National Parks Senior Pass price jumps from $10 to $80
Increase takes effect Aug. 28
The price of the America the Beautiful — National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass will jump from $10 to $80 as of Aug. 28. The hike is due to legislation passed by Congress in December 2016, according to the National Park Service.
Pass holders are given lifetime access to more than 2,000 sites and parks. The fee increase will support maintenance projects at national parks and federal recreational lands nationwide.
The Senior Pass has cost $10 since 1994. Until Aug. 28, U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are 62 years or older can purchase the lifetime Senior Pass for $10. Previously purchased lifetime Golden Age or Senior Passes will be honored for the lifetime of the pass holder.
The Senior Pass can be used at sites managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The pass can be purchased for $10 before Aug. 28 at a national park or other federal recreation area that charges an entrance or standard amenity (day use) fee.
The pass can also be obtained by mail or on line, for $10 before Aug. 28, but there will be an additional $10 charge for processing, for a total of $20. Due to expected high order volume, there could be delays with online and mail order processing of up to several months.
The legislation requires that the price of the lifetime Senior Pass be the same as the Interagency Annual Pass, which is currently $80. The legislation also introduces a new annual Senior Pass that can be purchased for $20. Seniors who purchase annual Senior Passes for four years can trade them in for a lifetime Senior Pass at no additional charge.
The Senior Pass covers all entrance fees and standard amenity (day use) fees and may provide senior discounts for things such as tours or campsites. The pass also waives the entrance fee for traveling companions.
At per-vehicle fee sites, the pass admits the pass holder and all passengers in a noncommercial vehicle. At a per-person fee site, the pass admits the pass holder and three other adults. Children under 16 are always admitted free.