Cost of NPS Senior Pass Increasing

travelin2

Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
Have ours. Definitely a great pass to have. Even if it was $80-100 it easily pays for itself even if you don't stay overnight in NP campgrounds. Saving your entrance fees alone pays for the pass. If the increase is imminent hopefully it goes back into the maintenance and improvement of our national parks!!!


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Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
We have had ours for about a year now, not using it much but next year with our cross country trip, it will come in handy. In 2009, we bought an annual pass when we were out west which worked out great but now with retirement coming - a lifetime pass for both of us.
 

"Hi-Viz" Bill

Well-known member

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
I have a friend who works for the NPS. I'll call her and see if she has heard anything.
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
Just talked with my friend who works for the NPS and they have not been notified of a fee increase for senior passes. There is already an $80 fee for a specialty pass for areas in the west which she said they haven't even sold here on the east coast so she doesn't have all the information on it. Here is the link to the NPS Passes. They have discontinued with the Golden Age and Golden Pass but have incorporated it with something else.
 

dlw930

Well-known member
Apparently, the effective date for the increase wasn't stated in the bill that passed Congress. The bill was appropriations for FY 17, so presumably the increase will be sometime before Oct. 1, 2017. Often, the when and how for enacted legislation is left to the appropriate department or agency, in this case, the NPS.


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porthole

Retired
And an FYI if you are on the fence about the pass, there are State and County parks around the country that may honor the pass with a discount. Ohio and Delaware are two that I now. But, Delaware, AFAIK only honors the "access pass" version
 

avvidclif

Well-known member
It passed the Senate today and now just needs a signature. When it goes in wasn't stated???

I already have mine....
 

dlw930

Well-known member
It passed the Senate today and now just needs a signature. When it goes in wasn't stated???

I already have mine....

I haven't read the bill, but according to the Escapees article, the effective date of the increase wasn't included in the bill verbiage.


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Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
If that's the case and anyone sitting on the fence about getting one, this might be the time to do it. We bought one (hubby) at a COE campground in northern AL and a second one (wify) at another COE campground in central AL.
 

dlw930

Well-known member
If that's the case and anyone sitting on the fence about getting one, this might be the time to do it. We bought one (hubby) at a COE campground in northern AL and a second one (wify) at another COE campground in central AL.

I think the "sitting in the fence" folks were the reason for the Escapees notice I received as well as mine for posting on here. My wife and I each have the Senior Pass for convenience due to the low cost. Not sure we'd spring for the second one if it cost $80, but would certainly have one. Ours has saved us hundreds, if not a thousand or more in entry and campground fees over the past 5 or 6 years.


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klindgren

Retired Virginia Chapter Leaders
I've had my Senior Pass for over 10 years now. I love it. It sure saved us a bundle this summer on our Western trip. We visited 11 National Parks and didn't pay a dime to enter any of them (did have to pay a hugh parking fee at Mt. Rushmore). I guess I'm kind of dense because I don't see the need for two passes, one for hubby and one for wife, unless you go to a lot of places seperate of each other. My pass allows up to 4 (I think) people to get into the park.
 

porthole

Retired
I've had my Senior Pass for over 10 years now. I love it. It sure saved us a bundle this summer on our Western trip. We visited 11 National Parks and didn't pay a dime to enter any of them (did have to pay a hugh parking fee at Mt. Rushmore). I guess I'm kind of dense because I don't see the need for two passes, one for hubby and one for wife, unless you go to a lot of places seperate of each other. My pass allows up to 4 (I think) people to get into the park.


Whicheverpassyouhaveitisg

Whichever pass you have, it is good for the person who holds it and whatever the number is for the car load. If a "couple" are traveling in separate vehicles e.g. motorcycles or even a class A, B or C and the spouse drives the toad in - you need two passes.

And another FWIIW, the "Access Pass" is lifetime and free less the $10 processing fee for a disabled US citizen (or permanent resident).
'That' Access Pass is the pass that Delaware accepts for a discount, not much but anything is anything (20% for resident, 10% for non resident of camp fees).

https://store.usgs.gov/pass/access.html
 

dlw930

Well-known member
I've had my Senior Pass for over 10 years now. I love it. It sure saved us a bundle this summer on our Western trip. We visited 11 National Parks and didn't pay a dime to enter any of them (did have to pay a hugh parking fee at Mt. Rushmore). I guess I'm kind of dense because I don't see the need for two passes, one for hubby and one for wife, unless you go to a lot of places seperate of each other. My pass allows up to 4 (I think) people to get into the park.

We got by just fine for several years with only one pass. This summer we were at a COE campground with a Ranger office that sold the Senior passes so I decided to get my own. Later in the summer, we stayed in Brigham City, UT and I wanted to go to Promentory Point National Historic Site, but my wife wasn't interested in going. Without my own pass, the entrance fee would've been $10 or $15. So you never know.


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