The passport program that offers prizes when you visit state parks is back this year. Iowa Tourism Office spokesperson Jessica O’Riley says they launched the program last year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the state parks.

“It was such a phenomenal success that we thought we need to bring it back this year,” O’Riley says. “We had nearly 30-thousand check-ins at parks across the state with last year’s version. So now we have relaunched it with new prizes to entice people to get outdoors and explore again this year.”

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is partnering with the Tourism Office on the program.

“If you check into ten of the 62 participating state parks — the first one-thousand people to do that — win a state park passport t-shirt — a highly coveted t-shirt I am sure,” O’Riley says, with a laugh.

The prizes ramp up as your visits increase. If you check into 30 parks you can win one of four activity tracker and then your check-ins each month qualify you to win a larger prize, such as a paddle board and watersport accessory in June. You can find out more about the passport by visiting traveliowa.com/passport or by texting PARKS to 515-531-5995.

(By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)