National Park Passport Overview And What To Do When You Miss Your Stamp

[@allies1535]

Great video! I learned about the passport program at the very end of our trip to the Smoky Mountains last week and missed quite a few stamps. I’m going to write a letter to them and ask them for the ones I’m missing. Thank you for the info!

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

I'm glad this was helpful! It's an exciting feeling to track down stamps.

[@Benno101able]

Thanks Kelly. A Very informative and helpful video. I am doing something similar using the classic passport program and a 2024 America The Beautiful annual pass to make it a little easier to get in and out of the visitor centres and the self-user cancellation stamp stations. I think it’s a cool keepsake for your travels.

[@samcb1998]

I ended up finding your website/blog with the same info and used it to help me recover missed cancellations from parks I previously visited! Thanks for all the insight of how you got stamps returned to you! I've received 5 back in the mail and am waiting on 3 more to get my passport caught up!

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

Awesome! I'm so glad this was helpful for you! It's a great feeling to get those passports caught up.

[@LadyOutnumbered321]

Kelly, instead of the stickers I use a roller glue I found in the craft stores. I just cut them close to the circle and roll the glue and stick. I love finding NP stamp and PA State Park Stamp enthusiasts!

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

That is a great suggestion thank you! I don't know why glue never occurred to me. Maybe because I don't have great clue. Is there certain craft glue you suggest? Glad you are enjoying the passports as much as I am.

[@RealFIRSTONE]

forget tape try the purple STICK GLUE BY ELMERS. I too am OCD about my NP passport log and am loving the seamless look I have achieved by just putting stick glue to paper cancellation stamps.

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

That's a great idea! Thanks for sharing.

[@In.my.red.headdd]

Thank you!!! I just got one and I’m so lost for what to do. I have visited at least 8 sites in the book, but I have 2 stamped. Now I’m going down a rabbit hole trying to make a diy book for state parks and state forests!

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

You are welcome! Maybe you have different states you are trying to do, but check the states. Many states have their own passport programs (e.g. PA and OH do for sure).

[@RealFIRSTONE]

The stampable stickers were a flop, most would miss the center and I had to request redos. What I do now is cut the stamped papers very close to the colored rim and Glue them with Elmers purple x2 strength STICK GLUE and it looks great. There is no rise, no wrinkling, no bubbling at the seam.

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

I'm sorry the stampable stickers didn't work for you. I haven't had an issue with needing redos but this sounds like a great, cheaper solution. Thanks for sharing.

[@mattiesteen2070]

That was really helpful advice. I never thought to write and ask for a stamp. Thank you!

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

I'm so glad it was helpful. Now you can get all those stamps!

[@kikuyuzo2789]

Just started my NP Passport journey at Waco Mammoth National Monument in Waco, TX. I've already visited Great Smoky Mountains so maybe I'll get them to send me a stamp to add

[@nolancampbell6139]

Very helpful, thank you!

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

You are welcome. Glad this was helpful.

[@kennedymileham7203]

thank you so much!!! so helpful!

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

You are welcome! Glad it helped you out.

[@ChrissyCarlson11]

This is great, you're great, THANK YOU :)

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

I'm so glad this is helpful.

[@poopy5001]

Oh my gosh thank you!!

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

You are welcome! I'm glad it was helpful information.

[@denis.ignat7]

Hi! I’m planning to do the same thing! But I’m not sure about the address. Where did you get the correct addresses of National Parks?

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

Go to nps.gov and find the park you are looking for. In my experience, there are phone numbers and addresses listed for each park.

[@DaddyDidYouWin]

Write your email address on inside of your passport in case you lose it. This was an idea a park ranger shared with us

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

For sure! On the post on my website I mentioned putting your contact info on the space in the inside cover. Email would be a great thing to add.

[@ayaanshams301]

Hi Kelly I sent the stampable stickers but haven’t really gotten a response yet. Do you remember how long it took for the mail to get back?

[@ayaanshams301]

Specifically Acadia and Shenandoah National parks

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

It all depends on the park. Some came back immediately and some took a few weeks. I would just give the park a call and see if they can give you an update. Best wishes.

