If you love Yellowstone National Park, want to help preserve it for future generations, and want to give your descendants a special legacy gift as well, Yellowstone Forever has a deal for you.
Yellowstone, the nation’s oldest national park, was established on March 1, 1872, when President Ulysses Grant signed legislation to set aside and protect the land. To celebrate that 150th anniversary, Yellowstone Forever, the park’s nonprofit partner focused on fundraising and education, has launched a new program called the Inheritance Pass as a fundraiser to help preserve the park.
When you make a special $1,500 donation to Yellowstone Forever, the funds will be used to protect wildlife, preserve resources, and enhance visitor experiences. Donors will also receive a premium commemorative Inheritance Pass to be passed down from one generation to the next until 2172 — when your family can enter the park for free.
Plus, donors will also receive an annual pass they can use to visit Yellowstone for 1 year.
“This is a time for us to reflect on the natural and cultural significance of Yellowstone National Park, and to also look ahead to the next 150 years and how we can — together — work to strengthen its future,” Lisa Diekmann, Yellowstone Forever President & CEO, said in a statement. “The Inheritance Pass is an opportunity to donate to the park now to help safeguard it for the future, and to ensure generations of stewards to come can experience and learn from the world’s first national park.”
A Historic Site
People from around the world travel to Yellowstone each year to see wolves, bears, bison, and other wildlife, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, and thermal features such as the Old Faithful geyser.
In 2021, 4.9 million people visited Yellowstone. That number not only set a park-visitation record, it also made Yellowstone the third most-visited national park, according to the National Park Service.
Although the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone’s establishment was March 1, the park will host a number of virtual and in-person activities throughout the year in celebration. You can learn more about “150 Years of Yellowstone” here.
Inheritance Pass Details
“Yellowstone National Park has provided inspiration and wonder to people for thousands of years,” Diekmann said. “Today, the park remains protected for the benefit and enjoyment of all people. As we look to the future, it will take support from all of us to help protect it today and ensure Yellowstone is protected for the next 150 years — and beyond.”
Supporting Yellowstone Forever through donations to the Inheritance Pass will help fund Wildlife Forever, an initiative to protect the natural and wild ecosystem for almost 400 species of animals; Trails Forever, an initiative to maintain and support the park’s more than 1,100 miles of trails; and Here Forever, an initiative created to find ways to make the park more sustainable.
You can learn more about the projects that will be funded here.
With their $1,500 donation, donors will receive the Inheritance Pass, which will be valid at Yellowstone for one year: 2172. If you donate before July 2022, your Inheritance Pass will be shipped to you in August 2022. If you donate after July 2022, your Inheritance Pass will be shipped in January 2023.
Finally, donors will also receive a complimentary Yellowstone pass they can use. That pass will be good for one year after its first use.
How To Secure An Inheritance Pass
If you’re interested in making a donation to help preserve Yellowstone and also secure an Inheritance Pass valid for the year 2172, you can find all the details here.
You can make your $1,500 donation and secure an Inheritance Pass for your descendants here.
While you’re thinking about the park, be sure to read all of our Yellowstone content, including:
