In just a few days, the price to enjoy America’s great outdoors will be going up — at least for seniors.
Right now, Americans ages 62 and older can score a senior lifetime pass to national parks, monuments and other federal recreational lands for just $10. But on Monday, Aug. 28, the pass price will jump to $80 — the same fee charged for a standard annual pass.
Here are three ways to get a senior pass now before the price soars:
- Online: Older Americans can obtain a $10 senior pass online. Note that you’ll have to shell out $20 to get the pass, which includes the $10 lifetime pass and a $10 document processing fee.
- Paper: You can also fill out and submit a paper application to the government to get your pass to America’s great outdoors. It costs a total of $20, including the pass and the document processing fee.
- In-person: Seniors can also purchase a pass in person for $10 from a participating federal recreation site or office. If you get your pass this way, you don’t have to pay the $10 processing fee.
If you order a pass, be patient. The National Park Service is being inundated with requests for such passes.
Money magazine reports that more than 250,000 requests have been submitted online and by mail this year. That’s more than seven times the previous record of requests.
The Park Service typically sells about 800,000 senior passes annually but projects selling 2.5 million in 2017, according to Money.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey website:
Until the current backlog of Senior Pass orders are shipped, your order confirmation will be honored for use at agency sites.
Online and mail-in applications are being processed within 12 weeks, according to the USGS.
What do you think of the planned rate hike for seniors at national parks? Sound off below or on Facebook.
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