RoadNotes

Golden Age Passport (America the Beautiful Senior Pass)

The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime admission and discount pass for citizens or permanent residents of the United States who are age 62 or older. The pass is valid at National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and Tennessee Valley Authority sites with admission fees. The Golden Age Passport admits the pass owner and any accompanying passengers in a private vehicle* if a park has a per vehicle entrance fee. Where a per person entrance fee is charged, the Golden Age Passport admits the pass owner, spouse, and children.

The Golden Age Passport also provides a 50 percent discount on federal use fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, and specialized interpretive services. In some cases where use fees are charged, only the pass owner will be given the 50 percent price reduction. The Passport is nontransferable and does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessionaires.

A Golden Age Passport must be obtained in person at a federal area (National Park, Wildlife Refuge, Forest, etc.) where an entrance fee is charged. The cost of the Golden Age Passport is $10.00. It is available only to citizens or permanent residents of the United States who are 62 years of age or older. You must show proof of age and residency, such as a state driver's license, birth certificate, or similar document.

Effective January, 2007, the Golden Age Passport was discontinued and replaced with the America the Beautiful Senior Pass. Golden Age Passports will continue to be honored.

Golden Access Passport (America the Beautiful Access Pass)

The Golden Access Passport is a free, lifetime admission pass issued to U.S. citizens or persons who permanently reside (are domiciled) in the United States, regardless of age, and who have a medical determination and documentation of blindness or permanent disability. The pass is valid at National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and Tennessee Valley Authority sites with admission fees.

The Golden Access Passport admits the pass owner and accompanying passengers in a private vehicle*. At parks that charge individual fees, the pass admits the pass owner, spouse, parents, and children. The pass also entitles other persons accompanying the owner, such as a care assistant.

The Golden Access Passport also provides a 50 percent discount on federal use fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, and specialized interpretive services. In some cases where use fees are charged, only the pass owner will be given the 50 percent price reduction. The Passport is nontransferable and does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessionaires.

Effective January, 2007, the Golden Access Passport was discontinued and replaced with the America the Beautiful Access Pass. Golden Access Passports will continue to be honored.

How to Obtain a Passport

Both the Golden Age Passport and Golden Access Passport can only be obtained in person at a federal area (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and Tennessee Valley Authority sites).

The attached file contains a list of federal recreation areas where you can purchase America the Beautiful passes.

* A private vehicle is defined as any noncommercial vehicle that is being used for private recreational purposes.