Those "Golden Passports"........

WandaLust · 04-09-2009, 10:30 PM

I read and heard about those Golden Passports that save people money camping... but where do you get them? We were told today that we had to go someplace at the other end of the state (Land-Between-The-Lakes), in person, to get one. But how do we know *where* since there are many CGs in that area? Can anyone shed light on this? Thanks.

Honda03842 · 04-10-2009, 05:14 AM

You can get one at any national park. There's a onetime charge of $10. You only need one and it's good for everyone in the vehicle. It provides free admission to practically everything federal and 1/2 price camping.

Norm Milliard

Honda03842 · 04-10-2009, 05:15 AM

You have to be 62 years old to get one. I think we used our US passport or drivers liscence as ID

Norm

Janalee · 04-10-2009, 06:52 AM

If you show proof of disability, you get your Golden card free....

WandaLust · 04-10-2009, 07:19 PM

OK, so we have to find a National CG in that area of the state to get the card. There are no NCGs in Middle TN so she was right.

We're both over 62 but not disabled. Thanks.

Honda03842 · 04-10-2009, 07:57 PM

It doesn't have to be a campground. It can be any kind of federal park place. Give a call to the one nearest you.

Norm

Janalee · 04-11-2009, 06:47 AM

It could even be a national historic area such as we have in Scranton--call your local government representative and ask them for info..

WandaLust · 04-11-2009, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janalee

It could even be a national historic area such as we have in Scranton--call your local government representative and ask them for info..

I'll see if I can find out who that is. I don't get involved in politics so am not familiar with who that would be.

WandaLust · 04-11-2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janalee

It could even be a national historic area such as we have in Scranton--call your local government representative and ask them for info..

National or Federal Parks would have them? She said only the Federal park at Land-Between-The-Lakes is closest but she didn't give us any information on how to find this Park. Only Federal Parks give them she said. LBTL's is several hours away. Google didn't bring up and Federal Parks there. Maybe I'm using the wrong terms to search. We have a National Battlefield here buts she said we can't get the Pass there. I can't find any Federal Parks or CGs where we live, just State and National. What makes it harder is the websites don't mention if they issue these passes. I'm getting very frustrated spinning my wheels trying to locate this Federal Park she's talking about.

Honda03842 · 04-12-2009, 04:50 AM

Here is a site that lists all TN national parks and sites, copy it and put it in your browser. I don't know where you are but if you click on a particular park, they have a contact phone number. You'll be able to check hours and availability.

http://home.nps.gov/applications/par...tate.cfm?st=tn

Norm Milliard

Steve Collins · 04-12-2009, 07:08 AM

Golden Access Passports (and several other programs) have been replaced with a single interagency pass. The official name of the program is: America the Beautiful - the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass. Existing Golden Age Passports will be honored until they expire.

"The new program replaces the Golden Eagle, Golden Age, and the Golden Access Passports as well as the National Parks Pass. Existing passes will remain valid until expired, lost or stolen. Sales of the new pass will begin in January 2007 and will be available at federal recreation sites that charge entrance and standard amenity fees, through government internet sites, and through select third-party vendors." Details at: http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm

Passes can be purchased by phone, internet, or in person at selected sites. The Senior (62+) and Access (free - disabled) must be purchased in person. Read section 5 of this link: http://store.usgs.gov/pass/general.html for more info.

This new pass is good for not only National Parks, but Fish and Wildlife facilities, Forest Service facilities, Bureau of Land Management facilities and more.

From what I found in looking all this up, the sales of new Golden passes stopped at the end of 2006, and the new interagency pass went on sale in 2007.

WandaLust · 04-12-2009, 04:01 PM

Thanks for the reply on the camping passports. I C&P the info to my husband. I think I'll let him handle it. I still can't find any *Federal Parks* in TN at any of those webpages where seniors can get them. I found only National Parks and NPs don't issue them. I just went around in the same circle I've been going in for several days. Did either of you see any Federal Parks in TN there that I may have missed?

From the site:
"The Senior and Access passes must be obtained in person at a participating Federal recreation site or office, due to documentation and identification requirements. (Inquire locally)"

I can't find any FEDERAL recreation sites in TN.

**Tweety** · 04-13-2009, 05:23 AM

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is in eastern TN. You won't need a the pass until you go to use it, so can't you just get it at the entrance station when you go to a National Park?

Steve Collins · 04-13-2009, 06:21 AM

Participating agencies include the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation.

Bureau of Land Management: http://www.blm.gov/nhp/index.htm
National Park Service: http://www.nps.gov/
Fish & Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov/
Forest Service: http://www.fs.fed.us/
Bureau of Reclamation: http://www.usbr.gov/
Dept. of Agriculture: http://www.usda.gov/
National Atlas (lands maps) http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printable.html#fedlands

Find ANY federal recreation facility:
http://www.recreation.gov/recFacilit...RecreationArea

Find ANY federal campground:
http://www.recreation.gov/campground...ex=CampingSpot

Find ANY federal day use area:
http://www.recreation.gov/campground...abIndex=DayUse

Steve Collins · 04-13-2009, 11:11 AM

Perhaps this will settle the whole issue:

I clicked on the button on the recreation.gov homepage to Purchase a Pass. That took me directly to the USGS Store page. On that page, there was a link entitled Where can I obtain Senior/Access Passes? which then gets you a .pdf file listing every place you can go to get the Senior or Access passes in the US.

Here it is: http://store.usgs.gov/pass/PassIssuanceList.pdf

WandaLust · 04-13-2009, 11:59 PM

See post below.

WandaLust · 04-14-2009, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Collins

Perhaps this will settle the whole issue:

I clicked on the button on the recreation.gov homepage to Purchase a Pass. That took me directly to the USGS Store page. On that page, there was a link entitled Where can I obtain Senior/Access Passes? which then gets you a .pdf file listing every place you can go to get the Senior or Access passes in the US.

Here it is: http://store.usgs.gov/pass/PassIssuanceList.pdf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This did it. THANKS!

Apparently the info the lady at Seven Points gave us was wrong. Federal Parks are apparently National Parks. She said only one place was now handling them - I forget the reason she gave us. We'll start calling these places listed as handling them, and see which still are.