Buy a State Park Pass in November? It Finally Makes Sense
Wisconsin's state park pass now runs 12 months from purchase. Buy one in November and it's good through next November. Here's what it costs.
At a glance
- Wisconsin's state park vehicle pass now lasts 12 months from the month you buy it, not just through Dec. 31. A pass bought this month is good through Nov. 30, 2027.
- The annual pass costs $28 for Wisconsin plates and pays for itself by the third visit.
- The state trail pass still expires Dec. 31, no matter when you buy it.
For years, buying a Wisconsin state park sticker in November felt like buying an Advent Calendar in the middle of December. Sure, you could, but you'd barely get to use it.
The old pass ran on the calendar year. Buy it on Nov. 13 and it was finished on Dec. 31, about seven weeks later. So most of us did the sensible thing and paid the daily fee, or skipped the trip.
That's no longer how it works, and a lot of Wisconsinites still haven't noticed.
Twelve months, starting whenever you start
Under 2023 Wisconsin Act 113, which Gov. Tony Evers signed in March 2024, the state park vehicle pass is now good for 12 months from the month you buy it. The DNR made the switch beginning with passes sold Dec. 2, 2024.
The pass gets marked with the month and year it expires, and it stays good through the last day of that month. If you buy one this week, you're covered through Nov. 30, 2027. That's every color season, every spring wildflower walk and every July afternoon at the beach, plus this winter as a bonus.
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The math is easy
According to the DNR's admission page, an annual pass for a car with Wisconsin plates costs $28. A daily pass costs $13. That means the annual pass pays for itself on your third visit.
Wisconsin residents 65 and older pay $13 for the annual pass. A second car registered to the same household costs $15.50. Out-of-state plates pay $50.
You can buy one online, at a park office or at a DNR service center. You can also add one when you renew your vehicle registration with the DMV, which is about as painless as state government gets.
Why November is a good time to start
The colors may be past peak, but there's still plenty to see and do. With the leaves down, you can see bluffs, rock formations and lake views the summer canopy hides. Oaks and tamaracks hang on to their bronze and gold after the maples have quit. On a cold, clear morning, you may have the overlook to yourself.
The crowds are gone. The bugs are gone. The trails at Devil's Lake, Kettle Moraine and a hundred other places are quiet enough that you can hear the leaves under your boots. If we get snow, the same pass gets you to the cross-country ski trails and sledding hills.
It also makes a better holiday gift than ever. A pass you hand someone at Christmas used to run out a week later. Now it lasts all year.
One catch: the state trail pass, which you need for biking, skiing or horseback riding on certain state trails, is a separate pass. It still runs on the calendar year and expires Dec. 31 no matter when you buy it. Wait until January for that one.
The vehicle pass is a different story. If you've been waiting for a reason to get out to a state park this fall, the calendar isn't working against you anymore.
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