Where have you used your Federal Senior Pass--National Parks and other federal lands?

[Bestwifeever]

http://www.early-retirement.org/for...den-age-pass-is-about-to-skyrocket-84462.html Based on Ronboyd's most helpful thread on imminent changes to the Federal Senior (aka Golden aka Geezer) Pass program for admission to National parks and other federal lands, I want some inspiration to use my pass (and get stamps in my National Park Passport, too).

We have recently been to these places that would have honored our pass:
Hoover Dam (Nevada)
Vicksburg's National Military Park (Mississippi)
Hawaii's National Volcanoes Park (Hawaii)
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (Illinois)

 

[DrRoy]

One year we used an annual pass at Grand Canyon NP, Petrified Forest NP, Great Sand Dunes NP, Mesa Verde NP, Grand Canyon of the Gunnison NM, Colorado NM, and Rocky Mtn NP.

 

[Senator]

I have an Access Pass, as part of being a disabled vet.

I used it at Death Valley NP, including a tour of Scotty's Castle. Also at Red Rock Canyon in Nevada.

 

[Blueskies123]

National parks is Utah and Florida everglades

 

[Chuckanut]

Utah and Wyoming most recently.

 

[ElizabethT]

Bestwifeever, there are over 400 National Properties currently, so plenty still to visit ) ), plus many folk overlook it can also be used to obtain free parking in many of our National Forests land. So while we are still not yet eligible for the Golden Age Pass, our $80 Annual Pass more than pays for itself each year we purchase it even if we don't get to one of our 59 National Parks.

For visitation purposes, I'd recommend the San Francisco Bay Area. While there are no National Parks in the area, there are lots of National Properties, one of the more interesting IMHO being the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Homefront National Historic Site. Currently they have former 'Rosies' coming in to give talks to visitors one day a week, and of course, soon their voices will no longer be alive to do so. Hearing them share their experiences in person, generally as workers in the Oakland shipyards, is something I'll not soon forget.

 

[Rosie]

Crater Lake NP in southern Oregon.

 

[38Chevy454]

Colorado National Monument, in Grand Junction, CO.

Plan to use it more once retired and do more traveling. DW qualified for it last year and we got the pass.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Obviously we need to head west in 2017!

 

[Ronstar]

Nowhere yet. Saw RonBoyd's post, and bought DW's pass this morning at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

 

[REWahoo]

Nowhere yet. Saw RonBoyd's post, and bought DW's pass this morning at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

So you didn't go past the office, even on a balmy, beautiful Fall day like today?

 

[Ronstar]

So you didn't go past the office, even on a balmy, beautiful Fall day like today?

A beautiful balmy Fall day here it isn't. 26 and windy. Brought my camera to track down some bison. Lady at the office said bison were probably a 2 mile hike from the trailhead.

We went to the trailhead, didn't see any bison from the truck, and DW was no way going for a 2 mile hike to find them.

I'll go back after a fresh snowfall (without DW) to see if I can get some cool bison in snow photos

 

[Dawg52]

Got my pass this morning too. A little chilly here, but didn't stop me from walking the trail near the Park office. The lady in the office(CoE) said she hadn't sold one of these in over 2 months. Too bad I wasn't eligible last year as I visited 3 parks. But plan to take another road trip next year.

 

[Alan]

In 2012 we bought an annual pass and and visited;

Carlsbad Caverns
Bryce Canyon
Zion
Rocky Mountains
Great Sand Dunes
Mesa Verde
Canyonlands
Arches
Grand Teton
Yellowstone
Big Bend

Since 2012 we have also visited;
Death Valley
Hoover Dam
Denali
Glacier
Glacier Bay
Yellowstone (again)

Prior to retirement we visited
Yosemite
Sequoia
Redwood
Mammoth Cave
Saguaro
Grand Canyon
Hot Springs
Hawaii Volcanoes (Big Island)
Great Smoky Mountains

The USA has fantastic National Parks, and there are also many fabulous State Parks.

