The National Parks Senior Pass – America the Beautiful
Hands down, the best value in the RVing world is the National Parks Senior Pass, officially known as the America the Beautiful Pass…
One of the consolations of old age is the America the Beautiful Pass, which, like most Federal entities, has undergone a name change – it used to be called MANY years ago, the Golden Age Pass.
Anyone over the age of 62 can get an America the Beautiful Lifetime Senior Pass for $80. Or, an Annual Senior Pass for only $20.
In this article, we share the details and direct links to order the America the Beautiful Senior Pass that's right for you…
What the America the Beautiful National Parks Senior Pass includes:
All US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for this pass, which will greatly reduce your expenditures for visiting and camping in National Parks and federal land – more than 2,000 locations in all.
Each pass covers entrance fees for your RV (or whatever vehicle you are in) and all passengers at national parks and national wildlife refuges, as well as standard and 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.
Most campgrounds in National Forests give you a 50% discount on camping fees with the America the Beautiful pass.
How to Get an America the Beautiful Senior Pass
The America the Beautiful Senior Pass is sold at all National Park entrances, national monuments, many National Forest ranger stations, Bureau of Land Management field and district officers, and numerous other places.
As soon as you turn 62, just show up with documentation that you're either a US citizen or permanent resident (driver's license, US passport, birth certificate, or green card) and that you're 62.
Or, you can purchase the Senior Pass right now online:
Purchase the LIFETIME Senior Pass Here.
Purchase the ANNUAL Senior Pass Here.
Pay the fee ($80), and you're literally set for life. Since the replacement charge is the same as a new card, the procedure is just to get another one if you lose yours. So don't lose your card!
NOTE: They don't accept pictures of the card (in case you like to digitize your paper for trips) – so keep your card handy!
The National Parks Senior Pass has lots of benefits for campers
There are many other uses more important to RVers and fulltimers who spend more than the usual two or three weeks a year touring our country.
Six federal agencies – the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of Land Management – all honor the America the Beautiful National Parks Senior Pass at sites where entrance or standard amenity fees are charged.
“Standard amenity fees” is governmentese for day use, swimming, boat launch or campsite fees, which is where the pass comes into its own.
When you check-in at one of the campgrounds, look on the envelope you use to pay your camping fee at National Forest and BLM campgrounds.
On the bottom line, there's a place for your pass number and a 50% discount on the overnight camping fee. Army Corps of Engineers campsites also honor this 50% discount for senior pass cardholders.
Even the Tennessee Valley Authority will give you 50% off of the campsite fees. The TVA offers hundreds of campsites among its six dam reservoir campgrounds in the Southeast, available from March 15 to November 15. The length of stay is limited to 21 days during the high season (May 1 to Sept 30) and 30 days in the off-season (Oct 1 to April 30, excluding closure dates).
TIP: Check out this article about finding Free and Cheap camping
The America the Beautiful pass for seniors will also save you the trouble of going into the ranger station or store to get a permit for National Forest dispersed camping – just display your card on the dash in lieu of the permit.
What Is the Access Pass?
The site also explains, “A lifetime pass – available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability (does not have to be a 100% disability) – that provides admittance to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by six Federal agencies” is only $10. That Pass is called the Access Pass and you can read all about it here.
There are some exceptions
The only fly in the ointment are concessionaires – private companies that contract with the Federal government to manage campgrounds in national parks and forests.
They aren't required to accept the pass for a 50% discount, although there are many who do. Each concessionaire has a separate agreement for the National Parks Service. It's just bad business not to honor this pass, so almost all the concessionaires we've encountered do so.
If the campsite has “improvements” – water and/or electric hookups – expect to pay full price for the “improvements,” and get 50% off the basic campground fee only.
Most Federal campgrounds don't have hookups, though, so if you have solar or just like to boondock, an America the Beautiful Senior Pass will come in handy.
