Bronco Adventures: Celebrate Our National Parks!

image: Jakob1972

Looking for an inspiring new Bronco adventure? Hop in your favorite 4x4 and check out one of the more than 400 national parks across our beautiful country during National Park Week. Typically coinciding with Earth Day each year, National Park Week 2024 is being observed now through Sunday, April 28.

Created by an act signed by President Woodrow Wilson on August 25, 1916, the  National Park System covers more than 85 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Yellowstone became nation's first national park when President Ulysses S. Grant signed an act on March 1, 1872. Since then, it has grown to include 429 “units” for you to explore. This includes national parks, national monuments, battlefields and military parks, recreation areas, historical sites, lakeshores, scenic drives and more.

Visiting the Parks: Entrance Pass Options 

Many of the sites managed by the National Park Service are free to visit, but some require an entrance pass. You may also need a vehicle reservation at a few high-traffic sites. You can purchase a one-time pass or, if you plan to be a more frequent visitor, the National Park Service also offers a variety of free annual and lifetime passes for select groups.

ANNUAL PASSES — $80

Available to everyone

SENIOR PASSES — $80 Lifetime / $20 Annual

Available to US citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over

FREE LIFETIME PASSES

• Military Lifetime Pass — Gold Star Families and US military veterans
• Access Pass — US citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities

FREE ANNUAL PASSES

• Military Annual Pass — Current US military members and their dependents
• Volunteer Pass — Volunteers with 250 service hours with federal agencies
• 4th Grade Pass — Valid for the duration of a 4th grader's school year/summer (Sept.- Aug.)

Learn more about the different entrance pass options and the purchase process here.

image: Jakob1972

Explore for Free

On select days throughout the year, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee offer free admission to everyone. Mark your calendar and plan a visit on one of the remaining free entrance dates in 2024:

• June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
• August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• September 28: National Public Lands Day
• November 11: Veterans Day

image: Aloha

Taking Your Bronco Off-Roading at the Parks

In the song, we call her “America the Beautiful”, and the National Park System wants to keep it that way. The organization is very restrictive when it comes to everything from hiking and biking to camping and off-roading in the National Parks and Forests….because they want to protect and preserve the beautiful land. That’s why, unfortunately, off-road driving is prohibited in most parks. But there are some that allow it, including Big Bend National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Death Valley National Park. When you begin planning your park adventure, start by checking the national parks website to find specific rules, regulations, maps and more for each location you hope to visit.

• Do you need a permit? National Parks that allow off-roading may also require permits that need to be secured in advance.
• Are there any seasonal restrictions or road closures? Some park sections may not be accessible during certain times of the year, plus it is common for some roads to be temporarily closed due to flood damage/after significant after rain events.
• What is the route like? From the length of the road/trail to clearance requirements and type of terrain — this is important info to help you prep your Bronco, plan your supplies and schedule time accordingly.

Learn more in the National Park System Off-Road Driving brochure.

Extend an Off-Roadeo Adventure by Visiting a National Park (or Two!)

Each of the four epic Off-Roadeo destinations offer sweeping vistas, awesome trails and unique ways to enjoy the great outdoors. But they’re also the perfect starting points to keep the fun going with a national park visit. Some can be done with a day trip from your Off-Roadeo location, and others can be planned as stops along your way. Here are a few of the national parks that you can cross off your bucket list when attending Bronco Off-Roadeo.

Bronco Off-Roadeo Moab

• Arches National Park — Moab, UT
• Bryce Canyon National Park — Bryce, UT
• Canyonlands National Park — Moab, UT
• Capital Reef National Park — Torrey, UT
• Zion National Park — Springdale, UT

Bronco Off-Roadeo Nevada

• Death Valley National Park – multiple locations
• Grand Canyon National Park – multiple locations
• Great Basin National Park – multiple locations
• Joshua Tree National Park — Southern California
• Zion National Park — Springdale, UT

Bronco Off-Roadeo Texas

• Amistad National Recreation Area — Del Rio, TX
• Big Bend National Park — Rio Grande, TX
• Guadalupe Mountains National Park — Salt Flat, TX
• Lake Meredith National Recreation Area — Fritch, TX
• San Antonio Missions National Historical Park — San Antonio, TX

Bronco Off-Roadeo New Hampshire

• Acadia National Park— Bar Harbor, ME
• Appalachian National Scenic Trail – multiple locations
• Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area — Boston, MA
• Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park — Woodstock , VT
• Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park — Cornish, NH

Have You Been to Many National Parks?

Which are your favorite and which ones are still on your bucket list? Let us know where you’ve visited and where you may be taking your Bronco to experience America the beautiful next!