"America the beautiful" pass. worth it for me?

[frater secessus]

As a disabled vet, I got my lifetime pass for $10.00

My understanding is the Access Pass (the pass for us disabled folk) is free, and the mailing fee is what's $10. PIckup in person is free AFAIK.

Interested onlookers: bring your supporting documention with you so you don't have to make two trips.

 

[becida]

I'm new to camping in my van and am having trouble finding spots. I thought I'd be able to just find BLM/National Forest close to me and camp anywhere but of course that's not the case. I'm ok with paying, but not so much with registering and filling out things on site. As long as I can just drive into the area (with my pass) and park there I'm ok with that.

Now can I do this with the pass above? I'm not clear if I can use it for dry camping (BLM/NFS) or if it's just to visit national monuments/areas of interest for free. Such as Grand Canyon?

I have the pass, the senior version and getting into national parks without paying is great. As for camping, have you seen freecampsites.net ? There are free places out there.

You mentioned the Grand Canyon, I camped in the national forest free areas just outside the south entrance. I would hike into town & catch the free shuttle bus into the park (I had the pass) and walked a different section of the rim. When I needed water, to do laundry or whatever I'd drive in to take care of business.
I did this for several weeks...

 

[Zurdo]

perhaps uninformed?

Quotes from this federal webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/passes-permits/recreation-fees-passes


“Concessionaires may or may not honor his pass, according to the terms of their current permit.”


“Concessionaires may or may not honor the Interagency Annual Military Pass, according to the terms of their current permit.”

“Concessionaires may or may not honor this pass, according to the terms of their current permit.”

“Concessionaires may or may not honor this pass, according to the terms of their current permit.”

Looking back at my reservation.gov history, I have 9 previous federal campground reservations. 5 out of those 9 did not accept my American the Beautiful Pass. I have no way of telling which ones were privately managed but one can assume. I’ve stayed at several first come first serve federal sites and don’t recall any issues with those but I did stay in 2 places that were reservation only and reservations were managed on the concessioners website. These were Pisgah National Forest and the Badlands. At that time, 5 years ago, neither of them honored my American the Beautiful camping discount.
I have also passed on several federal campgrounds reservation specifically because the concessioner did not accept the discount.

 

[rvwandering]

I deleted a series of posts that were not adding anything to the topic. Please remember to be kind when commenting.

 

[Zurdo]

Quotes from this federal webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/passes-permits/recreation-fees-passes


“Concessionaires may or may not honor his pass, according to the terms of their current permit.”


“Concessionaires may or may not honor the Interagency Annual Military Pass, according to the terms of their current permit.”

“Concessionaires may or may not honor this pass, according to the terms of their current permit.”

“Concessionaires may or may not honor this pass, according to the terms of their current permit.”

Looking back at my reservation.gov history, I have 9 previous federal campground reservations. 5 out of those 9 did not accept my American the Beautiful Pass. I have no way of telling which ones were privately managed but one can assume. I’ve stayed at several first come first serve federal sites and don’t recall any issues with those but I did stay in 2 places that were reservation only and reservations were managed on the concessioners website. These were Pisgah National Forest and the Badlands. At that time, 5 years ago, neither of them honored my American the Beautiful camping discount.
I have also passed on several federal campgrounds reservation specifically because the concessioner did not accept the discount.

Corections:
sorry 1 type-o and one misstatement.
it’s recreation.gov!

My Pisgah National Forest stay was at Lake Powhatan Campground and was one of the 5 from recreation.gov that didn’t honor my discount. They are or were privately managed at the time I stayed.

 

[bullfrog]

The secret to getting the best value out of your parks pass is to not sleep in the park at night but at nearby free camping/parking areas and use the day use in the park the rest of the time. You can sleep in the park during the day with no problems then do night time activities as well like 24 hour restaurants, truck stops, gaming establishments or BLM land if you like. There is almost always BLM land nearby out west and if you move sites daily you can probably make the most of your stay.

 

[WanderingRose]

I have never been to a federal campground where my Golden Age Passport was not honored, tho concessionaires like to add surcharges.

They may well be out there, but I believe are the exception rather than the rule, tho that could change.

It might be helpful here to maintain a list of campgrounds NOT honoring our discounts.

 

[Freelander]

I believe the Pass is free for Veterans. I got mine when I drove through the Petrified Forest. Just have to show some kind of Veteran card, i.e. VA card or Retired ID.