 

[PatSea]

Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial on South Bass Island Ohio

 

[travelover]

In 2012 we bought an annual pass and and visited;

Carlsbad Caverns
Bryce Canyon
Zion
Rocky Mountains
Great Sand Dunes
Mesa Verde
Canyonlands
Arches
Grand Teton
Yellowstone
Big Bend

Since 2012 we have also visited;
Death Valley
Hoover Dam
Denali
Glacier
Glacier Bay
Yellowstone (again)

Prior to retirement we visited
Yosemite
Sequoia
Redwood
Mammoth Cave
Saguaro
Grand Canyon
Hot Springs
Hawaii Volcanoes (Big Island)
Great Smoky Mountains

The USA has fantastic National Parks, and there are also many fabulous State Parks.

Holy cow! Now I know why they are raising the price.

 

[Alan]

Holy cow! Now I know why they are raising the price.

We are still not old enough to qualify for a Senior pass. All those visits were at regular prices.

 

[frank]

what exactly is a senior pass? a couple of years ago I got a pass of some kind at a national monument for 10 dollars and it was a golden age pass. what is the difference?

 

[REWahoo]

Golden Age Pass = Senior Pass = Geezer Pass

The Senior Pass is the new name for what was once called the Golden Age Passport

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

 

[DrRoy]

In 2012 we bought an annual pass and and visited;

Carlsbad Caverns
Bryce Canyon
Zion
Rocky Mountains
Great Sand Dunes
Mesa Verde
Canyonlands
Arches
Grand Teton
Yellowstone
Big Bend

Since 2012 we have also visited;
Death Valley
Hoover Dam
Denali
Glacier
Glacier Bay
Yellowstone (again)

Prior to retirement we visited
Yosemite
Sequoia
Redwood
Mammoth Cave
Saguaro
Grand Canyon
Hot Springs
Hawaii Volcanoes (Big Island)
Great Smoky Mountains

The USA has fantastic National Parks, and there are also many fabulous State Parks.

.
Great list, Alan. I've been to 12 of them, and will hit 5 more next year.

.

 

[Golden sunsets]

I have an Access Pass, as part of being a disabled vet.

I used it at Death Valley NP, including a tour of Scotty's Castle. Also at Red Rock Canyon in Nevada.

Senator; Do you have an actual "Pass" and if so where did you get it? DH is a disabled Vet and has letters from the VA (Which I carry a copy of in my bag)indicating that he has free access and we both have military ID's as a result of his status as 100% disabiled but he doesn't have an "Access Pass", as you called it.

 

[spncity]

what exactly is a senior pass? a couple of years ago I got a pass of some kind at a national monument for 10 dollars and it was a golden age pass. what is the difference?

From nps.gov:

A pass is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation 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). Children age 15 or under are admitted free.

Senior Pass

...$10 Lifetime pass
...For U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over.
...May be obtained online, in person at a federal recreation site or through the mail. The cost of obtaining a Senior Pass through the mail or online is twenty dollars ($20). Ten ($10) for the Senior Pass and ten ($10) for processing the application. Applicants must provide documentation of age and residency or citizenship.
...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.
...Generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners.
...Note: Golden Age Passports are no longer sold. However, these passes will continue to be honored according to the provisions of the pass.

(The Golden Age Passports gave more discounts on camping at the parks, etc., yes?)

From a blog:

Good news, bad news? The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill last Tuesday that could pump as much as $20 million per year into the nation’s parks. The kicker? It means increasing the cost of senior citizen lifetime park passes up from the current $10 to $80. If law, the bill would send $10 million per year to the park service directly. Up to an additional $10 million from sales of the passes would flow into the parks provided matching funds appear from private donors.

 

[bssc]

This year we made it to
Rocky Mountain NP
Shenandoah NP
Florissant Fossil Beds NM
Great Smoky Mtn NP doesn't require a pass which is why it is busy.

 

[W2R]

I don't even have $10 worth of desire to go camping or RV'ing (anywhere). I know, I know, how dare I! But that's just me.

It does sound like a good deal for those who actually do like camping and can get a lifetime pass before the rates go up.

 

[Alan]

I don't even have $10 worth of desire to go camping or RV'ing (anywhere). I know, I know, how dare I! But that's just me.

It does sound like a good deal for those who actually do like camping and can get a lifetime pass before the rates go up.

FYI, we have never camped or RV'ed in a National Park. Always either stayed in a cabin or lodge, or just outside the park. This is America, they don't expect folks to have to rough it to go to these places. The roads are also excellent with very good access to many places and viewpoints for those with walking difficulties.