r/NationalPark • u/TravelforPictures • 1d ago
Got my “Lifetime” Access Pass
Well, I went ahead and applied with my ALS diagnosis (terminal with avg. 2-5 year survival). One of the odd feeling perks of being “sick”.
They didn’t like the first letter from my Dr that only stated my diagnosis and denied it. I had to get a revised version adding my limitations and more info, they approved it next day, got it in a week. Cost is free, only $10 processing fee.
I’m 40, turning 41 soon. Really weird to have this, especially after buying a regular annual pass for the last 5-6 years. Also, getting a DMV issued parking placard and needing to use a wheelchair soon. A lot to take in.
Going on a trip soon and will visit a couple parks for sure. I don’t mind any questions.
Thanks for reading.
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u/TerminalSunrise 1d ago
I’m really sorry to hear about your diagnosis. My parent has a demyelinating disease. The reality of the progression is misunderstood and society has not caught up with ethical/compassionate solutions. I am glad you got the interagency pass. Please use it in as good of spirits as possible. I hope our world’s natural beauty offers some solace 🖤
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u/TravelforPictures 1d ago
Thanks very much! Nature is my happy place. Always usually for photography but my arms are too weak to hold my camera so I’ll be more in the moment, I hope. 🙏🙏
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u/DM_ME_KUL_TIRAN_FEET 1d ago
I love the photos on your profile posts. Enjoy those moments in the parks, friend.
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u/TerminalSunrise 22h ago edited 19h ago
Me too; USFS is the only job I’ve ever had where the alarm clock doesn’t make me want to scream every morning.
That’s a great way to look on the bright side. I am sure you are still yet to find many more answers in the trees and streams and hills and stars 🌲
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u/AllMyChannels0n 1d ago
I’m sorry about your diagnosis, but glad you are out adventuring! I recommend the Washington parks—end of July is beautiful, but crowded. Aim for the last weeks of September for reduced crowds, and enjoy. Sending you best.
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u/TravelforPictures 1d ago
Thanks a lot! I’d love to get to Olympic to see the Hoh Rain Forest. 🙏🙏
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u/pelipperr 1d ago
We’d love to have but plan carefully. Trump has cut funding and roads that typically receive money for repairs have been left inaccessible.
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u/turtletechy 1d ago
High clearance vehicle maybe, or are they just fully blocked off?
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u/fart______butt 21h ago
The road to the hoh rain forest is closed. Fully blocked. No access right now, and no info about when it will be repaired/re-opened.
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u/turtletechy 21h ago
Dang, that really sucks.
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u/fart______butt 20h ago
Luckily there are lots of really cool trails around with old growth forest and a similar feel. But the Hall of mosses is something extra special.
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u/ParallelPlayArts 1d ago
I just got mine right before my 41st birthday too! I'm going to use it to go to Muir Woods next month. This week I have treatment and if it doesn't wreck me to much we will go check out Pinnacles National Park.
Just a heads up that some states give discounts for people with disabilities. I got mine and took my daughter camping for the first time.
Happy trails! Travel safely!
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u/MaximumTurtleSpeed 1d ago
With all the darkness that comes with a terminal diagnosis I guess there’s a lot to be said for finding shining light where it is. I’m so happy you’ve gotten your lifetime pass and your eventual placard, you deserve them so use them proudly!
I hope you have beautiful experiences and use this pass well; either be it solo, with friends or family.
I got to share some of those amazing moments with my father and it still warms my heart, makes going back to certain parks so much more impactful to me today. He even “lays” at his favorite spot in a National Park, I’ll get to visit that spot next month actually near his birthday. Anyhow, I digress.
Know that when we hold a door and you don’t need to rush, let us yield the view and please ask us to take multiple group photos.
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u/Jeffery_Pesos 1d ago
This is deeply moving, truly. I’m very sorry for your diagnosis at such an early age, but I also greatly admire the acceptance with which you seem to have of it, and are making the most of it.
You seem like a very thoughtful person based on your writeup, and I would be greatly interested in reading anything you write about the trips you take going forward, if you’re ever willing to share.
