Customer Reviews

America the Beautiful - the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass

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I've been buying this card for years - since back when it was just called National Parks Pass. Back then it was a $50 pass. But you had to pay extra for a sticker that would additionally let you into other Federal locations like Conservation Areas, National Forests, etc. Now it's one convenient, multi-agency card with no additional stickers to buy.

OK, so your idea of the Federal parks is the Grand Canyon and nothing else? This card might be overkill as entry to Grand Canyon is $20 per car. But, if you want to pay extra to avoid long lines you may still want to buy the pass. Passholders enter via their own lane which is very fast since there's no counting money, making change, printing receipts, etc. And remember, that the normal entry fee is just for the day. Multiple days => multiple fees => multiple times in long lines. Last time I went to the Grand Canyon I would venture to say I saved up to an hour by speeding past the money lanes.

Buying this card is also very good for the parks. They are constantly underfunded and have been for the last several years since their budgets have been slashed. The funds paid for this card go directly to the Park Service, Forest Service, etc. And that money is very important as it helps pay for park facilities, maintenance, trails, visitors centers, clean bathrooms, ranger tours, etc.

Oh, and at $80 for your entire family for a year, this is a steal compared to theme parks. And you get to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, and learn about nature and geology.

If you plan on visiting some of the parks on the list, esp. multiple times, then this pass could be a great deal for you and your family. We are fortunate in many ways in the USA, not the least of which, our country offers a true abundance of different types of parks and wildly different landscapes to enjoy without having to to get our passports stamped, board a sketchy airline, or wade through a civil war!

Here is the link to the .gov site that provides the details:

http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm

Variations:
U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 = $10 for LIFETIME pass (must go in person to get this)
U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities = free for LIFETIME pass
NPS Volunteers acquiring 500 service hours on a cumulative basis = free

The National Parks Pass is a great way to see some of this country's most beautiful land and seascapes. However, if I had known that the card would be punched before I had a chance to use it, I would have delayed my purchase (since I had several months still left on my old card). Next time I'll wait until my card expires.

The card arrived on time before our family went off on a summer vacation to a National Park. In the past year, we have used this so often that we have benefited almost one and a half times the price paid for this. I highly recommend this for outdoor and nature enthusiasts who frequent National Park. If you are not one of them, then you are better off paying entrance fees at the parks.