UW Credit Union Introduced State Park Debit Cards

The new card designs offer members free state park vehicle passes and digital trail maps.

Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in National Parks

Screen-print poster illustration of a debit card with a forest landscape painting resting on a wooden park bench. — UW Credit Union has introduced new debit card designs featuring Wisconsin state parks to help fund and promote local park vehicle admission passes. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you switch your banking provider if they offered perks for your local state parks?

UW Credit Union has released new debit card designs showcasing Big Bay State Park and the Ice Age Trail. These cards are available to members as part of an effort to provide financial support to the Wisconsin State Park System.

Why it matters

The initiative aims to promote state recreation by providing new checking members with a 12-month Wisconsin State Park Vehicle Admission Pass. This program directly supports the state park system, which operates without tax funding.

A 12-month Wisconsin State Park Vehicle Admission Pass is valued at $28. The Ice Age Trail spans 1,200 miles across the region.

The players

UW Credit Union

This Madison-based financial institution holds $7 billion in total assets and serves 395,000 members.

Ice Age Trail Alliance

This organization manages the 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail, which is one of the featured locations on the new cards.

Michael Knapstein

He is a professional photographer who captured the images used for the new debit card designs.

Cameron Gillie

He is a professional photographer whose work appears on the new credit union debit cards.

The details

Members can request the new debit card designs through the credit union mobile app or by visiting one of 36 branch locations. Existing checking members are eligible for the digital Ice Age Trail map, which is limited to the first 700 requests.

UW Credit Union launched the new debit card designs on September 21, 2026.

Roadmap

This effort represents a growing trend of financial institutions leveraging regional identity and local outdoor recreation to increase member engagement. It positions the credit union as a partner in state infrastructure support, departing from traditional debit card rewards programs.

New checking members should request their pass upon opening an account to claim the $28 value. Existing members should check their Rewards Snapshot in the mobile app immediately to see if they are among the first 700 to claim the digital trail map.

The takeaway

By connecting financial services with state park access, the credit union encourages outdoor activity while supporting un-taxed public lands. Members interested in the limited trail map offer should act quickly to ensure availability within the 700-person limit.