A special thanks to GRAND reader, Anne Schmidt of Washington, DC, for sharing this information. If you have a tip for other grands, please let us know.
By Christine Crosby, Editorial Director – GRAND Magazine
On a road trip in 2015, I discovered one of the great deals of all time; the Senior Pass to America’s National Parks and Recreational Lands! At $10, for lifetime privileges, for you and your carload of family, it is amazing. Just be 62 years old and have 10 bucks…you’re in…for life! One more reason to live as long as possible.
Maybe it was too amazing, because on Monday, August 28th, it is going up to $80. For what you get, that’s still a great price for the heart and mind expanding experiences to be had in our National Parks, but $10 is better! If you might ever want to go to a park, ACT NOW.
Don’t miss the GRAND experience of visiting our National parks. Check out this video to whet your travel appetite.
I’m ready to go…are you?
You can buy in person at the parks on this jaw-dropping huge list, or you can buy online and pay an extra $10 service charge – still saving $60.
It is our dream to explore the majesty of America’s National Parks with Juniper and Poppy and we’ll do it with our amazing $10 pass.
Senior Pass
- Cost: $10-lifetime pass (see below – How to purchase” for more details)
- Available for: U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over. Applicants must provide documentation of age and residency or citizenship.
- How to purchase:
- In person at a federal recreation site (see PDF list of federal recreation sites that issue passes)
- Online–buy now from the USGS store!
- Through the mail using this application form (PDF).
- NOTE: The cost of obtaining a Senior Pass through the mail or online is $20. $10 for the Senior Pass and $10 for processing the application.
- The price of the lifetime Senior Pass will increase to $80 on August 28, 2017. A new $20 annual Senior Pass will become available at the same time. See more information about changes to the Senior Pass.
- Additional information:
- The Senior Pass may provide a 50 percent discount on some amenity fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launch, and specialized interpretive services.
- The Senior Pass generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners.
- Golden Age Passports are no longer sold. However, these passes will continue to be honored according to the provisions of the pass.
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Interagency Senior Pass (USGS website)
Amanda Grieco, Natchez Trace
IF YOU ARE ENJOYING THIS ARTICLE AND WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF OUR GRAND CLUB, JOIN US HERE.
Access Pass
- Cost: Free (see note in “how to obtain” for more details)
- Available for: U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Applicants must provide documentation of permanent disability and residency or citizenship.
- How to obtain:
- In person at a federal recreation site (see PDF list of federal recreation sites that issue passes)
- Through the mail using this application form (PDF).
- NOTE: The cost of obtaining an Access Pass through the mail is $10 for processing the application (the pass is free).
- Additional information:
- The Access Pass may provide a 50 percent discount on some amenity fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and specialized interpretive services.
- The Access Pass generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners.
- Golden Access Passports are no longer sold. However, these passes will continue to be honored according to the provisions of the pass.
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Interagency Access Pass (USGS website)
Yang Lu, 2015 Share the Experience Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner
Volunteer Pass
- Cost: Free
- Available for: Volunteers with 250 service hours with federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program
- Contact your local federal recreation site for more information about volunteer opportunities or visit Volunteer.gov.
More Information
These six agencies participate in the Interagency Pass Program:
- National Park Service
- U.S. Forest Service
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Bureau of Land Management
- Bureau of Reclamation
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
For more information about the terms used (for example, “non-commercial vehicle” or “pass owner,” see Pass Program Definitions on the USGS website.
You can also see a list of all federal recreation sites (PDF), including national parks, where the passes are issued.