[@f2l2ppo75]

Hi Kelly! How are you? I’m from Italy and i’ve been to several National Parks back in 2019. Obviously i didn’t noticed or knew about this amazing way to collect stamp-memories on the passport (just like you ahah). Now i bought the passport and i can’t wait to travel again to every single national park over the US, but i have a question for you: do you think i’ll be able to recover the stamps from 2019 if i contact all the parks? do you think it’s better to send a letter and ask to all of them to do the stamps on the letter, or is it better to insert the “3 stampable stickers set” into the letter to stamp on the stickers? Thanks for the great video and have a good day 😊

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

Hello! I feel better knowing I'm not the only one who missed the passports haha. I think you can definitely recover your stamps from 2019. I spoke with a park ranger and she suggested sending a letter is the best way to go because there's a better chance the park will follow through with your request. With phone calls, voicemails, staff changes, your request could get lost. As far as the stamps on the letter or the stampable stickers, it's a matter of preference. But my suggestion is to go with including stampable stickers in the envelope with your letter and self addressed stamp envelope. If the stamps are stamped on paper, you can cut the stamps from the letter and tape them in your book, but the book can get a little clumpy and the tape might peel off. The stickers placed in my passport are in there nice and clean and I'm really happy with it. But, I understand I might be a little obsessive about it. My sister went with the paper and tape method and she wished she would have done the stickers. I have a blog post going into more detail about this process. I hope it can answer any additional questions you might have. adventureswithkelly.com/2021/11/08/national-park-passport-overview-and-what-to-do-when-you-miss-your-stamp/ I hope this was helpful. Happy adventuring in National Parks in the US!

[@francorivas641]

Hey super great video! I just purchased my classic edition passport today and was wondering if the space in it is sufficient to be able to get stamps for all of the parks or will i need to purchase multiple/different edition? Any advice on this ?

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

Thanks for watching. That is a great question. I think there is enough space for all of the National Parks if you are trying to hit the roughly 60 or so parks. But, if you are trying to do all the sites (seashores, battlefields, historic sites, etc) managed by NPS (400+), maybe they wouldn't fit. I'm not sure. You can also purchase additional pages to add to the classic edition too if you run out of space. It might be best to go into a visitor somewhere and look at your options in person and talk to a park ranger. I'm curious which passport you'll go with!

[@amberkaremera8439]

Thank you for making the video. Question: Do you put the sticker or the stamp in the square? We bought the stamps (stickers of like the park) but it came in a 2 pack. Just wondering if you put the stamp or picture there. to clarify the upper half of the page above the cancellations.

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

I’m not exactly sure but I think the box area is meant for the sticker sets and the other remaining space for the circular cancellations. We haven’t really collected any sticker sets so we have put cancellations all over the place. I don’t think there’s really a right or wrong. But you can ask a park ranger. And if your book fills up with one or the other, you can add pages (at least to the small one we have that I’m aware of).

[@amberkaremera8439]

@@adventureswithkelly9625 thanks for the reply

[@Osobear14]

Hey, great video first and foremost. My question is, what would be a good way to stamp a park that I visit that isn’t a national park, for example. Amiacola falls here in Georgia? Thanks

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

Hey thank you! With a quick search, it looks like Georgia has its own passport for state parks (friendsofgastateparks.org/passport). I live in PA and PA has its own passport for our state parks and forests and I have used this method to track down missed PA stamps. Many states have their own passports but I think their stamps and stickers vary in size and may or may not fit the stampable sticker. But I wonder if they could stamp on other surfaces like name tags, labels, or just regular paper that you can glue in or tape in. I think it would be up to you if you want a separate GA park passport, or if you want to just add GA stamps to your NPS passport. Hope that is helpful. Good luck!

[@Osobear14]

@@adventureswithkelly9625 thanks for the quick reply. Yes I saw the Ga state parks book, but was more interested in the national park book due to a lot of state parks not offering stamps. Also any recommendations on any books for collecting patches? I feel a lot more places have patches

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

@@Osobear14 Maybe we need someone to come along and make a giant book for all NPS sites and all state parks combined?You should do it 🤣. That would be a task! I'm sorry I'm not familiar with ways to collect patches. I haven't ventured much into that area. But that would be neat too!

[@lumpzzfn3986]

I am ordering the passport online. Do I need to get any of the other stamps with it? or do I just need to order the passport?

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

You can order those stampable stickers if you have missed stamps that you need to track down and you want to do it in that way versus glue, tape, etc. Otherwise, you can just order a passport and collect stamps as you visit each park. NPS locations should sell passports and stampable stickers as well.

[@territalbot3559]

Where did you get the stampable cancellation stickers?

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

The park visitor centers typically sell them where you can also shop for the passports. But here is a link also for the stamp able stickers. shop.americasnationalparks.org/product/152730/Passport-To-Your-National-Parks%C2%AE-Stampable-Sticker-Sets-%285%29/

[@sandycazzell1338]

What stickers are you sending them to stamp and send back to you?

[@adventureswithkelly9625]

They are called National Park Stampable Sticker Sets shop.americasnationalparks.org/product/152730/Passport-To-Your-National-Parks%C2%AE-Stampable-Sticker-Sets-%285%29/