Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

March 29, 2018

Randy Simons | Dan Keefe
(518) 486-1868 | news@parks.ny.gov

New York State Parks Extends Empire Pass Special Sale!

2018 Annual Empire Pass Card Available at a Special $65 Discount Price now through April 8

The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) today announced that the 2018 annual Empire Pass Card $65 sale will be extended through Sunday April 8. During the four-month sale period more than 40,000 Empire Pass Cards have been sold. This one-week extension will allow families who may already be in the park enjoying spring recess to take advantage of the deep discount that allows them to enjoy state parks and public lands for the entire year at one low price.

Afterwards, the pass will be available at its regular price of $80. Currently available at your nearest state park and online, the 2018 Empire Pass Card is a better and more cost-effective way to enjoy the more than 250 individual state parks, historic sites, recreational trails, boat launches and more. The Empire Pass Card is a wallet-sized plastic card that can be shared among family members including parents, grandparents, caregivers and more. It is presented upon vehicle entry and includes QR code and embedded chip technology to allow for easier park access at select facilities.

The former Empire Pass decal, which was not shareable and required attachment to one vehicle, will no longer be offered. All 2017 Empire Pass Decals will be accepted through their expiration on March 31, 2018.

The 2018 Empire Pass Card provides unlimited day-use vehicle entry to state parks, Department of Environmental Conservation forest preserves, boat launch sites, arboretums and park preserves.

Here is the full inventory of products now available to state park visitors:

2018 Annual Empire Pass Card

• Wallet-sized plastic card
• Family sharing capabilities
• Cost: On sale through April 8, 2018 for $65; regular price $80

3-year Empire Pass Card

• Wallet-sized plastic card
• Now featuring family-sharing capabilities
• Chip technology inside the card allows for express entry at many parks
• Offers 3-year park access at a deeper discount
• Cost: $205

5-year Empire Pass Card

• Wallet-sized plastic card
• Now featuring family sharing capabilities
• Chip technology inside the card allows for express entry at select parks
• Offers 5-year park access at a deeper discount
• Cost: $320

Lifetime Empire Pass

• Icon placed on one's driver's license
• No expiration date
• Buy it once and enjoy state parks and more forever
• Cost: $750

Other admission programs include a variety of ways to enjoy state parks at a discount or for free.

New York State encourages New York's seniors age 62 and older to take advantage of the state parks Golden Park Program, which allows for their free entry into state parks weekdays (Monday through Friday) simply by showing their driver's license or state-issued non-driver ID. More information is available by clicking here.

New York State offers the Lifetime Liberty Pass that permits New York State Veterans with 40% or greater service-connected disability discounted use of state parks, historic sites and recreational facilities. More information is available by clicking here.

For more information on all these initiatives please visit www.parks.ny.gov.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which are visited by 71 million people annually. A recent study found that New York State Parks generates $5 billion in park and visitor spending, which supports nearly 54,000 jobs and over $2.8 billion in additional state GDP. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.parks.ny.gov, connect with us on Facebook, or follow on Instagram and Twitter.