 

[CoyoteG]

I got my lifetime pass free. I went into a Forest Service office and presented my disability papers and filled out a little paperwork.
I have done well with it. I have been to over 60 national parks, no charge to get in and camped in about a third of them at half price or less.
The downside is that I’d rather not be disabled, so while the card is free, I paid an extremely high price for it.
But if this is the way it has to be, I’m glad to have the card and be able to go into the parks.

 

[towboater]

My understanding is the Access Pass (the pass for us disabled folk) is free, and the mailing fee is what's $10. PIckup in person is free AFAIK.

Interested onlookers: bring your supporting documention with you so you don't have to make two trips.

I was told that if picked up in person that a percentage of the fee is retained by the local NF. I asked the individual at the Ozark NF if that was true and she said yes. I wanted to see my money go to where I spend the majority of my time

 

[user 16179]

I got the 80 buck pass in feb 2020 right before the pandemic closure and never got to use it again.

I went to a NM state park that was closed in 6/20. Went three miles north to a USFS campground and used my pass for 1/2 priced camping....$3.50/night and empty with disbursed camping clogged up. I also use it to avoid the crowds and free sites shown or popular apps. Many areas are extremely crowded like Prescott which has had stay limits reduced to 7 days. Every one flocks to the free sites, I go to the USFS sites that are not free. But, they are nearly empty and usually less than five bucks....with the pass.

 

[user 423]

^I think I know which one you're referring to. I was there last year and there was only 1 other camper in 3 days.

 

[egilbe]

I use it. As a disabled vet the lifetime membership is $10.00. The parks I've stayed in have amazing areas to camp in, but yes, you have to stop and pay $10.00 camp site fee.

As a veteran, you get your pass for free.

It's been well worth it for me, I've visited 30+ national parks and monuments this year. At $20 to $35 a pop, it adds up. Not only that, it's a place to dispose of trash and get water, sometimes a place to shower. My only veteran benefit I've really used.

 

[frater secessus]

As a veteran, you get your pass for free.

DV may want to consider the Access pass (for disabled folk) rather than the Military pass. Per the NPS:

"At many sites the Access Pass provides the pass owner a discount on Expanded Amenity Fees (such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and guided tours)."

No such language on the military {pass} as far as I could see.

I saw this in action at a spot in NM where one could pay for a water fill. I asked about discounts and was told rather brusquely the only available discount was 50% for Access pass folk. I produced my card and loaded up on the half-price water.

It's been well worth it for me, I've visited 30+ national parks and monuments this year. At $20 to $35 a pop, it adds up. Not only that, it's a place to dispose of trash and get water, sometimes a place to shower.

Sometimes I use it just to drive through. I needed to go from Joshua Tree north BLM to south BLM and the shortest distance was through the park.

 

[Tony's Dream]

My understanding is the Access Pass (the pass for us disabled folk) is free, and the mailing fee is what's $10. PIckup in person is free AFAIK.

I think you are right, but I live about 120 miles from the nearest place that I could go and pick it up.

I took a weeklong trip in Wyoming last year and saved around $120 with free entry fees and discounts on camping sites.

 

[bullfrog]

The National Park Rangers are obliged to help you navigate the system and make it happen to your satisfaction. There are all sorts of exceptions to paying full fees. Age being over 62 you can get a Lifetime Senior pass for a onetime fee of $80, heck you can get your 4th grader get a voucher online and get a pass for that school year for everyone in the vehicle with them good till August of that year. Have a disability? Get an Access pass by simply filling out a statement form at the gate. Active military get a military pass. Veterans just basically pass through. There are a lot of people that work and live in the parks that have good reasons to have visitors with them who also have passes. If you camp or have a boat or visit an area controlled by the concessionaire then you most likely will pay additional fees but not always and not always full fees, you just have to ask. It is a valuable privilege to be able to visit these areas and extremely helpful to nomads passing through.

 

[Markw]

Question: are access passes accepted at BLM LTVAs?

 

[abnorm]

^NO

 

[mpruet]

When I turned 62 I got the predecessor to the “America the Beautiful” pass. It was the “Senior Pass” and only cost $20 and has a lifetime use. I have made extensive use of it. Most recently I used it in Alaska and cut the cost of camping in USFS campgrounds in half. If you qualify for the lifetime senior pass, I’d consider getting it. Yes, there are other places where you can camp for free such as BLM and LTVA, but in my opinion they are not nearly a nice as government campgrounds.

 

[lonerwolf52]

My understanding is the Access Pass (the pass for us disabled folk) is free, and the mailing fee is what's $10. PIckup in person is free AFAIK.

Interested onlookers: bring your supporting documention with you so you don't have to make two trips.

Disabled vet is free. Had mine for yrs. Usually if it's a place that accepts the pass they can make you One.