Free National Parks Pass good through March 2016

What a nice gesture!  I would put this to very good use.  I have a goal to visit every National Park unit by August this year to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the National Park service.  Out of the now 409 units, I have visited 408 of them.  Just one of the newest parks in Hawaii remains.  I have a trip planned there this spring, but the date hasn’t been determined.  But as long as we don’t have too many new parks added this year, I should make my goal.

I have plans to revisit every park in CA this year, as well, and am starting on January 22 with Mojave Nat’l Preserve, and Death Valley that weekend.

Then heading to Moab the end of March and am planning to hit all the Utah parks on the way, Zion, Cedar Breaks, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands.

It would be awesome to have your free pass for these next few months and not have to buy one until after the Utah trip!

Well Sonny, I have a “Golden Age” pass that I got 10 years ago at Grand Canyon for $15. and now I get into any National Park, Recreation Area, Monument, Forest, etc. fer free! Whoopee.

Yep, I’m an old buzzard, but it beats the alternative.

Dave, I think you have a winner. Jennifer’s itinerary will be hard to beat.

Jennifer, as predicted, you won.  I sent you a PM.  PM me with your snail mail address and I’ll pop it in the US Mail.  If you’re not set up for personal messages with BPL, then post here.

408 out of 409 units of the National Park system is impressive.  I’m sure I’m under 85% of them and I travel a lot in the USA.  States: 50 of 50.  Counties: 3213 out of 3215.  Countries: only about 30 of 192.

Jennifer if you don’t need it or won’t be leaving until after the expiration, I’d just like to see Yosemite in winter and 30 bucks is alot for a day trip. Please keep me in mind if your plans change. Sounds like you’ll have a great trip. Also, glad to see one of the few visitors to Saint Gaudens National Historic Site, on here.

Okay, Peter, I haven’t heard from Jennifer, so you’re up next.  PM me a mailing address.  I’m traveling to the SFBA this weekend so I’ll drop in the mail in Oakland tomorrow morning – that’s probably faster than the USPS getting it from Alaska.  -David

David, I PM’d you, but it sounds like it didn’t go through. But if Peter will be going to Yosemite, soon, no problem, send it to him, I’ll be purchasing a pass this year anyway.

And, I sure did love St. Gaudens, and that whole area.  I visited once in winter, just in front of an advancing storm, and had the whole place to myself.  The rangers were just excited to have a visitor.  And I just went back last summer and it’s just so peaceful there.

Thanks, Jennifer. I worked there 15-20 years ago. I was a special hire to put cedar shakes on one of the barns and some other repairs. Great place. As of that time, I believe it was the least visited unit in the lower 48. Of course, from there, I went to work at the least visited Park in the 48, Isle Royale. :) I figured that you’d be getting a pass, anyway. Thanks a bunch to you and David. Very generous! I’ll post some pics upon my return.

Thank you, David! We had a great time.

Looks like you had some great weather.  And you got to visit before all the name changes!

I love that place!

It was a perfect day. Throngs of photographers trying to catch Horsetail Falls “Firefall” imitation. Best part was being in El Portal. I lived there for two seasons, 15 years ago. It brought back alot of memories. Also, this time of year everything is so green. By June, it will all turn brown.

Good luck on your NP quest!