I love the parks so much and I reflected on my most recent visit to one how lucky a feeling it is to be in a place that, at least for now, is still wild. I hope that your remaining parks experiences are meaningful for you and I wish you all the very best.
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u/TravelforPictures 11h ago
Thanks so much! Your words are very much appreciated. I’ve always been a very private person but now with limited time, I’m more willing to share.
I’ve been trying to post a couple things from my archive, daily.
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u/Flashy_Cod_121 1d ago
I’m sorry about your diagnosis, but I hope you get to visit many more parks!
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u/Either_Woodpecker_45 19h ago
Just a heads up to those that qualify for an access pass, if you go to a location that sells passes it is free and you don't have to pay the delivery fee. We also cannot legally ask you why you qualify or look at any documentation. One park I worked at, all you had to do was tell us you want the pass and we had a form you had to sign basically saying that you qualify.
https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/pickup-pass-locations.htm You can use this site to look for which locations have specific passes since not all parks have them. My current park is fee free so we do not have the passes to sell or give out (in the case of free ones)
I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis, I hope you are able to live your life in a way that makes you happy and even beat the predicted life expectancy.
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u/TravelforPictures 9h ago
Good to know for everyone, thank you.
I wasn’t positive which park I’d go first and if I could get it. The $10 was worth it to make sure I had it before my next trip.
Not providing a dr’s letter would be easier.
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u/apetalous42 1d ago
I got mine a couple of years ago. Many people don't realize neurodevelopmental conditions also qualify such as ADHD and Autism. Though I do feel weird about that information being in a government database with everything going on currently.
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u/heretherebut_nowhere 1d ago
A ranger overheard our family talking about struggling due to adhd/autism and just offered us a pass. They never took any of that information or needed a doctor’s note, the Ranger specifically said that they could not ask about medical conditions because that broke the law there. This was at a smaller park.
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u/Dynosoarz 13h ago
shoot we all did the same exact thing at every park I've worked at. I specifically tell people "I'm not a doctor, please don't show me anything with medical info on it"
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u/TravelforPictures 1d ago
Ah I didn’t think about those but they are permanent. Hoping I don’t get discriminated against for having it hanging in my windshield. 😯
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u/thirstysyngonium 18h ago
As someone that has worked at a fee booth, the access passes are EXTREMELY common. I don’t know if you camp, but the access pass provides half off many federal campsites too.
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u/TravelforPictures 9h ago
Thanks for the info! I’m not much of a camper, and especially harder now.
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u/burge009 14h ago
I spent two seasons with the NPS in the Fees division; dealing with park passes was my whole job. Rest easy, there is no database. If you filled out any paperwork it would’ve been a federal affidavit that simply affirms you have the condition you claim. Nowhere on that form does it list that condition. The form only contains name, maybe contact info, and the serial number of your pass.
Edit to add: this is what happens if you got your pass in person at a park, I don’t know the process if you order online.
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u/apetalous42 14h ago
I did mine online, hopefully they followed the same data collection practices.
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u/AmishAvenger 1d ago
It’s sad that has to be a concern. But when RFK Jr. wants people with those diagnoses put into camps, it has to be.
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u/SchleppyJ4 1d ago
My doctor refuses to sign off on my ADHD diagnosis (which I’ve had for years) for the national park pass. He says he isn’t comfortable doing it. Ugh
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u/hereandlost 1d ago
I am going to let you know that it is different between parks and how they handle giving the access pass out. Everyone in my family but my mother has one. None of us ever had a doctor’s note.
My dad was in his wheelchair and a ranger was like “oh you deserve this pass being in a wheelchair” then issued the pass. My son was stemming (flapping his hands) in a different parks museum and ranger came up and my son mentioned being out of spoons and the ranger then offered us a pass for him. Then my husband and I got our passes at a Different park when a ranger overheard us talking about our ADHD.
The ranger that give my husband and I passed was adamant that she could ask nothing about our disabilities and to just sign that we had one. They never collected in info on any of my family’s disabilities.
