Major Price Increase Coming For National Parks Pass

by SharonKurheg

The national parks of the United States are true treasures. From forests to canyons to mountainous areas to hot springs to grasslands to beaches and so much in between, these beautiful areas are set aside for the use and enjoyment of the people.  Each national park has its own entry fee, which varies from park to park. However annual passes are also available.

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Alcatraz Island

The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (also called the America The Beautiful Pass) is an annual pass developed to give guests access to over 2,000 federal recreational sites. “Each pass covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as standard amenity fees (day use fees) at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A pass covers entrance, standard amenity fees and day use fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at per vehicle fee areas (or up to four adults at sites that charge per person).”

The Annual Pass costs $80 per adult (Children age 15 or under are admitted free, as are current U.S. military members and their dependents, U.S. citizens or permanent residents who provide documentation of a permanent disability, and NPS volunteers who have logged in at least 250 service hours with federal agencies that participate in the Pass Program). Since 1994, seniors age 62 or over who are U.S. residents or permanent residents have been able to purchase a lifetime “America The Beautiful” pass for $10 but effective August 28, 2017, that price is going to increase an almost incredible

700%, to $80, as result of the Centennial Legislation P.L. 114-289 passed by the U.S. Congress on December 16, 2016.

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The Grand Canyon

Here’s a FAQ about the changes, which is posted on several U.S. government sites:

So there you go. If you’re an American citizen or permanent resident age 62 and over who is interested in getting a lifetime pass, now through August 27, 2017 would be a good time to apply so you can pay the $10 rate instead of the upcoming $80 rate.

CLICK HERE to see this announcement on the National Parks website.

A hat tip to Jessica G. for the heads up on this information!

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3 comments

Cookie Wright July 19, 2017 - 7:41 pm

Where is the closest site to buy one near us (Central Florida)?

Reply
joeheg July 19, 2017 - 8:40 pm

Based on the information available it looks to be either the Canaveral National Seashore https://www.nps.gov/cana/index.htm or at the Ocala National Forest https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ocala/home.
The list of where passes are available nationwide is available at https://store.usgs.gov/sites/default/files/PassIssuanceList.pdf

Reply
Cookie Wright July 20, 2017 - 2:52 pm

Thanks.

Reply

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