There's just no downside to getting this card. Even if you don't camp at all, you'll be able to drive through national parks without getting gouged for an entrance fee.
This has to be one of the best values out there in the RV world.
Many other types of passes are available
If you or some travel companions are not seniors, there are many other types of passes available, including a Military Pass, a Volunteer Pass, a student pass, and many more.
Mike and Jennifer Wendland's Yellowstone Travel Guide
At the top of every RVers bucket list, it is a place so majestic, so wild, and so big that it calls us to return, to explore, to get to know the diversity of its land and animals over and over again.
Everywhere you look are waterfalls, fast-moving rivers, geysers, sheer rock faces, towering lodgepole pines, all framed by mountains under the bright blue cloudless sky.
It’s spectacular for those who love the wilderness and getting up close and personal with it. Enjoy Yellowstone for RV travel.
Bought a golden ager card for $10 at the LBY ranch in tx in the 80s–have used it all over the US and saved lots of $$$$$$
The concesssionaire campgrounds are permitted to price-gouge just like a commercial campground.
The NFS and NPS have effectively given away that which belongs to U.S. citizens.
Here’s a fine one. $60 per night to pitch a tent in YOUR National Forest.
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Canyon Lake campground in AZ
We keep a running total of our savings with the card and we’re over $500 in savings to this point!!
That is fantastic! thanks for sharing – Team RV Lifestyle
For me, it’s an 80 dollar piece of crap. It’s good at “some” campsites – but you don’t know which, until you’re trying to make a reservation and it says you can’t use it.
What age is considered “Senior”?
gotta be 62. from the looks of your photo, you have a while to wait 😉
Got ours before we started our traveling. Good for life. What a deal!!!
Love mind, looks just like mind….
Have one just like it.
got mine
Is it available to Canadians?
it’s available to all canadians with green cards (permanent residents). my wife is canadian, and it’s her card.
I have had one since I turned 62 and my parents had one for many years before mine.
Free or 1/2 price admissions, discounts on camping and only $10. We just used ours at Mammoth Cave NP for cave tours. Save more than the cost of the cards in 2 days.
Just used ours today to get into Yosemite for free!
Just got mine in April and it was the best $10 I ever spent!
Have one!!!!
Got one, great investment
Wow!
My sister-in-law bought us life time pass years ago. Have used it a lot. It’s great.
Had ours for years. Best $10.00 investment ever!! 🙂
Yes, I got mine too now for several years and it definitely is the best investment in being able to see our beautiful country at a bargain… not only to mention all the senior discounts along the way… remember to always ask wherever you go… some have really surpised me!
Love ours…..
Just got ours in April, looking forward to using it. Better than paying the $80 p/yr!!
Just got mine four days ago!
Rodney Rawe
Enjoying ours.
I HAVE ONE LIKE THIS.
just ordered mine
I still have mine,, great investment.
Love ours! We have used them a lot.
I HAVE ONE OF THEM
got one!!!
Got mine at the Forsythe in Galloway
i have one
Also, if you have handicapped license plates or window tag you can get free admission to all national parks and monuments. They will issue the pass at any of the parks.
If permanently disabled, you can get the Access Pass. Doesn’t require plates or tags. I have a brain injury so no plates or tags. Most of the parks can issue, but not all. Free. Also, some state’s parks honor this or have their own you can get for free or very cheap (<$5) – California, TX for example.
Don’t forget to use it in Puerto Rico.
They still honor Golden Age.
Where do you get them?
At any National Park
We use ours !!
Got it.
Does this mean my ‘Golden Age Pass’ is no longer good?
Still good. Just changed the name.
I’ve got one!
Picked one up on our last trip to the Great Smoky Mtns.
Michael Miller
One of the few silver linings of turning 62!
Best thing you can get from the government… 🙂
Had mine since 2010. Great perk! Pick up at any National Park once you are 62.
Where do you get it
Love mine!
wow now thats great thank you!!!!
I got mine about 6 yrs. Ago!!
