By Tricia Luzadder, JJ’s List

After two years of staying put because of Covid, the seemingly endless cold weather, and general antsiness (as we’ve been living in an apartment while our house is under construction), our family decided to travel outside of Illinois for our daughter’s spring break. We headed to Tuscon for a few days in the sun and a chance to participate in outdoor activities.

My husband and I love being outdoors and being active, so hiking was high on our list of things to do while we were in Arizona. Our daughter, Anna, would have preferred to sit by the pool all day, but she came along with us on our hiking adventures nonetheless.

She was less than thrilled about the 3.7-mile hike down Sabino Canyon. She was a trooper, though, and was proud of herself when she finished. And she got to finish the day sitting poolside with headphones on.

On our visit to Sabino Canyon in the Coronado National Forest, we were fortunate to learn that Anna, who has Down syndrome, qualified for a National Park Access Pass. With her in tow, we were allowed to enter the recreation area at no cost, as this location charged per vehicle. Sites that charge per person only cover the individual with the disability.

Not only that, but her free Access Pass is good for a lifetime, entitles her to various discounts, and provides her admittance into more than 2000 recreation sites managed by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, and US Army Corps of Engineers. This means Anna can continue to enjoy the great outdoors and explore loads of recreational areas across the country!

Courtesy of nps.gov

The Access Pass is free and is available to any US citizen who has a permanent disability. You can obtain a pass with the proper documentation at many sites, or you can order a pass online. However, while the pass is free, there is a shipping charge.

Visit The National Park Service site for more information and details about this great service!