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expired Posted by pikappaphiEE252 almost 2 years ago
expired Posted by pikappaphiEE252 almost 2 years ago

Lifetime Military Pass thru America the Beautiful National Parks/Federal Lands

(All Gold Star Families or US Military Veterans)

Free

198 Comments 223,292 Views
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Deal Details
National Park Service (NPS.gov) is offering their Lifetime Military Pass through America the Beautiful National Parks/Federal Recreational Lands for Free valid for all Gold Star Families and US Military Veterans when you download/present your signed Gold Star Family Voucher for redemption.

Thanks to community member pikappaphiEE252 for finding this deal

Note, current members of the US Armed Forces and their dependents are eligible or a veteran identified as an individual who has served in the US Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves.

The free Military Pass waives entrance fees and does not cover expanded amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, transportation, special recreation permits, reservation fees or special tours.

Here is a full list of federal locations that the issue passes

Additionally, a free annual Military Pass is available for current US military members and their dependents

Editor's Notes

  • Offer valid for all Gold Star Families and US Military Veterans
  • The Gold Star Family Voucher will gain you access/entrance for the National Park Service, US. Fish and Wildlife Service, and standard amenity recreation fees for Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Forest Services sites and fees will be waived
  • Veterans and Gold Star Families will receive free lifetime access
  • Holder of voucher must present a valid photo ID/other verification upon request
  • Offer/voucher valid through November 30, 2023 or while offer last
Additional Notes
  • For additional info/FAQ, please visit this link
  • Please refer to the forum thread for additional details - Discombobulated

Original Post

Written by pikappaphiEE252
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
National Park Service (NPS.gov) is offering their Lifetime Military Pass through America the Beautiful National Parks/Federal Recreational Lands for Free valid for all Gold Star Families and US Military Veterans when you download/present your signed Gold Star Family Voucher for redemption.

Thanks to community member pikappaphiEE252 for finding this deal

Note, current members of the US Armed Forces and their dependents are eligible or a veteran identified as an individual who has served in the US Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves.

The free Military Pass waives entrance fees and does not cover expanded amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, transportation, special recreation permits, reservation fees or special tours.

Here is a full list of federal locations that the issue passes

Additionally, a free annual Military Pass is available for current US military members and their dependents

Editor's Notes

  • Offer valid for all Gold Star Families and US Military Veterans
  • The Gold Star Family Voucher will gain you access/entrance for the National Park Service, US. Fish and Wildlife Service, and standard amenity recreation fees for Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Forest Services sites and fees will be waived
  • Veterans and Gold Star Families will receive free lifetime access
  • Holder of voucher must present a valid photo ID/other verification upon request
  • Offer/voucher valid through November 30, 2023 or while offer last
Additional Notes
  • For additional info/FAQ, please visit this link
  • Please refer to the forum thread for additional details - Discombobulated

Original Post

Written by pikappaphiEE252
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Top Comments

They were made National Parks so they couldn't be destroyed by industry or population sprawl. Those entry fees pay for the servicing and up-keep of the roads, bridges, forests, rivers, and amenities, and pay for the park rangers and employees who, in turn, help keep things in a condition that allows everyone to enjoy them.
You've already been given the answer to your question. National Parks have to be maintained and that maintenance comes at a $$$ cost. So either you (i) collect money from Congress (which comes from our taxes), or (ii) you collect fees from users, or (iii) a combination of both. And the chosen solution is ... drum roll ... option (iii) plus, not surprisingly, private donations.

And the simple answer to your question of why they need to charge entrance fees, camping fees, event fees, etc is because if they didn't, the combined budget wouldn't be sufficient to maintain the parks and provide the service. But then you ask why not just raise taxes. And the simple answer to that is they think they have a good balance between having all taxpayers pay for the parks (including those that don't use them) and having those that actually use them pay a little extra.

Hope that clears it up for you .
Here is a direct link to the pass. Figured it was worth the $10 processing fee to not have to track one down at a park.

https://store.usgs.gov/MilitaryPass

198 Comments

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almost 2 years ago
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almost 2 years ago
Bigb3134
almost 2 years ago
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This has actually been the case for years now. Typical government though, every year I go to Yosemite they never have the actual lifetime passes available at the ranger station and just tell me to check back in a few months. They have let me in free for the last several years as a veteran.
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almost 2 years ago
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almost 2 years ago
pikappaphiEE252
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almost 2 years ago
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Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank pikappaphiEE252

Quote from Bigb3134 :
This has actually been the case for years now. Typical government though, every year I go to Yosemite they never have the actual lifetime passes available at the ranger station and just tell me to check back in a few months. They have let me in free for the last several years as a veteran.
This is a new single lifetime pass. Previously, they had annual passes for military folks, but like you experienced, damn near every park that distributed them ran out.
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almost 2 years ago
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firerose
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almost 2 years ago
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thanks
almost 2 years ago
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almost 2 years ago
ntpphong1
almost 2 years ago
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Thanks, ordered. There is a $10 processing fee btw.
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almost 2 years ago
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almost 2 years ago
liz1114
almost 2 years ago
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Here is a direct link to the pass. Figured it was worth the $10 processing fee to not have to track one down at a park.

https://store.usgs.gov/MilitaryPass
2
almost 2 years ago
245 Posts
Joined Nov 2018
almost 2 years ago
NamN8851
almost 2 years ago
245 Posts
Thanks! Heard about this but never have a chance to visit a national park to check it out. Now I can order the pass first.
almost 2 years ago
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almost 2 years ago
hai1
almost 2 years ago
1,754 Posts
Is there a simple link for a Veteran? I clicked about all the links and cannot seem to find a sign-up for this offer.

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almost 2 years ago
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This comment has been rated as unhelpful by Slickdeals users.

almost 2 years ago
147 Posts
Joined Aug 2013
almost 2 years ago
ing3nieur
almost 2 years ago
147 Posts
Quote from hai1 :
Is there a simple link for a Veteran? I clicked about all the links and cannot seem to find a sign-up for this offer.
The link posted above by liz114 worked for me. Just click on the Determine Eligibility button.
I selected Veteran and Add Product to Cart. Then click on the shopping cart icon to view cart and proceed to checkout.
almost 2 years ago
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almost 2 years ago
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almost 2 years ago
miamimarty
almost 2 years ago
81 Posts
Thank you to all Veterans for your service!!
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almost 2 years ago
349 Posts
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almost 2 years ago
nhowc
almost 2 years ago
349 Posts
Last summer my sons and I visited most of the Nat'l parks in the midwest. 11 in total, I think.

Glacier was the only one which had the pass cards on hand. Thankfully, the other parks still let us enter free, showing just my VA photo ID and DL.

It was only an annual pass, so this lifetime pass is a 1000x better to have.

Anyway, Thanks for finding and posting this.

And to all the veterans, here... Thanks for your service.
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almost 2 years ago
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almost 2 years ago
nhowc
almost 2 years ago
349 Posts
Quote from Gears_and_Beers :
The better question is why national parks are not free for all if it's public land and "owned collectively by U.S. citizens."

They were made National Parks so they couldn't be destroyed by industry or population sprawl. Those entry fees pay for the servicing and up-keep of the roads, bridges, forests, rivers, and amenities, and pay for the park rangers and employees who, in turn, help keep things in a condition that allows everyone to enjoy them.
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almost 2 years ago
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almost 2 years ago
Xray30
almost 2 years ago
746 Posts
I ordered mine maybe 6 months ago and it came in like a week.

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almost 2 years ago
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almost 2 years ago
social_gamer
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almost 2 years ago
2,038 Posts
Shame they don't have these for State parks
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