If you travel to National Parks often, you probably have (or will want) an America the Beautiful Pass. The pass gives you access to every National Park, as well as more than 2,000 federal recreation sites (wildlife refuges, national forests and grasslands and for lands managed by the BLM, Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.) Nice, right?
The annual pass costs $80, but if you’re a current U.S. military member it’s free, and if you’re a senior, 62 and over, the pass costs $80 for a lifetime. You can learn more here.
Do you have an America the Beautiful Pass? Tell us in today’s poll. Thanks!


I bought mine on my 62 birthday at Cabrillo National Park in San Diego, Ca. It was my birthday present to myself. Happily I’m old enough to have bought it when it was only $10,
We still have our original federal lands passport, $10 and never expires.
Being physically disabled officially since 2007, I have the Access Pass.
Bought mine for 10.00 also 15 years ago and never expires. I take good care of it. It is one of my “treasured” possessions.😉
No, just pay as we go for access. We have a way to go before the senior discount and we’re not active military. More cost effective at this point in life to just pay for the passes as we need them.
I, too, am in the $10 group. I also have my home state (Delaware) equivalent for state parks, which I think was $7 when I bought it. That’s less than the admission for one day now . These passes are truly one of the best gifts you’ll ever get from the government.
Actually, we have several of the “lifetime” old folks passes – because we often forgot to bring one and bought another at the entrance for $10, because the carload day pass was $15. Of course, that’s no longer possible, and we make darn sure to have one in any vehicle we might enter a park in…
Bought one when they were first available. Only great deal we get from the government.
Got mine going into the Grand Canyon for $10. Was told it never expires until I do.
Hubby picked up his senior lifetime pass for $10 about 10 years ago. I wish I’d kept up with the savings it’s been for us traveling since then. Easily more than $1,000 so far and we are certainly not done yet!
I bought the Senior pass when a group of us on motorcycles drove Skyline Drive years ago. It was a no brainer. $20 one time pass or $10 for the Lifetime pass. The senior pass is now $80. Still a bargain considering
Senior pass here too!
Wife and I both got ours before the $80 fee came into effect.
We got ours while they were free to seniors.
Had ours for 13 years and it has been well used, on second card first one fell apart.
Bought my wife her pass the month before it went up to $80. I got mine last year when it became free to military retirees. (I currently have to renew it, but they are supposed to be making a permanent retiree pass.)
Bought ours this year and halfway through our snowbird trip this winter it has already paid for itself! As a Canadian, $80 a year is a great deal! Thank-you to my American friends. In Big Bend now and it is just spectacular!
We have the lifetime senior pass.
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We got ours a few years back when it was either free or $10.00. Can’t remember. Lifetime pass.
Even when we worked for a national park we bought the annual passes until we got old enough for the senior pass. We found that being part of the Park Service family might or might not (usually not) get us into other parks, so we bought the pad every year for a long time.
I’m surprised that the poll did not include the lifetime senior pass. It’s unfortunate that you excluded what must be a large percentage of your readers.
Oops, I assumed that this was referring to the lifetime pass, which is what we have.
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I am a 100% percent service connected disability and I got a lifetime pass free.
I bought my senior pass 7 years ago for $10.00. I kick myself for not buying 2 and put 1 away in the event I lost it, I protect it like gold! Even at todays cost it is well worth it.
Great deal. Bought it days after my 62nd birthday.
We have two. Some park tours require one for each person or you have to pay. Ours were $10.
I have a golden eagle pass that is 50 years old and still works.
No. I have 2 lifetime passes, both cost me only $10 each. Been to 90% and many National historic sites, monuments, and parks.
No, we have the Lifetime pass.
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As a disabled Vet, I have a lifetime pass.
Yes, and bought two for each of us (@ $10/ea) before the price went up. 😉
I purchased the Lifetime Pass as soon as I qualified for it and have used it many times since.
My wife and I both have lifetime passes.
I said no because we both have the $10 lifetime passes, not the annual pass.
Same here.
The text specifically mentions the senior pass, was obviously meant to be a ‘yes’
It is a Blessing.
I also have the $10 life time pass.
Got the senior pass when I turned 62, for $10. Went up to $80 the next year. Frankly, that’s still a bargain!
As a disabled Veteran I have the Access pass. Any veteran can get the annual pass free.
Should be a “No, not yet” answer because that is what I would have used instead of an outright NO!
I’ve had the Senior Pass since I qualified.
Me & my hubby each have the $10 lifetime passes.
My wife & I purchased ours immediately upon qualifying, but haven’t used it once!! Maybe just having it made the possibility a thing of hope.
I am a 100% Disabled veteran and received mine for free…. I use it a lot My wife and I have lived in our RV for 5 years now and we have visited many of our National Parks. We go to the parks that don’t get a lot of visitors…. It’s wonderful 😊
There is nothing more beautiful than the National Parks in USA.
I’ve had mine for 13 years, 42 parks, some frequently, and so many other sites. The parks are a national treasure and should be treated as such. We spend $in the parks, and encourage other pass holders to donate in the visitor centers.