Any fourth graders in the family? If so, your child and your family qualify to enjoy America’s natural wonders and historic sites for FREE thanks to Every Kid in a Park!
Don’t know what we’re talking about? Every Kid in a Park is a program created by President Barack Obama that allows your kids to discover the wildlife, resources, and history of the United States for one full year without paying a dime.
According to their website, “Our country is full of dazzling landscapes where you can play and learn. They protect our wildlife and resources. They let us look into the past and protect our history. Keeping them public supports a healthy planet.”
Participating agencies in this program include:
– U.S. Bureau of Land Management
– U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
– National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
– U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
– U.S. Forest Service
– U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
– National Park Service (including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!)
How to Get Started
If your child is eligible for Every Kid in the Park (he or she just needs to be in the fourth grade), getting started is easy! All you have to do is visit the program’s website (everykidinapark.gov) and help your child print his or her pass. This pass will allow your fourth-grader as well as your family to enter all national lands and waters FREE for the year.
Educators of fourth grade students (including public school teachers, homeschooling moms, youth group leaders, etc.) can also print passes for each of their students. Keep in mind that these passes MUST be printed. Electronic copies will not be accepted.
Plan Your Trip
After you print your pass, you and your family are ready to plan a trip! Get ready for big adventures in the great outdoors, where you can explore natural wonders and historic sites, view amazing animals, and learn all about the beautiful terrain that we call America.
And the great news is, you can do all this during your next trip to the Smoky Mountains! The Great Smoky Mountains is home to America’s most visited national park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This historic landmark draws more than 9 million visitors each year, and this year, we think your fourth-grader should be one of them!
Bring your child to the Smokies, where you can:
– Explore a hiking trail to the top of a mountain.
– Walk behind a cascading waterfall.
– Ride horseback through lush, old-growth forests.
– See the most stunning wildflowers in America.
– Get up close and personal with America’s wildlife, like the American Black Bear.
– Gaze across some of America’s prettiest mountains.
– Stomp on Charlie’s Bunion!
For more information on the Great Smoky Mountains, visit the National Park Service’s website by clicking here. They will have specific information about hikes, activities, and historic landmarks in the park, as well as updated information on weather, roads, wildlife activity, etc. They also have information on how to become a Junior Ranger—another fun program for your fourth grader to enjoy!
Your Stay in the Smokies
You don’t have to live close to the Smoky Mountains to enjoy their natural beauty and grandeur! You and your fourth grader can come to the Smokies for a week or a weekend, and we’ve got just the right place for your family to stay.
At Cabins For You, we have plenty of options, depending on what your family is looking for in the Smokies. We have budget-friendly cabins for small groups. If you’re bringing your child for a father-son or mother-daughter or any other combination getaway, check out our two-person cabins like Sunflower House. Or if you’re bringing the family, check out a four-person cabin like Creek’s Edge that sits beside the soothing Roaring Fork Creek.
We also have pet-friendly cabins, cabins with mountain views, cabins with game tables (great for entertaining kids!), and cabins that are less than five miles from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Whatever you are looking for, our reservation specialists can help you find it at Cabins For You!