California’s Free Fourth Grade Pass gets a teacher’s whole class into 54 state parks at no cost, and it works differently depending on whether it’s a family using it on a weekend or a teacher using it for a field trip.
What The Pass Actually Is
California State Parks used to call this the Adventure Pass; it’s now named the Free Fourth Grade Pass, run through the state park system rather than the National Park Service, so it’s a separate program from any federal pass. It waives day-use entrance fees at 54 participating parks for a full year, tied to a student’s 4th grade year rather than to a specific visit date.
For Teachers Specifically
California State Parks’ own program announcement states it directly: “The pass is also good for California fourth-grade teachers who bring their classes to participating park units for field trips.” That’s a separate use case from the family version, which covers the 4th grader plus up to three accompanying adults and other kids on a personal outing. A teacher bringing a class trip uses the same pass at the same 54 parks, on the strength of that same program.
Where It Works
54 state parks participate, spanning beaches, historic sites, and natural areas across the state. The full list is published on the program’s own parks.ca.gov pages, worth checking against the specific park on the trip itinerary before assuming it’s included, since not every California state park is part of the program.
How To Get One
Sign-up runs through ReserveCalifornia.com: set up a profile with a name, address, phone number, and email address, and the pass is sent by email. Families or teachers without reliable internet access can instead visit a State Parks Pass Sales Office in person or call (800) 444-7275 to request one. The pass is valid for one year tied to the student’s 4th grade year, not to whatever date it was requested.
Q&A
Q: Does every 4th grader in the class need their own pass for a field trip?
A: The program’s own materials describe the teacher bringing the class using the pass for the group; the signup and printing process itself is built around a single family or classroom pass rather than one per student. Confirm the specific process with ReserveCalifornia.com or the destination park before the trip if the group is large.
Q: Is this the same as Every Kid Outdoors?
A: No. Every Kid Outdoors is a federal program covering national parks and other federal lands nationwide. California’s Free Fourth Grade Pass is a state-run program limited to 54 California state parks. A California teacher could realistically use both for different parts of a trip. See our Every Kid Outdoors guide for the federal version.
Q: What if my class isn’t all 4th graders?
A: The program is built around the 4th grade year specifically, so a mixed-grade class trip may only have some students covered. Check with the specific park or ReserveCalifornia.com on how they handle a mixed group before the trip.
Q: Does this cost the school or teacher anything?
A: No. Signup and the pass itself are free; the only requirement is providing contact information through ReserveCalifornia.com or requesting one by phone or in person.