| | | Dear RV Friend,
This month, we salute our beloved national parks. Be it within the United States or Canada, these national treasures rank among RVers’ favorite destinations (check out this FMCA member's Top 10 U.S. National Parks list). Two great resources exist for RV travelers making plans to visit national parks. For U.S. national parks, the recently relaunched Recreation.gov website provides information, as well as a means of making campground reservations. The Parks Canada website also offers tips and tools, and a campground reservation system. Wishing You Carefree Travels,
The FMCA Team
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JOIN THE FMCA FAMILY
RV trips are better with FMCA by your side. Click here to join.
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| Q. Can FMCA help me save on insurance? A. All FMCA members have priority access to the best rates through the industry's leading RV insurance experts. Coverage is available for RVs, homes, and automobiles in the U.S., Alberta, and Ontario. Some exclusions apply. To learn more, click here or call (877) 589-3599. FMCA members are also eligible for savings on health plans and pet insurance.
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| Understanding Park Passes: How To Save
Passes that offer savings for frequent visitors are available for U.S. and Canadian national parks.
U.S. National Parks
- Several variations of America The Beautiful passes are offered. The Annual Interagency Pass is available to anyone and provides unlimited visits for a year from the month of purchase. This pass covers entrance fees at U.S. national parks and national wildlife refuges and standard amenity day-use fees at national forests and grasslands, and at lands and waters managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Army Corps of Engineers. It provides admission for the pass owner and accompanying passengers in a private vehicle, or the pass owner and three adults at sites where per-person fees are charged. It costs $80 plus a processing fee for online orders, or the pass can be purchased in person at staffed sites.
- Annual and lifetime Senior passes, which cost $20 and $80, respectively, are available to permanent U.S. residents who are age 62 and above.
- The Access pass is free to any citizen or permanent resident of the United States who has been medically determined to have a permanent disability. Free passes are also available to Volunteers who accrue more than 250 hours of service at participating facilities and to current Military members, as well as to 4th Grade students.
- Site-Specific passes ultimately will be added as options for those who frequently visit one particular location.
- Discovery Passes provide unlimited admission for 12 months from the date of purchase to more than 80 Parks Canada places that typically charge a daily admission fee.
- Passes cost $57.90 for seniors ages 65-plus; $67.70 for individuals ages 18 to 64; and $136.40 for a family group of up to seven people in a vehicle. Youth from birth to age 17 are admitted free.
- Single-Location passes also are available.
- Passes can be purchased online, at any Parks Canada location, or at participating Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) stores.
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An RV campground within Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee |
| Forests, Campgrounds, Grasslands, Oh My!
Curious about camping options at national parks and forests? Look no further than ForestCamping.com. Started and maintained by FMCA members Fred and Suzi Dow, F435606, it is a guide to find U.S. national forests and grasslands by state, complete with pictures and research on forest info. In addition, it’s easy to find a campground from a long list of locations where the Dows have personally stayed. Learn more about their background and how this passion project got started.
Wildlife In The Parks
Did you know? If you’re hiking in woods where bears have been spotted, it’s best to always make noise by clapping or singing to avoid startling one. Never — we mean NEVER — stop to take a selfie. And don’t try to climb a tree, y’all; bears can climb, too. If you encounter a grizzly versus a black bear, your response should be quite different. Find out how you should react and more helpful tips on encountering wildlife in this article from Outdoor Life.
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| Price Change: FMCA Roadside Rescue®
Prep for your summer trips now. Effective May 1, the price of FMCA's Roadside Rescue® roadside assistance plan increases from $69 to $74. Benefits include towing to the nearest qualified repair center, fuel delivery, lockout service, and more. Plus, you can extend coverage to other members of your household and add passenger vehicles. So act fast and join FMCA before May 1 so you can purchase Roadside Rescue at the lower rate!
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| National Parks Of The North RV Tour — For FMCA Members Only! FMCA members have access to a stress-free, guided vacation exploring some of America’s most beautiful national parks including the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Badlands. In between, visit an assortment of iconic landmarks including Mt. Rushmore, Pikes Peak, Devils Tower, and Crazy Horse Memorial. Plus, we’ll celebrate our western roots at Cheyenne Frontier Days & Rodeo, treading the stomping grounds of such legend makers as Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill, and General Custer. For more information, contact FMCA Tour Connection powered by Fantasy RV at 855-385-3622 or click here.
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| FIND AN FMCA EVENT
Visit the Events Calendar to see all upcoming FMCA events.
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Visalia/Sequoia National Park KOA C12262
Visalia, CA
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GET MORE CAMPGROUND FEE SAVINGS
Save on camping fees with FMCA's partners — KOA, Passport America, and FMCA Commercial Member Campgrounds. Join FMCA today.
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| A National Park-Themed Winnebago Winnebago has introduced a National Park Foundation Travato, a limited-edition redesign of its Type B motorhome. It features special graphics and an energy-management system created for boondocking. And to show off the new Travato, Winnebago loaned one to FMCA members James and Stef Adinaro of The Fit RV to embark on a tour of national parks. Check out their adventures here.
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| Explore The Junior Ranger Program Designed to engage kids of all ages — and grown-ups, too — the U.S. National Park Service's Junior Ranger Program encourages kids to ask questions, make choices, participate in park stewardship, and interact with the NPS site they are visiting. Read how from Our Wandering Family.
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| Calling All Pets: Become A B.A.R.K. Ranger! If your pet is just as adventurous as you, check out the U.S. National Park Sytem's B.A.R.K. Ranger Program. Pets can be sworn in and collect unique tags.
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Get Your Park Passport
National Park Passport Stamps
Have you heard of the Passport To Your National Parks program? Buy a passport online or in person at a national park store, and ask a ranger or store worker whether they have a passport cancellation stamp station. At each station, you’ll receive a rubber-stamp ink marking in your passport book that says the park name and date visited. It’s a fun and tangible way to keep record of where you’ve been and when!
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Next time you’re heading out for a trip, check out eParks’ list of this year’s Cancellation Stations on the route. For those of you who are ready to go all in, join this National Park Travelers Club for top-secret spots and bonus finds.
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READY FOR A NATIONAL PARK RV ADVENTURE?
Gear up and hit the road! But don't forget to join FMCA first. Join now.
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