'ACCESS THE OUTDOORS.' This week, the Eau Claire County Parks and Forest Department announced its daily or seasonal park passes would transition to an all-digital platform. In 2027 and onward, this new platform will replace current car window stickers for seasonal park passes and physical envelops used for daily pass payment.

Why “Yodel”? The name of this outdoors pass company plays on the idea of a clear, quick message sent across a distance. For the Eau Claire County Parks and Forest department, Yodel will serve as a modernized way for visitors to manage their park passes.

Come Nov. 3, Eau Claire County will transition its park pass system away from physical processes. The implementation of Yodel will replace vehicle window stickers with a digital experience.

“Moving to digital park passes is an important step toward making access to our parks more convenient and updating how we serve the public,” Eau Claire County Parks and Forest Division director, Josh Pedersen, said.

“Our goal is to make purchasing and managing a park pass easier while continuing to provide a positive experience for everyone who visits,” he said.

This year, department leadership evaluated internal staff capacity and average county park pass data to identify optimal timing for such an overhaul of public services.

Making the transition to digital during the late fall lull – between the peak summer rush and cold-weather recreation – provides an ideal opportunity to educate locals through the rollout, Pedersen said.

How to Use the Yodel Portal to Purchase Passes

1. Select location and pass type

2. Enter information requested via prompts

• Credit card info is required for all purchases
• The License Plate number of the vehicle is needed for Parking Passes

3. Receive your pass in your "Yodel Wallet" via the app

• You will receive a confirmation email once the transaction has been completed

The Yodel Portal can be used on a mobile device as well as on a laptop or desktop. Other instructions on "How to Save Yodel Portal on an iOS Device," "How to Register for First Time User," and "How to Use Your Pass or Ticket at the Venue" can be reviewed online at yodelpass.com/portal-instructions.

An example of park park passes through the Yodel app, pictured above. (Photos via Yodel FAQ website)

Data from park users between 2021-2025, provided by Pedersen, shows an average of 13,613 daily passes were purchased directly at area parks using the traditional envelope drop-box system.

On the annual pass front – using averaged data from 2023-2025 – 1,886 passes were sold via the county’s website; 1,515 passes were sold at electronic kiosk machines; 1,658 annual passes were sold through the envelope system.

Regarding the implementation of the Yodel platform at the county level, Pedersen noted, “we would be the first one in the state to do this.”

“One of the larger park systems that uses (Yodel) is Massachusetts state parks and also Minnesota,” he said. “We’re excited to be one of the first ones in the state to switch to this kind of model.”

Any park passes for 2026 use will continue to be processed through the current physical purchasing system. Passes for the 2027 season, which will be available on Nov. 3 and onward, must be purchased through Yodel.

Parking permits for the 2026-2027 Tower Ridge County Recreation Area (1230 S 82nd Ave, Eau Claire) season will also be purchased now through the new Yodel system.

Learn more about the Eau Claire County Parks and Forest transition to Yodel, via eauclairecounty.gov. Beginning Nov. 3, park passes for the 2027 season will be available for purchase through the Yodel app and web browser, yodelpass.com.