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Veteran Camping Discounts at State Parks: All 50 States
Some states let disabled veterans camp free for life. Some give everyone who served a discount, and twenty-one offer free entry only. We checked the official state park pages and state law for all 50 states. Here is what each one offers and how to get it.
Checked against official state park pages and state law, September 2026.
Most programs have catches: many are residents only, many require a VA disability rating, and many require a pass you have to get before you book. Each state entry below spells those out, with a link to the official page so you can check it yourself. There is a short section on federal campgrounds at the end.
The short version
Free camping for qualifying veterans or service members: Alaska, California, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Almost all require state residency and a service-connected disability. New Mexico is the outlier: any resident veteran qualifies, rated or not.
A camping discount for veterans, service members or the Guard: Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
A disability discount that takes a VA letter: Arkansas and Florida. Neither is a veteran program, but a rated veteran can use it.
No military camping discount: Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin. Many of these wave veterans through the gate for free, but an entry pass does not touch the campsite bill.
Before you book
- Residency. Most free-camping programs are for that state's residents only. A lifetime pass from home is worth nothing across the state line.
- Rating. Thresholds run from any service-connected disability (Oregon, Nevada, Georgia) to 30% (Washington), 50% (California, Wyoming) and 100% (Idaho, Maine, Virginia, South Dakota and others).
- The pass comes first. Many states make you apply and hold the pass before you reserve, and processing can take weeks. Do it before you plan the trip, not the week of.
- Read the exclusions. Cabins, yurts, group sites, premium sites, holidays and reservation fees are often carved out.
State by state
Alabama
Veterans and active military get 15% off overnight stays at state parks, campsites included. Show ID at check-in. It does not stack with other discounts or with weekly and monthly rates. Parks that charge entry also admit veterans free. Alabama State Parks
Alaska
Disabled veterans get a free annual camping pass good for individual sites in developed state park campgrounds, though not group areas. Apply in person at the Anchorage or Fairbanks public information center, or by phone if you cannot make the trip. The state publishes no rating threshold and no residency rule. Alaska State Parks
Arizona
Nothing for camping. Veteran passes cover day entry only, and the state says outright that its discounts do not apply to camping fees.
Arkansas
Not a veteran program, but rated veterans fit it: anyone 100% or permanently and totally disabled pays half the regular campsite fee. A VA awards letter dated within the last two years, or an Arkansas DV or DAV plate, is accepted proof. Arkansas rule 22 CAR 50
California
The free Distinguished Veteran Pass covers family camping, day use and boat use at participating parks. It goes to California residents with an honorable discharge who have a 50% or greater service-connected rating with wartime service, were a prisoner of war, or received the Medal of Honor. Apply before you go. California State Parks
Colorado
The free Independence Pass, for Colorado resident veterans rated 50% or more and Purple Heart recipients, covers park entry. Camping only gets cheaper at 64: those holders take $3 off a campsite Sunday through Thursday, excluding holidays, cabins and yurts. Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Connecticut
No camping discount. Veteran passes do not cover camping.
Delaware
No camping discount. Military passes are annual entrance passes.
Florida
No veteran discount as such, but Florida residents with a 100% federal disability certificate (a VA benefits letter counts) pay half the base camping fee. Family campsites only; cabins, primitive sites, group camps and boat slips are excluded. Service-connected disabled veterans also get a free lifetime family annual entrance pass, which covers entry, not camping. Florida State Parks
Georgia
Resident disabled veterans get 25% off individual accommodations, campsites included, with a Certificate of Eligibility card from the Georgia Department of Veterans Service. State law sets no minimum rating. Group facilities are excluded. You pay in full online and the discount comes back as a refund at check-in. Georgia State Parks
Hawaii
No military camping discount. Camping fees turn only on Hawaii residency, and military stationed there get the resident rate only with a Hawaii ID or driver's license.
Idaho
Idaho resident veterans rated 100% permanent and total camp free with the Idaho State Parks Veteran Pass. Reservation fees still apply, and group sites, cabins, yurts and lodges are excluded. Idaho Parks and Recreation
Illinois
Free camping any day of the week for Illinois resident veterans who receive 100% service-connected compensation or have certain limb disabilities, and for former POWs. A spouse and minor children or grandchildren qualify when camping with the veteran. The utility fee still applies at sites with hookups. Illinois DNR
Indiana
No camping discount. Veteran benefits cover entry only.
Iowa
No military camping discount. Iowa charges nobody a park entry fee, and its camping fees carry no veteran or military rate.
Kansas
No military camping discount. Active Kansas National Guard members get a free annual vehicle permit, but that covers entry only, and camping takes a separate permit.
Kentucky
Three programs. Military campers get 10% off by picking the Military customer type when booking online and showing ID at check-in. Kentucky residents who are 100% disabled from a service-connected injury stay free, up to three stays a year of three nights each, reserved by calling the park. And Kentucky former POWs camp free with a VA-issued POW card. Kentucky State Parks
Louisiana
15% off rentable facilities with promo code MILITARY, any day of the week. It is for active duty, retired military, National Guard and reservists, not veterans generally. Disabled veterans get free admission with a State Park Permit from a parish veterans service office. Louisiana State Parks
Maine
Maine resident 100% disabled veterans camp free, together with their spouse and unmarried children, and pay no reservation fee. The veteran must be present for the whole stay. The regular lifetime veteran pass is day use only. Maine State Parks
Maryland
No camping discount. Veteran benefits cover day use.
Massachusetts
No camping discount. Vehicles with disabled veteran or Purple Heart plates park free for day use.
Michigan
No camping discount. Vehicles with a disabled veteran, ex-POW or Medal of Honor plate get free park entry.
