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Where have you used your Federal Senior Pass--National Parks and other federal lands?
Old 12-09-2016, 07:47 AM   #1
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Where have you used your Federal Senior Pass--National Parks and other federal lands?

http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...ket-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)
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Old 12-09-2016, 08:23 AM   #2
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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.
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Old 12-09-2016, 08:40 AM   #3
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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.
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Old 12-09-2016, 08:52 AM   #4
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National parks is Utah and Florida everglades
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Old 12-09-2016, 08:55 AM   #5
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Utah and Wyoming most recently.
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Old 12-09-2016, 09:02 AM   #6
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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.
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Old 12-09-2016, 09:54 AM   #7
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Crater Lake NP in southern Oregon.
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Old 12-09-2016, 10:01 AM   #8
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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.
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Old 12-09-2016, 10:37 AM   #9
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Obviously we need to head west in 2017!
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Old 12-09-2016, 11:44 AM   #10
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Nowhere yet. Saw RonBoyd's post, and bought DW's pass this morning at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
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Old 12-09-2016, 11:48 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronstar View Post
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?
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Old 12-09-2016, 12:11 PM   #12
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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
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Old 12-09-2016, 12:24 PM   #13
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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.
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Old 12-09-2016, 01:11 PM   #14
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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.
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Old 12-09-2016, 01:57 PM   #15
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Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial on South Bass Island Ohio
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Old 12-09-2016, 02:33 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan View Post
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.
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Old 12-09-2016, 04:03 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by travelover View Post
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.
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Old 12-10-2016, 04:40 AM   #18
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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?
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Old 12-10-2016, 04:41 AM   #19
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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
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Old 12-10-2016, 04:49 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan View Post
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.

.
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