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The good news is that this large price increase will help offset the considerable budget deficit and help with lots of badly needed, long-deferred maintenance in the parks, which are being loved to death by the public yet neglected by the government. Frustrating to see care for one of the best things our government ever did for us back-burnered, year after year, administration after administration.
I'm missing it by 5 years.
The $10 was too low to start with. The price increase just means the free ride is over.
I can't imagine $80 really makes the pass cost prohibitive for the people who would get them anyway.
Truthfully, a lifetime pass to all National Parks for only $10 was obscenely cheap! I never expected the price would stay that low until I reached age 62.
That's what I was thinking, it's not like you have to pay $80 a year like the rest of us until we qualify for the senior pass. An $80 one time fee, is still quite a bargain, sure it's not as cheap as the $10, but come on man.
The good news is that this large price increase will help offset the considerable budget deficit and help with lots of badly needed, long-deferred maintenance in the parks, which are being loved to death by the public yet neglected by the government. Frustrating to see care for one of the best things our government ever did for us back-burnered, year after year, administration after administration.
I don't think this will generate more than a drop in the bucket toward maintaining and fixing our park system.
I don't think this will generate more than a drop in the bucket toward maintaining and fixing our park system.
Well, yes, that's true, but drops do add up and every little bit helps.
I also encourage everyone who cares about the parks to contribute to their favorite of the many "Friends of the (specifically named) National Park" donation sites that can be found in visitor centers, popular areas within the parks, and online. These non-profit private groups do a great job and deserve our support.
Also, write your representatives and tell them the parks deserve more!
We get a $15 annual pass to our two parks so as soon as we can, we will get the $80 one, since it will pay for itself eventually. We only have access to two national parks unless we're visiting somewhere but with retirement, there will be more time (although less money) to go traveling so the park pass will be a good thing.
I wonder how similar in price the national park pass is to getting a passport? Both of them allow you access to all sorts of interesting places and the passport has to be renewed occasionally, so the lifetime park pass is probably a better deal.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free for everyone.
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