National Park Senior and Annual Passes

My Oklahoma-born parents migrated to Oregon when they were very young. I guess that one experience must have fulfilled their travel lust for a lifetime, because, to my knowledge, they never set foot outside of their adopted state for the rest of their lives. In fact, I don't think they even went more than a hundred and twenty miles from our home in a very small Oregon town. As a result, my very first trip out of state didn't come until I got married.

That trip instilled a hunger to see, if not the whole world, at least a few other states in this great nation of ours, and I have been lucky enough to do that over the years. I still love to travel, but have to admit that it is getting pretty expensive, even though we have a small 5^th wheel to camp in when we are on the road, saving us hundreds of dollars in motel and hotel fees.

On one of our first trips after we retired, we visited several national parks. At the first two we entered, we paid a large admittance fee, but at the third, someone tactfully asked if we were old enough to qualify for the Golden Age Passport (that's what it was called at that time) or, if not, whether we might be interested in purchasing a Golden Eagle Passport.

We had never heard of either one, but quickly asked enough questions to learn all we needed to know in order to save ourselves quite a chunk of change the next time we wanted to visit a national park. Here is what they told us, and, if you like to save money when you travel, you might benefit from the same information.

1. Why are fees charged for entering national parks?

If you have ever visited a national park, you know that there is constant up keep in the area. Roads must be maintained, waters protected from pollution, fire protection provided, streams stocked periodically with fish, snow removal when required, and the list goes on and on. The money collected is also used to provide recreational opportunities, like swimming areas in some parks, RV and tenting areas, and even playgrounds.

2. What is the America the Beautiful Senior Pass?

The Senior Pass, which replaced the former Golden Age Pass, provides its holder with free admission to any federal recreation site that charges a fee. That would include sites run by the Forest Service, The Bureau of Land Management, The Fish and Wildlife Service, and The National Park Service.

If you enjoy visiting national parks, just the entrance fees can amount to a tidy sum, so look into getting a Senior Pass, which, even though it originally costs $10, will save you far more than that over a period of several years.

The really nice thing about the Senior Pass is that it not only provides free admittance to the person who owns the pass, but it also covers up to 3 more adults if they are all in the same car. Children under 16 are admitted free to national parks. This makes an outing to a national park really reasonable. If you carry a picnic lunch along, it can be even more cost-effective as restaurants in national parks are not usually noted for being inexpensive places to eat.

Another freebie provided by the Senior Pass is that most RV and tent spaces are discounted by 50 percent. This can add up to quite a savings if you are staying for several days. The discount applies only to the site the pass holder is actually using--not for any other sites the group may rent.

A few national park areas may offer discounted prices to holders of Senior Passes for such things as boat tours, or guided hikes for which a fee is charged. Be sure to check out the possibility of such savings for each park you visit.

Senior Pass holders must be American citizens, or permanent residents of the United States, and at least 62 years of age to purchase this pass, which sells for $10 at any participating federal recreation site or office.

Although the pass is valid for the holder's lifetime, lost cards will not be replaced unless the holder registers again and pays a new $10 fee. A person who already holds a Golden Age Passport can exchange it for the new Senior Pass, but the older Golden Age Passport will still be valid at all national parks. Check out the first link provided with this article for more information about the lifetime Senior Pass.

3. What is the America the Beautiful Annual Pass?

In case you haven't reached the magical age of 62 in order to qualify for the national park Senior Pass, you needn't pass up visiting these historical parks. There is a pass for you, too, and it is called an Annual Pass. The annual pass replaces what was formerly known as the Golden Eagle Passport. The name may have changed, but the benefits are pretty much the same.

The Annual Pass costs more than the Senior Pass. It's $80 a year, but if you do a lot of traveling and enjoy visiting our national parks, it is a real bargain. This pass, like the Senior Pass allows up to 4 adults free entrance, along with any children under 16 as long as they are all riding in a single non-commercial vehicle.
(Or, one pass will cover two motorcycles entering the park together.)

You can purchase your Annual Pass in person at the park entrance, or by calling 1-888-ASK USGS, Ext. 1, or by visiting the second link provided with this article.

I can't even guess how much money my husband's Senior Pass has saved us over the years. Oregon, where we live, has one of the most beautiful national parks in the United States, Crater Lake National Park. For a number of years, we have taken our grandchildren camping at nearby Diamond Lake Campground where his Senior Pass provides campground space for us at half price. While we are there, we always visit Crater Lake National Park, a mere 15 miles from our campground where, thanks again to my husband's Senior Pass, we are allowed to enter and explore the park for as long as we like absolutely free.

What more could anyone ask for?