OT:Senior national park pass

[alancw3]

just wanted to give all of you seniors over 62 a heads up that the senior park pass for $10 will end on 8/21/17. then will be $80. the pass allows you to enter a national park free with all occupants in your car. you can either go to a national park and get a pass or do what i did and download the application and pay an additional $10 processing. to me this is a no brainer to have and keep in your wallet.

[zmudshark]

To make it easier, a lot of park service offices also have the pass available.

Complete list is here:
https://store.usgs.gov/sites/default/files/PassIssuanceList.pdf

Call ahead, some offices don't have any in stock.

[Mr. Pink]

And, keep that pass safe, because the replacement cost is 80 bucks.

[seanile]

AND

Canada is offering free access to all of its national parks for all of 2017 (no age restrictions)
http://www.commandesparcs-parksorders.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=22953&urlLangId=-1&productId=524528

[Lewis Moon]

AND

Canada is offering free access to all of its national parks for all of 2017 (no age restrictions)
http://www.commandesparcs-parksorders.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=22953&urlLangId=-1&productId=524528

Must be that commie Canada elected. Giving stuff away...where's the profit in that? Make Canada Great Again!!!

[dbrown]

just wanted to give all of you seniors over 62 a heads up that the senior park pass for $10 will end on 8/21/17. then will be $80. the pass allows you to enter a national park free with all occupants in your car. you can either go to a national park and get a pass or do what i did and download the application and pay an additional $10 processing. to me this is a no brainer to have and keep in your wallet.

Thanks for the heads up. Much better deal now than it will be in a couple of weeks!

[Benneke]

The pass also works for all federal recreation lands, including National Monuments, Historic Sites, National Forests, Wildlife Refuges, etc.

[NHAero]

Is this for 2017, or a lifetime pass?

[11.4]

I understood it was a lifetime pass at $10, but goes to annual after August.

[ORMojo]

New senior pass pricing is $80 lifetime, $20 annual.

[seanile]

lifetime will go to $80, annual will go to $20

https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/senior-pass-changes.htm

How much is it increasing?
The lifetime Senior Pass will increase from $10 to $80.

Why $80?
The legislation states that the cost of the lifetime Senior Pass be equal to the cost of the annual America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which is currently $80.

What if a senior citizen is on a fixed budget?
The legislation also establishes an annual Senior Pass for $20. That pass is valid for one year from the date of issuance. Four annual Senior Passes purchased in prior years can be traded in for a lifetime pass. Additionally, access to the majority of National Park Service sites remains free—only 118 of 417 National Park Service sites have an entrance fee.

What if I have a current Senior Pass?
The current passes are lifetime passes and will remain valid.

[Mr. Pink]

I did a little tour of the southern Utah parks, including Mesa Verde over in Colorado, this March. I picked up the pass at the drive in booth of Verde, and the person manning that booth informed me of the price increase, so, cool. But, one thing you might want to consider is just getting to the park early or late. I drove right by the empty entrance at Aches twice, once at 6:30 am and then again at 5:30 pm. Now, it may depend on the popularity of the park, and they may be more vigilant at, say, Yosemite and Zion, which get the crowds, but Arches isn't exactly ignored by the public. From what I saw, the National Parks are drowning in enthusiasm, which is good and bad, I guess. Another reason to get there real early, just to beat the crowds to the popular spots. And, it could be free!

[OtayBW]

just wanted to give all of you seniors over 62 a heads up that the senior park pass for $10 will end on 8/21/17. then will be $80. the pass allows you to enter a national park free with all occupants in your car. you can either go to a national park and get a pass or do what i did and download the application and pay an additional $10 processing. to me this is a no brainer to have and keep in your wallet.
62 here. Thanks for the tip. I'm signed up!

[gasman]

Bought mine last year. The Best $10 I Ever Spent !!!


It used to be called the Golden Eagle Pass. I had to wait 40 years but it was worth it.

[Bostic]

I was at Arches early last month. After 6pm there were no Rangers present in the booth and we drove on through. The next day we didn't get there early enough on a Friday and the line of cars was a 45 minute wait. Too bad there isn't a fast break already have a pass entrance lane. I bought a year pass while at Capitol Reef. Now I'm looking all over the US National Parks site to see where else my wife and I can visit.

[Frankwurst]

Is this for 2017, or a lifetime pass?

Lifetime. Best $10 I've ever spent in MY lifetime. :beer:

[rounder]

$10 for a lifetime pass to support the national parks is totally worth it. Act today if you qualify.

[Mr. Pink]

Well, you know, 10 bucks isn't really a great way to "support" the National Parks. 80 bucks is more like it. And maybe a few letters to your congress people about how they are managed these days, cough cough.

[summilux]

From what I saw, the National Parks are drowning in enthusiasm, which is good and bad, I guess.

My wife and I were in Chaco (New Mexico) a few years ago. To get there you must drive about 60km on a horrible washout road with giant potholes. The entry sign also says that all campgrounds are full even when they are not. I asked the ranger about the road and sign and his response was "It keeps the riff raff out'. If you are ever looking for an out of the way National Park in NM, El Morro is great. And the camping is free.

[staggerwing]

If your bopping through New Mexico, and want to check out a newer park, stop into Valles Caldera National Preserve. Not quite a full National Park, but under NPS governance. It is near Los Alamos.

Quick summary is this the collapsed core of an enormous super-volcano that popped over a million years ago. Park is about 98,000 acres and just opened in 2015. There is a dirt road that goes up through the center of the park and the NPS is limiting visitation to only 35 vehicles per day. Perfectly passable in a normal clearance street car, if you take it easy in a couple spots, but ask the rangers for advice. We were warned that the most extreme ends were not suitable for our ride.

Also, the would be a great place to explore on a gravel grinder rig. Traffic is essentially non-existent, and the views are sublime. You can also bring an ultra light spinning outfit or a fly rod as some of the creeks backcountry are supposed to be good trout fishing.