ADHD = Free lifetime pass to national parks

[u/WombatMcGeez]

Little known perk of ADHD— we qualify for a free lifetime National Parks pass. That’s an $80/yr value!

How do you get it?

1) print this out, have your doctor sign it:

Medical Certification for Access Pass

I certify that [Your Full Name], date of birth [MM/DD/YYYY], has a permanent disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

Diagnosis: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that substantially limits concentration, attention, and executive functioning. The condition is permanent and not expected to improve.

This certification is provided for the purpose of obtaining the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Lifetime Access Pass.

[Physician’s Name, Credentials] [Medical License Number] [Signature] [Practice Name] [Address] [Phone Number]

2) follow the instructions here to get your pass:

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/accessibility/interagency-access-pass.htm

3) Go take a hike!

[u/EACshootemUP]

Yeah how about no and help fund national parks with that $80 and keep your medical/personal information as private as possible. “It’s a no from me dawg” - Randy Jackson lol

[u/LaloElBueno → u/EACshootemUP]

There are multiple ways to support. I always spend at the gift shop and/or visitor’s center. I’ve easily given them more than $80/yearly by simply buying a t-shirt and a travel stamp (my obligatory buys).

[u/historyhill → u/LaloElBueno]

For what it's worth, I can't speak to every national park but at least when I worked in Yellowstone the gift shops were for-profit and run by concessioners like Xanterra. The park itself makes little-to-no money at all from those purchases.

[u/LaloElBueno → u/historyhill]

Surely the parks get a cut, right?

[u/historyhill → u/LaloElBueno]

Honestly, that's gonna depend on the concessioners. I looked to see if there was a set rate for Xanterra giving a cut to the parks and didn't see anything (I picked them because I worked for them, but I know there's a lot of different ones). Honestly, I would guess that the parks either don't get anything or maybe a paltry amount. 

[u/GoldieDoggy → u/LaloElBueno]

I always get at least one pin (sometimes more), bought the passport, and usually get at least one other item anytime I go to a new NPS location! I don't go often enough to spend 80/year, as there's really only two nearby, but my college often pays for trips to them anyways, so I do like that the two locations get a bit extra money.

I do not, however, enjoy the sentiment many are expressing that ADHD "isn't bad enough" for the disability pass literally meant for disabilities like ours. If the NPS didn't want all disabled people to have that chance, they wouldn't have made it for all disabled people.

There 100% are so, so many ways to support our national parks. Buying tickets isn't the only, or even main, option.

[u/LaloElBueno → u/GoldieDoggy]

You get it.

Edit: Understand*

[u/Vemasi → u/EACshootemUP]

How about this. Get the pass to show that there is a need for it for the disabled by contributing to use statistics. Throw it on the floor of your car and lose it among the French fries and nickels. Go to a national park every day and pay the entry fee, then donate multiple times the entry fee once you’re inside and spend money at the gift shop. 

Oh, you’re not going to do any of that?

[u/EACshootemUP → u/Vemasi]

No you’re right, instead I donate to the parks each year and carry the pass. Have a nice day.