Wyn Delano
WMAL.com
(WMAL) — The price of a senior lifetime pass to U.S. National Parks is about to get seismically more expensive – jumping from $10 to $80 on Monday, August 28th.
The passes, which have remained at $10 since 1994, allow access to all National Parks and Federal Lands for those aged 62 or over.
They also allow “traveling companions” of up to three adults riding in the same car to enter free of charge.
With high-priced parks such as Yellowstone costing as much as $30 for a vehicle entry, the pass was a fantastic deal – even if it was only used once or twice.
“Its an understatement to say that there’s been a rush on the senior pass,” says Kathy Kupper of the National Park Service.
“In a typical year about 800,000 passes are sold through the agencies and online and this year we’re on pace to sell more than 2.5 million.”
The reason: all passes sold before the 28th are “grandfathered in” with all the same benefits as the soon-to-be-$80 pass.
The price jump was mandated by congress in 2016, ordering that the senior lifetime pass needed to cost the same as a single year pass for a regular adult.
And while Kupper understands that the sticker-shock can be a lot for prospective buyers, she emphasizes that the money goes to a good cause:
“The money does stay in the National Park Service…the money from the pass will help enhance visitor services and help with running the parks,” Kupper said.
All orders for the senior pass made or postmarked before 11:59PM on Sunday August 27th will be honored at the $10 price.
After that, it’ll stay at $80 for the foreseeable future.
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