Minnesota
No military camping discount. Active military and their dependents, Purple Heart recipients and veterans with a service-connected disability get a free vehicle permit, but it covers entry only.
Mississippi
15% off camping and lodging for veterans and active service members, except on holidays and during special events. Mississippi State Parks
Missouri
$2 off per night, year round, for veterans, retirees, active duty and their families. Show military ID when you pay. Missouri State Parks
Montana
Montana resident veterans camp at half price. Electrical fees are not discounted. A DD 214, VA ID or a driver's license marked veteran is enough. Montana State Parks
Nebraska
None, and the state says so plainly: no camping discounts for veterans. Disabled veterans can get a free park entry permit. Nebraska Game and Parks
Nevada
Nevada resident veterans with a permanent service-connected disability camp free for a year with the Disabled Veteran Permit, and no minimum rating is set. The permit carries a small annual administrative fee, and utility hookup fees are still charged. Nevada State Parks
New Hampshire
No camping discount. Disabled veterans, active duty, New Hampshire Guard members and resident military retirees all get free day use, which excludes camping.
New Jersey
No military camping discount. Gold Star families get free entry.
New Mexico
Any New Mexico resident veteran camps free with the Lifetime Veteran Pass, applied for through the state Department of Veterans' Services. No disability rating needed. It covers camping and utility fees, but not reservation fees, group areas, cabins or yurts. Resident active duty members can buy a discounted annual camping pass for $150 a year. New Mexico State Parks
New York
The free Lifetime Liberty Pass gives New York resident veterans and Gold Star families a camping discount at most state park and DEC campgrounds. It covers the campsite base rate; amenity fees such as electric hookups are still charged. New York State Parks
North Carolina
$6 off per night on certain campsite reservations for veterans, military members and seniors. Primitive and group campsites, cabins and facility rentals are excluded. North Carolina State Parks
North Dakota
No camping discount. Veterans rated 50% or more and former POWs get a free lifetime entry pass.
Ohio
Two programs. Ohio resident veterans who are permanently and totally disabled, and former POWs, camp free with a DAV/POW pass, though the reservation fee still applies. Active and retired military from any state get 10% off overnight stays. Ohio State Parks, Ohio Administrative Code 1501:46-2-40, Army benefits: Ohio
Oklahoma
10% off the base campsite rate for active and former military. Pick the Military rate when booking and show proof of service. Oklahoma State Parks
Oregon
Oregon veterans with any service-connected disability camp free with the Special Access Pass: four nights at a time, up to four nights a month. Get the pass before you reserve. Yurts, cabins and reservation fees are excluded. Active duty on official leave also camp free, the roundabout way: pay at the park, then send in the receipt and a letter from your commanding officer for a refund. Oregon State Parks
Pennsylvania
No military camping discount.
Rhode Island
No camping discount. State law waives parking and admission for 100% disabled veterans but specifically excludes camping fees.
South Carolina
South Carolina National Guard members get the same camping discount as residents on the senior or disability rate, at least 35%, under state law. The parks website does not spell this out for camping, so ask for it when you book. South Carolina Code 51-3-65
South Dakota
South Dakota residents who are 100% service-connected disabled veterans, former POWs or Purple Heart recipients get 50% off camping and electric fees, plus a free lifetime entrance license. Apply online first. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Tennessee
Resident veterans get 25% off campsites March through November and 50% off December through February, booked no more than 30 days ahead. Resident veterans rated 100% service-connected get 50% off all year. On Veterans Day, resident veterans camp one night free. Premium sites are excluded. Tennessee State Parks
Texas
No camping discount. Veteran passes cover entry.
Utah
No camping discount. The state says camping is not included with its veteran pass.
Vermont
No camping discount. Resident veterans can buy the Green Mountain Passport for free lifetime day use.
Virginia
Veterans rated 100% service-connected camp at half price with the free Veteran Disability Passport. No residency rule is stated. Virginia State Parks
Washington
Washington resident veterans rated 30% or more camp free, one site per night, with the Lifetime Disabled Veteran Pass. Reservation fees apply, and the pass holder must be staying at the site. Washington State Parks
West Virginia
10% off campsites, cabins and lodge rooms for veterans and active duty with code VETS10 and military ID. Stonewall Resort is excluded. West Virginia State Parks
Wisconsin
No camping discount. The disabled veteran and former POW pass covers admission only.
Wyoming
Wyoming resident veterans rated 50% or more service-connected get the free Lifetime Veteran's Pass: day use and camping, free, for life. It is a hangtag that works in any vehicle as long as the veteran is in it. Apply online at Reserve.Wyoming.gov, or by mail, email or in person. Wyo Parks
Federal campgrounds: the Access Pass, not the military pass
The free Military Lifetime Pass covers entrance and day-use fees on federal land. It does not touch camping.
The pass that does is the America the Beautiful Access Pass, a free lifetime pass for U.S. citizens and permanent residents with a permanent disability. The disability does not have to be 100%, and a VA disability document counts as proof. Order it online for a small processing fee or pick it up at a federal recreation site. At Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds it cuts the camping fee in half; other federal agencies discount camping at many sites, so ask the campground. Campgrounds run by concessionaires or leaseholders do not have to honor it. USGS Store: Access Pass, National Park Service: Military passes, Army Corps fee rules (EC 1130-2-550)
Military campgrounds are a separate option
State parks are not the only place your service pays off at the campground. FamCamps are the RV parks run on and near military installations, and who can stay depends on the camp and the base. What is a FamCamp explains the rules. VetCamps maps them alongside Army Corps and other public campgrounds.
Rules and fees change. Confirm with the park before you travel.
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