DNR Announces Winner Of 2027 Wisconsin State Park And Forest Vehicle Admission Pass Design Contest
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources today announced that Delavan-Darien High School junior Kiet Tuan Tran is the winner of the 2027 Wisconsin State Park and Forest vehicle admission pass design contest.
The design features one of the Wisconsin State Park System’s most popular outdoor activities: camping in the woods.
"We were really impressed by the creativity of this year’s pass design winner," said Steve Schmelzer, DNR Bureau Director of Parks and Recreation Management. "It's such a fun nod to Wisconsin; if there are two things Wisconsinites love most, it's spending time outdoors and cheese."
The DNR-sponsored design contest is open to artwork submissions from high school-age students attending Wisconsin's public, private or parochial schools or home-schools. The annual contest, now in its 36th year, received more than 120 submissions for the 2027 pass design.
The second-place winner is Olive Minell, who is homeschooled, and the third-place recipient is Samantha Kramer of Grantsburg High School.
The 2027 Honorable Mentions are:
- Cadence Zernzach, Hortonville High School
- Christian Gonzalez Gibson, Delavan-Darien High School
- Hadleigh Maher, Cedarburg High School
- Ian OGara, Grantsburg High School
- Mindy Barta, Rice Lake High School
- Olivia Johnson, Ashwaubenon High School
- Skylarr Martin, Rhinelander High School
- Svatava Ruszová, Rice Lake High School
- Tyler Pagels, Hortonville High School
View previous years' winning pass designs on the DNR website.
Buy Your 12-Month State Park Vehicle Admission Pass
Vehicle admission passes provide access to more than 60 state park, forest and recreation area properties across Wisconsin. A 12-month admission pass or daily admission pass is required on all motor vehicles entering state parks and recreation areas. Some state forest and trail parking areas also require a vehicle pass.
A 12-month vehicle admission pass to Wisconsin state parks and forests is valid for 12 months from the time of purchase. 12-month vehicle admission passes cost $28 for Wisconsin residents and $50 for nonresidents. A senior annual pass is available for Wisconsin residents aged 65 or older for $13.
A family with more than one vehicle registered to the same household may purchase additional state park passes for $15.50 for residents and $32.50 for nonresidents. Additional vehicle passes will be punched for the same month as the original full-price pass, regardless of when in the year they are purchased.
12-month admission passes with the new 2027 design will go on sale Friday, Jan. 1, 2027. All passes purchased during December 2026 will feature the 2026 pass design; however, these passes will still be valid for a full 12 months, expiring on Dec. 31, 2027.
Admission passes can be purchased online, at individual properties, from DNR service centers, when renewing your vehicle registration online or at self-service kiosks at Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles locations. Admission revenues fund Wisconsin State Park System operations.
More information on how to purchase vehicle admission passes and other frequently asked questions can be found on the DNR's Vehicle Admission Passes webpage.
Now Accepting Entries For 2028 Design Contest
The DNR is accepting artwork entries from high school students for the 2028 Wisconsin State Park and Forest vehicle admission pass design contest. Artwork entries should focus on outdoor recreation, animals or plants in Wisconsin.
"The unveiling of the new vehicle pass design has become a popular tradition among our staff and visitors," said Chris Pedretti, DNR Business Operations Section Supervisor. "The contest is a great way to get students thinking about our public lands and the different ways they can support the state’s natural resources."
Materials for the 2028 pass design contest are now available, and students can submit entries through April 30, 2027.
Rules, submission guidelines, tips for a winning design and past pass design winners are available on the DNR’s State Park Pass Design Contest webpage.
Operations of the Wisconsin State Park System rely almost entirely on user fees generated by camping reservations, admission and trail pass fees and concession and merchandise sales. These funds directly support the operation and maintenance of outdoor recreation opportunities and natural resource protection on more than 125 state-owned properties.
The resources available to maintain the WSPS have not kept pace with increasing visitation and costs to operate, including increases in utility fees and supplies, resulting in a continuous decline in the DNR's ability to maintain these properties.
Sustainable and stable funding for the WSPS would allow for adequate resources to maintain and operate properties, improving access to outdoor recreation on public lands.
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