If you\u2019re 62 or older, now is the time to get yours because that\u2019s a huge price hike.<\/p>\n
But this isn\u2019t a reason to complain about how the government is putting the squeeze on seniors. Even at $80, the pass is a phenomenal bargain. Try getting a lifetime movie pass for that amount.<\/p>\n
The cost of a non-senior pass is $80 a year, still a good buy for those who enjoy this country\u2019s national treasures, and less than the cost of a few movie dates over the same time span.<\/p>\n
For those seniors who use the pass for 10 years, the annualized cost is only $8. By contrast, parks like Yellowstone or Grand Canyon charge $10-$12 per person to enter. Spend a couple weeks visiting parks across the West and the fees add up fast \u2013 unless the driver has a pass, in which case a carload of four people pays nothing.<\/p>\n
The official name of the pass is the \u201cNational Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass\u201d because it includes admission to recreational sites managed by five other federal agencies: the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Corps of Engineers. It also provides discounts on some other amenities.<\/p>\n
Seniors for whom $80 is a big bill to pay all at once can buy a $20 annual senior pass; at the end of four years of purchasing those passes, they can exchange them for a lifetime pass. That is a considerate offer.<\/p>\n
Note that seniors who already have a Senior Pass do not need to purchase a new one. Passes purchased before Monday remain valid. Senior Passes are available at any federal recreation site that charges an entrance or day-use fee, like Mesa Verde National Park.<\/p>\n