We never leave home without it, great value!!
Best $10.00,I ever spent.
Have it..it is a good thing!!!!
Got mine & use it!
Best $10 investment in the country….world. Sooo many great Parks, Battlefields, Historic Parks & Sites. Also half price on tours.
Got it!
Can hardly wait;)
I have one and use it everywhere to show that I am a Senior! #loveroadtripping
62 in October!
It’s for the US. Not Canada.
Where do u get one?
Research at http://www.recreation.gov
We have ours. Didn’t realize till this year that it got us into most national parks free.
Love it
I have mine and have used it many times.
We have one also. With us at all times. It is great.
Got two (mine and my wife)
Got it!
Don’t leave home without it!
sadly neither dear hubby or my self qualify for the Senior card but I understand there is a disabled card I just have to keep searching for the site or where it get it from thanks
here’s a link to the Access Pass information, and how to get one: http://store.usgs.gov/pass/access.html
Thanks for the tip! Went and got mine immediately!
We’ve been loving ours for the past 7 years! Oh and you can take your Roadtrek full of folks with you and just flash one card! What a bargain!
I got mine about a month ago…
Oops, forgot this site for BC which is easy to view different geographic areas of BC. http://www.gocampingbc.com/
Campskunk….thought some of your readers might be interested in the these sites, this one for BC Parks http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/faq/
and this one for Canada National Parks http://www.pc.gc.ca/ar-sr/lpac-ppri/ced-ndp.aspx. There is wonderful information on BC and Canadian Parks and I believe the Discovery Pass can be purchased by anybody…so if you are planning an extended trip through BC and/or Canada you might want to check out these sites.
It’s great advice, RT. DH and I both bought the Senior Pass last fall and it allowed us free entry this summer to the Badlands National Park, Yellowstone NP, and Grand Tetons NP this summer. DH was in one van with 2 adults and 2 gkids and I was in another van with 2 adults and 2 gkids. Had we not had the Passes with us, we would’ve paid $65 per van, a total of $130. I figure it’s either in Uncle Sam’s pocket, or in my pocket, so for very little effort, we kept it in our pocket. Were we smiling at every entrance booth? Oh. yeh.
Hello.
I am Brazilian and I live in Brazil, I am interested in buying a motorhome on a shared basis for use in period of 30 days per year, someone is interested in selling a motor home?
Moses Pontes Lima
To put it in perspective. On our trip west last year, we visited and camped at Little Bighorn, Yellowstone and Grand Teton. The Senior Pass saved more than enough to get a FREE tank of gas. 🙂
Hey Lisa, the official name in red on the back of the card is “America The Beautiful – The National Parks And Federal Recreation Lands Pass” – on the front it just says “Annual Pass” – the photo changes each year, and the one I bought in January has a red kayak on it. Not all federal campgrounds accept this for 1/2 price camping, but most of them do, and most accept it for free entry. You can also get a hang tag with it so you can display the card on your mirror for dayuse parking, etc. Even at $80, this card usually saves us at least a couple hundreds bucks a year, sometimes a lot more…
Tim- I didn’t realize that was another one for those of us under 62. What’s it called so I can look it up? That would come in handy for when I get to solo camp!
here’s some annual pass info: http://store.usgs.gov/pass/annual.html it can be used in some, but not all, of the places the senior pass can be used. for instance, corps of engineers campsites honor the senior pass but not the annual pass. i think the park system, the BLM, and the national forests consider the passes interchangeable, though.
The version of this card for the rest of us folks that are under 62 costs $80 a year – just a few visits to the $25 parks like the Tetons, or several campground stays will pay for it – plus not having to always check in as noted above just makes life easier. The cards encourage visitors to our national lands and are a great deal for sure. THANKS go to our government for having this program!
We have our calendar marked! Ken turns 62 next year…we’ll have one of these cards the next day! Thank you for all the links you provided, too. Happy trails!