Parks fee hike for seniors

Today, it costs $10 for a senior citizen to purchase a lifetime National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass. Starting Aug. 28, that price will soar up to $80.

Passes can still be purchased between now and Aug. 27 for $10, and they will continue to be valid for life. Current pass holders need not replace their cards, but if a pass is lost or stolen after Aug. 28 they will only be able to replace them by purchasing a new card at the $80 rate.

According to the National Park Service, the price is going up as a result of the Centennial Legislation which was passed in Congress in December.

The increase makes the lifetime senior pass equal to that of the regular annual National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.

In addition to upping the cost of the senior lifetime pass, the legislation also established an annual senior pass. This can be purchased for $20 each year, and once four annual passes have been purchased, those can be exchanged for a lifetime pass.

The lifetime senior pass also allows traveling companions (up to three adults) to enter for free. It can also allow for discounts for the pass holder on services such as camping, swimming, boat launching and guided tours.

Lifetime senior passes can be purchased at any federal recreation site, online or through mail for an additional $10 processing fee.

Passes can be purchased at the Spokane District BLM Office, Turnbull National Wildlife Management in Cheney or Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in Clarkston.

More information, including the list of sites where passes can be purchased, can be found at http://www.nps.gov.