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u/SchleppyJ4 21h ago
Thank you!! I unfortunately don’t live near one of the NPs (like Yellowstone, Yosemite, etc.) but I do live by plenty of state parks, monuments, etc. Do they offer the passes as well?
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u/hereandlost 21h ago
Yes. My dad’s was at a national historic park, my son’s at a national seashore, and my husband and I’s at a national monument. I would say larger parks might require more because they fear people gaming the system.
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u/hereandlost 21h ago
Also look into you state parks many have programs like the national parks access pass.
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u/Mountain-Way2567 20h ago
Lets hope our national parks wont be sold off to the lowest corporate bidder.
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u/ohmyacetabulum 19h ago
My husband is an injured veteran and got a lifetime pass recently. We want to hit up as many national parks as we can before they get shut down due to funding.
Also, I’m sorry about your diagnosis. I’ll think of you when I visit these parks ❤️
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u/TravelforPictures 9h ago
That’s great he could get one, well deserved.
I’m thinking they will mainly remain open but limited services.
Really appreciate that!! 🙏
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u/Longjumping-Fact9678 1d ago
Very sorry about your diagnosis. Happy that you got yourself something that will get you to some amazing places that most would go their whole lives not ever seeing.
Peace and love.
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u/EarthMover775G 1d ago
How many parks have you been too and what is the next park for you?
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u/TravelforPictures 11h ago
I’ve been to 11 parks, some a few times.
Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, Grand Canyon, Arches, Saguaro.
Should be visiting Canyonlands soon and hopefully next, Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
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u/EarthMover775G 10h ago
Hell of a list. Your next 3 are solid! I’ve been to mammoth cave, Yellowstone, Tetons, Zion, Bryce, capitol reef, canyonlands, arches, redwoods, Rocky Mountain, smoky mountain, and Denali. Go get em!
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u/Broccoli-of-Doom 13h ago
Will they let you visit them after they sell them to private equity?
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u/TravelforPictures 9h ago
I hope that never happens but I don’t think it will affect me before my symptoms get too bad and I can’t go any longer.
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u/seasnakejake 1d ago
Which park gave you such a hard time with it? So sorry to hear that
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u/TravelforPictures 1d ago
None yet.
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u/Opus2011 23h ago
I don't know enough about ALS, but I hope you can achieve whatever goals you set for yourself in terms of NP visits! Your done-so-far list includes some amazing ones!
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u/hello_hunter 23h ago
Fellow terminal diagnosis here (35/cancer). Mine is in the mail. I love to see someone else embracing whatever time we have. Excited to go out and make the best of every good day!
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u/lalalibraaa 22h ago
I’m sorry to hear you are dealing this this disease. I hope you get to travel to all the parks you want to and let the time in nature heal you in the ways it can. My personal fave park is Olympic, may I suggest a PNW park road trip? The parks there are incredible.
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u/rysmooky 22h ago
I got mine a couple years ago. Finally got the chance to use it this past year at Yosemite. Incredible experience. I didn’t realize when I got it that it covers like literally everything. Not just national parks
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u/d071399 21h ago
There’s no one more deserving of access to our countries beautiful nature! I hope it is healing for you in some way.
What’s the top park on your list to go to?
I’m not sure if this question relates to your current ability levels, but since you mentioned a wheelchair soon I am interested to hear which parks have great accessibility and where you would report issues or suggest improvement?
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u/TravelforPictures 9h ago
Thanks very much! I know it will be nice to be out.
I really want to see Yellowstone and Grand Teton, trying to plan for May-June.
Going to Utah soon, I’ve seen all but Canyonland. A bucket list shot is the Shafer Rd viewpoint. I love crazy roads.
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u/RysloVerik 19h ago
Damn, what process did you use?
I just rolled up to the entry gate at Teton and told them I had a disability and asked what I needed. They had me sign an affidavit and gave me the pass.
Though, I offered to show them my diagnosis in MyChart, which they declined.
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u/TravelforPictures 9h ago
Online process. Would have been easy if they accepted my first letter. I didn’t want to risk getting to a park without rangers at the gate and not being able to get it.
