Mark Twain Lake, December 31, 2015 – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Mark Twain Lake is announcing the availability of the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Interagency Passes starting on January 04, 2016. The 2016 passes can be purchased in person, or by telephone, at the M.W. Boudreaux Memorial Visitor Center, located south of Clarence Cannon Dam on Route J, during normal operating hours. Current operating hours for the winter are Monday thru Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will be opening daily, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting April 01, 2016. Passes will also be available at the Ray Behrens, Frank Russell and Indian Creek Campground Fee Booths after they open for business April 01, 2016.
Visitors to the approximately 240 designated USACE recreation projects will be able to purchase or obtain the following interagency recreation passes – Interagency Senior Pass, Interagency Access Pass, Interagency Annual pass, Interagency Military Pass, Interagency Every Kid in a Park 4th Grade Pass, and Interagency Volunteer Pass. These passes will allow their holders free access to boat launches and swimming beaches managed by USACE. The senior and access America the Beautiful passes also provide holders a 50 percent discount on campsites at USACE-managed campgrounds. Additionally, USACE will continue to sell its own annual day use pass, which allows visitors free access to boat launches and swimming beaches managed by USACE.
Day use fees are charged for the use of certain boat ramps and beaches at Mark Twain Lake. These fees help offset operating and maintenance costs at Corps Facilities to assure public demand for high quality recreation opportunities is met. Visitors who do not wish to purchase the USACE Agency Annual Day Use Pass in the amount of $40.00, may pay a daily use fee of $2 per person, up to $5 per vehicle, for the use of the developed swimming beaches and a fee of $5 for boat launching at ramps that have additional amenities. One-day passes may be purchased at each of the following areas: boat ramps located at Ray Behrens, Robert Allen, South Fork, Stoutsville, Indian Creek, and Spalding Recreation Areas and at the beach located at the Spalding Recreation Area. Persons displaying a Corps of Engineers campground registration tag are exempt from paying day use fees during the period for which the camping registration covers. Also, persons displaying an America the Beautiful Senior/Access Pass or a Golden Age/Access Passport do not have to pay the day use fee as long as the pass or passport is displayed appropriately in the required hangtag from the rear view mirror of the vehicle.
The America the Beautiful Interagency Senior Pass, costs $10.00, is a lifetime pass available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are 62 years of age or older. In addition to covering entrance, day use and standard amenity fees at recreation areas managed by six Federal agencies, the Senior Pass may provide a discount on some expanded amenity fees such as camping, and guided tours.
The America the Beautiful Interagency Access Pass is a free, lifetime pass that is available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability. The Access Pass covers day use, entrance and standard amenity fees at sites managed by the participating Federal agencies. It also provides the pass owner a discount on some expanded amenity fees such as camping.
The America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass is valid for entrance fees and standard amenity recreation day use fees for all Federal recreational lands and waters for which an entrance fee or standard amenity recreation day use fee is charged. The cost for the Interagency Annual Pass is $80.00 and is valid for one year from the month of purchase.
The America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass for Military is valid for entrance fees and standard amenity recreation day use fees for all Federal recreational lands and waters for which an entrance fee or standard amenity recreation day use fee is charged. It is available, free of charge, to current military members of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and National Guard and their dependents. This pass is valid for one year from the month received and can only be obtained in person.
America the Beautiful Every Kid in a Park Pass (EKiP) is a free pass for U.S. 4th grade students and is valid for entrance fees and standard amenity recreation day use fees for all Federal recreational lands and waters for which an entrance fee or standard amenity recreation day use fee is charged. Only 4th grade students with a printed voucher from the Every Kid in a Park website are eligible for this pass and can be obtained by the student exchanging the paper voucher for their pass.
The America the Beautiful Interagency Volunteer Pass is issued as an annual pass for entrance or standard amenity fees to volunteers in exchange for the performance of significant volunteer services. The Volunteer Pass is one of many ways to recognize a volunteer’s contributions. The pass is valid for one year from the month of issue to individuals who accrue 250 volunteer hours.
For information on the America the Beautiful passes, visit http://store.usgs.gov/pass/annual.html, or phone 1-888-275-8747, option 3.
Additionally, the Interagency Pass Program allows each of the federal agencies to retain and reinvest revenues collected from the sale of passes at the project level. USACE plans to reinvest its revenues at the projects where the fees are collected.
For more information on recreation day use fees and the Pass Program, please contact the M.W. Boudreaux Memorial Visitor Center at 573-565-2112 or visit the Visitor Center located south of Clarence Cannon Dam on Highway J.