National parks Senior Pass Price.

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It has been accepted at a few State parks as well.

Hmm... Which state(s)? Colorado and Texas (among others) don't accept these geezer cards. Colorado, at least, has their own version, just a discount off the annual pass (the discount was considerably reduced in the last couple of years).
 
jhskick said:
DW and I got ours last year. Each got one. Ranger on duty said you only need one. I told him we wanted two because he needed the money.  Don't mind paying when I know were money is going.

Each of you having one is a very good idea.. You see... I always assumed my wife would out live me due to assorted medical reasons.. She being a bit older (According to actuaries we should have died within a month of each other older) but me being Diabetic with a family history of heart issues.. I just figured she'd go first... And thus I did not need the pass.

Well.. SURPRISE.. So I got mine a couple days later.

So if the bill gets all the way to the President's desk and gets signed... I'd say get yours while they are not expensive. for as someone said. The added funds will not be helping the park, at least not soon.. They have figured out how to set up a Trust Fund, kind of like social security.. Congress only owes SS a bit over two TRILLION dollars they borrowed. 
 
"It has been accepted at a few State parks as well."


"Hmm... Which state(s)? Colorado and Texas (among others) don't accept these geezer cards. Colorado, at least, has their own version, just a discount off the annual pass (the discount was considerably reduced in the last couple of years)."

I dont remember exactly.. It was either North Carolina or Virginia I think..

Bob
 
I'm confused.  I had seen about the Senior Pass going up in price so I went online to purchase one.  It said $10 plus a $10 application fee, unless you purchase it in person at a park.  Where do I find the list of parks (yes, I got lost in a loop looking online). :eek:  Also, being disable I qualify for what?????
Our first real trip starts in a week!!

Happy  trails to all.
Merry Christmas
 
leew said:
I'm confused.  I had seen about the Senior Pass going up in price so I went online to purchase one.  It said $10 plus a $10 application fee, unless you purchase it in person at a park.  Where do I find the list of parks (yes, I got lost in a loop looking online). :eek:  Also, being disable I qualify for what?????
Our first real trip starts in a week!!

Happy  trails to all.
Merry Christmas
If you are disabled, you can get your pass for free at the first spot that needs an entrance fee. You can also pick it up at any NPS, FS, or BLM office that aceepts payments (ranger stations, etc). Just bring proof of your disability for the free, lifetime pass.
 
I got my wife's at the gate at South rim of the Grand Canyon, used it like half a dozen times (it paid for itself on the first use)

Got mine in S.C. at a central office, seems you now need to go to the district office, nto the park.  So I can't help youl.  Google showed me the way to the park office... Major error in the routing info but the map was dead on.
 
NY_Dutch said:
On Dec. 10th, the Senate passed the House bill as submitted, and it now awaits the President's signature to become law.

Based on information like this, I made a 30 mile trip to the Corps of Engineers office in Branson, Missouri today and bought my $10 pass.  Neither the senior volunteers at the visitor center or the Corps ranger had ever heard of this pending legislation and looked at me like I was being duped by the internet.  LOL  Anyway, duped or not, I now have my first senior pass at 77 years of age.

Bill
 
Bill N said:
Based on information like this, I made a 30 mile trip to the Corps of Engineers office in Branson, Missouri today and bought my $10 pass.  Neither the senior volunteers at the visitor center or the Corps ranger had ever heard of this pending legislation and looked at me like I was being duped by the internet.  LOL  Anyway, duped or not, I now have my first senior pass at 77 years of age.

Bill

In case you still have any doubts, Bill, check out this link:

"H.R.4680 - National Park Service Centennial Act"
 
You made a wise choice Bill.  And the new law allows that the fee for the lifetime senior pass could go higher.  The way this works now is that the Secretary of Interior is allowed to set the fee for the normal, no discount annual America the Beautiful Pass, (which is currently $80).  The cost of the annual pass can go up as the Secretary  determines - no Congressional action needed.  The new law says that the senior discount lifetime pass is to be made available at the same cost as the "America the Beautiful Pass" -- thus the now $80 fee.  So the two fees are now tied together at the discretion of the Secretary.

The new fee for a senior annual pass is set in the new law now as $20 and won't change without Congressional action. 

A new provision in the statute says that a senior lifetime pass will be made available without any additional charge if the purchaser shows they have obtained an annual senior pass in each of the previous 4 years. 

So keep those receipts if you could potentially fall into this category.  I feel sorry for the many folks who will not know about this aspect, and will for example purchase annual senior passes in 2 or 3 out of 4 years and may have to pay all over again for a lifetime pass. 

Linda
 
leew said:
I'm confused.  I had seen about the Senior Pass going up in price so I went online to purchase one.  It said $10 plus a $10 application fee, unless you purchase it in person at a park.  Where do I find the list of parks (yes, I got lost in a loop looking online). :eek:  Also, being disable I qualify for what?????
Being disabled you are entitled to an Access pass. It is the same discounts as the geezer pass but it is free and there is no age restriction. Bring proof of disability to any park service office and they will issue you one.
 
Not sure if the new bill has kept the veterans perks or not, but when I got my geezer pass, I simply showed my VA card, the one I use for the VA Drs, meds, etc., and they handed me the card. No fee.
 
The bill was signed into law on Dec 16th. Glad to see our NPS will continue to be supported in the near term.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4680/text#toc-H8B39625A7D0D4CC4B3E366B3478AEC83

My wife got the disabled lifetime pass. Have used it a number of times in TN and GA at COE sites. Glad to have the savings provided.

Colorado state parks don't accept these, as mentioned but all the NPS parks there do. (RMNP, Sand Dunes, Black Canyon & Mesa Verde) As well as 8 national monuments. - Rob
 
I am puzzled about what "senior annual pass" you are talking about.  There is an annual pass for people under 62 and a lifetime senior pass for people over 62.  You don't have to renew the lifetime senior pass because it is a "lifetime" pass. 

https://www.recreation.gov/marketing.do?goto=acm/faqs/America_the_Beautiful___The_National_Parks_and_Federal_Recreational_Lands_Pass_Series.htm
 
Judy, the bill that was recently signed into law includes provisions for creating a $20/year annual senior pass. Buy one four years in a row and the receipts can be exchanged for the new $80 lifetime senior pass. The new pricing has not been implemented yet.
 
Thanks for the link Rob. Now I'm totally confused as to what's what. According to their website:
America the Beautiful ? The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass ? Annual Pass, $80 annual pass, available to everyone
Annual 4th Grade Pass self explanatory
America the Beautiful ? The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass ? Senior Pass, $10 Lifetime pass, For U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over.
America the Beautiful ? The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass ? Access Pass, Free, For U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities.

I have the Senior Pass, would it benefit me to have the Access Pass, the last one, as well. What's the difference?
 
There is no difference in benefits of the Access or the Senior pass. The only difference is the price and the age you need to be to get one. If you have the Senior then don't worry you are good to go.
 
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