Last week we ordered our America the Beautiful Pass from the Tonto National Forest. Right now because of COVID you can’t buy your pass in person but you can order over the phone. I spoke with Kyle who was super helpful from the Mesa Ranger District. I ordered our pass and he had it in the mail to us that day and it arrived the next morning.

If you are unfamiliar with the America The Beautiful Pass it is a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands pass that allows the public to access some fee areas without additional charge. This is a very cost effective way to see multiple sites across the United States.

We purchased our pass mainly for use in the Tonto National Forest when we go paddle boarding. In hindsight we should have bought a yearly pass over the summer because we spent $8 on a day pass each time we went to the river and lake. Had we bought one at that time it would have well over already paid for itself.

Tonto National Forest only allows you to use this pass at the picnicking areas. So if you are a hiker this might not be the best pass for you but for our family’s needs it works perfectly.

We made a trip to the lake last week to have a picnic after our pass arrived and spent two hours eating and playing. It was so relaxing and I can’t wait to explore more areas on land and paddle board this year with my family in the Tonto National Forest and hopefully around Arizona.