Nat'l Park Service - Golden Access Passport

[JudithM]

Today I applied for & received a Golden Access Passport from the National Park Service. I am looking forward to using it .

http://www.nps.gov/

http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm

 

[Michigan]

We have used my oldest DD's at the Grand Canyon, Lincoln's House for free parking and I think we used it at Yellowstone.

 

[HopperFan]

We got one on the spot at the Fort in St. Augustine. Used this summer at Yosemite.

 

[welovedis]

Also, just a note to make sure you check with your states, NYS offers the Access Pass which has great benefits (including basic camping for free, just pay for electric if utilized) but it is not well advertised.

Thanks for posting this, I think DH never got around to getting his passport thru the NPS!

 

[JudithM]

Also, just a note to make sure you check with your states, NYS offers the Access Pass which has great benefits (including basic camping for free, just pay for electric if utilized) but it is not well advertised.

Thanks for posting this, I think DH never got around to getting his passport thru the NPS!

Thanks for the reminder about checking the state equivalent. I would encourage your husband to get the NPS pass. I had no problem getting it yesterday.

 

[3kidsmommy]

Ok--my dh, who has MS, is considered disabled by the Social Security Administration. We were so excited to read this since we do camp alot, but when I went to the site it says you have to go to a national park to get it...When I did a search, there are NONE within 50 miles of my area! So, do we wait and take the chance we can get one whenever we go somewhere? Also, does anyone have any information on if there is a KY state program similar?

 

[faeflora]

We've used it to camp a couple of times.. It's a great thing.

 

[DJBounce]

The Golden Access Pass also works for Corps of Engineer properties. We don't have any National Parks anywhere close to us, but there are several by the Corps of Engineers. We have enjoyed half price camping several times.

 

[dj2]

Today I applied for & received a Golden Access Passport from the National Park Service. I am looking forward to using it .

http://www.nps.gov/

http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm

were you able to apply on-line? that's really convenient! i had thought that one had to apply at a park. someone conveniently posted about this program right before our trip to the grand canyon last year, and i was able to get the passport on the spot the first day we entered the park. i brought a dr's note, etc., but didn't need to.

 

[JudithM]

were you able to apply on-line?

No, I went to a local NPS park to get the passport. I will be using it in the near future at NPS parks & wanted to have it in my hand before I leave. I wasn't sure what "documentation" was needed; the NPS webiste was not specific. So I called the local park ... it seemed simple enough ... so I stopped by there yesterday. I didn't want to get hundreds of miles away to find out I didn't have the right documentation or something. This way I have the passport before I leave.

 

[Ambassador]

What documentation was required? We asked the ranger at our local NPS Historical site; he was not sure.

 

[Michigan]

When we got to the gate of the Grand Canyon we told the Ranger we had wheelchairs and he told us to go to the welcome station and ask for the Golden Passport. The women looked at my daughter and the other 2 kids in whelchairs that were traveling with us and their families and issued them all passes.

 

[dj2]

What documentation was required? We asked the ranger at our local NPS Historical site; he was not sure.

i really do wonder if it's up to ranger descretion as to the needed documentation.

although i brought a dr's note w/me to the grand canyon, i didn't need it. i did have to sign a form asserting i was disabled. i guess the ranger did see my hang tag. if that made any difference, i don't know. the passport was issued to me at the station where you pay for parking. at the location inside the park, which i had to use their shuttle to access, we were given a pass to allow us to use our car to drive from observation point to observation point, instead of using their internal bus system.

 

[welovedis]

Ok--my dh, who has MS, is considered disabled by the Social Security Administration. We were so excited to read this since we do camp alot, but when I went to the site it says you have to go to a national park to get it...When I did a search, there are NONE within 50 miles of my area! So, do we wait and take the chance we can get one whenever we go somewhere? Also, does anyone have any information on if there is a KY state program similar?

I'm not sure where you are located in KY, but you should be able to obtain one at any of these locations.

If they aren't close, then perhaps plan on taking documentation with you when you are close to one or planning a visit.

I didn't see anything on the Kentucky State Park website that is the equivalent of the NYS access pass, but you can always email them to find out:
kentuckystateparks@ky.gov

As far as proof or documentation, DH got a letter from his primary Doctor stating that he was profoundly deaf, and we've never been declined. I wouldn't have thought that he qualified for either program but a family from church told him about it and he figured "what the heck". We've been camping on the cheap ever since, lol!

 

[Earstou]

I've been trying to search for my post about this last year, but keep getting the "servers busy" message. I "think" I posted a link that showed what you could use for documentation. A letter from your doctor was one, so that was what I acquired, but I was not asked for any documentation at Sequoia NP. I just had to sign a waiver stating I was disabled (at the entrance fee station) and was given my pass.

 

[3kidsmommy]

Karen--THANKS so much for the links...although none are close to us, DH was really wanting to go to the TN one that was listed, so we will just make plans, take documentation and GO! Thanks so much--I had never thought to get this for my son with autism, but sure do wish we had--we camp all summer long in our pop-up and love it. This will make camping even more economical for us--important since dh is no longer able to work...I emailed the state as well..

 

[HopperFan]

When we got ours we were told we needed documented proof that he was considered legally disabled. I had his Medicaid card and that was good.

 

[welovedis]

Karen--THANKS so much for the links...although none are close to us, DH was really wanting to go to the TN one that was listed, so we will just make plans, take documentation and GO! Thanks so much--I had never thought to get this for my son with autism, but sure do wish we had--we camp all summer long in our pop-up and love it. This will make camping even more economical for us--important since dh is no longer able to work...I emailed the state as well..

No problem! GL with your trip planning. Also, hope others here don't mind, but there is a great forum all about pop-up camping if you ever want to stop by there:
www.popupexplorer.com
Awesome site with lots of good info, campground reviews and a forum that is usually pretty tame! There is even a section for campers from different parts of the country that have meet-ups at different CGs.

 

[welovedis]

I've been trying to search for my post about this last year, but keep getting the "servers busy" message. I "think" I posted a link that showed what you could use for documentation. A letter from your doctor was one, so that was what I acquired, but I was not asked for any documentation at Sequoia NP. I just had to sign a waiver stating I was disabled (at the entrance fee station) and was given my pass.

I think this is the link you mentioned in your post from last year:
http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/accessibility/golden_access_documents.htm

 

[3kidsmommy]

No problem! GL with your trip planning. Also, hope others here don't mind, but there is a great forum all about pop-up camping if you ever want to stop by there:
www.popupexplorer.com
Awesome site with lots of good info, campground reviews and a forum that is usually pretty tame! There is even a section for campers from different parts of the country that have meet-ups at different CGs.

Karen,
WAY cool site..I am visiting it right now, and can't wait to start posting...Are you on there?