare like elk shepherd's pie, pork belly tacos, and spicy barbecue chicken pizza. In Mancos, The Boathouse on Grand is the place to be. It's run by locals Jenn and Dave Stewart and has a seasonal menu that changes throughout the week. They're also known for their menu of Spanish sherries and vermouth, served by the glass.