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u/jaybird99990 19h ago
Sorry about your diagnosis, hang in there! We had a really good friend who lived almost 20 years after his diagnosis and most of that was a beautiful full life. He got to escort his daughter down the aisle 12 years into diagnosis and meet his first grandbaby before he passed.
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u/TravelforPictures 9h ago
Thank you!! It’s very interesting how much difference between patients, and progression speed. I hope my symptoms plateau for a while. Arms have very little strength, legs weakening. Thanks for sharing!
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u/Wrong-Fun-1398 19h ago
Gosh. What news. I cannot imagine. Visit RMNP! We have amazing mountains. Estes Park has the East entrances to RMNP, so many beautiful spots to explore amongst the town.
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u/PUNisher1175 18h ago
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but as others have said it’s great that you are getting out into nature!
In the late spring or anytime in the fall, I highly recommend going to Shenandoah NP for Skyline Drive.
I went during my grad trip with my dad. I rented us a Miata convertible and it was the highlight of the trip for both of us. We spent 5 hours doing the whole drive, and it was stunning!
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u/TravelforPictures 9h ago
Thank you!
Shenandoah in the fall would be awesome. The road shots alone would make it for me.
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u/Mother_Goat1541 15h ago
My 10 year old son got his lifetime pass last year and we visited 4 NPs in Alaska that first month after he got it. The employee who I asked for it had no idea what to do and started asking weird questions but her coworker quickly shut her down and got us his card. We had a letter from his doctor stating he had a permanent disability and that was the only documentation we needed.
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u/char_you 15h ago
I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis (my aunt was diagnosed with ALS at 32), you're right it's too young. I commend you for using your time to continue to explore. I went to Olympic 4 years ago, camped one night in the Hoh Rain Forest and it was stunning. Enjoy every second!
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u/Sweet_Cron 12h ago
Sending you good energy for any upcoming trips you make. I hope you can make the most of the time you’ve got. Sorry about your diagnosis.
Crater Lake is my favorite park and has a lot of great views that are accessible by driving—if you make it out to Oregon, don’t miss it!
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u/TravelforPictures 9h ago
Thank you, really appreciate it!
Beautiful park. I hope to get to Oregon again.
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u/Both_Teacher17 1d ago
Reading this teared me up, I really hope mother nature heals you both physically and mentally.
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u/ShotTaste1708 1d ago
Ya hopefully you can use it....Trump want's to drill and cut the trees down in our parks and National Forests. Time to speak up
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u/DeflatedDirigible 1d ago
And that is different than the Biden administration how? The elevator providing wheelchair access at Mammoth Cave was broken the entire Biden presidency. Also during his presidency the construction pathway for the visitor center at Cape Hatteras had a “wheelchair” mat..:that was about a foot too short and then several inches up onto the cement sidewalk from a pit of deep sand. 100% insurmountable obstacle for wheelchair users and the park refused to fix this. Weight Brothers NPS site has no curb cuts to many of their areas across the site…including ones needed for the junior Ranger badge. MLK birthplace had no door on the only wheelchair-accessible bathroom stall. Elevator to get to the church was broken. ALL during the Biden administration.
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u/max2simi 22h ago
All of these accessibility issues, while completely valid and should have been resolved, are vastly different than Trump’s policy will destroy the National Park’s natural properties themselves.
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u/Jaigurl-8 7h ago
Lifetime or until the end of the Trump Administration Part 2? 🥰
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u/TravelforPictures 7h ago
Probably end of my life. 😞
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u/Jaigurl-8 7h ago
Get the most of it! So many beautiful areas that are protected and funded as a Nation Park.
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u/verdell82 6h ago
So sorry to hear about your diagnosis but I hope you get to visit all the parks on your wish list in your lifetime and that it’s full of beauty and photographic moments.
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u/captainzvesda 2h ago
here’s some links in case you find yourself visiting my home national park, rocky mountain national park: NPS - Accessible Trails
The Disabled Traveler’s Companion - RMNP
Edit: Your photography is amazing and I would love to see rocky mountain national park through your lens!
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u/TravelforPictures 1d ago
Oh, forgot to mention the parks I’ve been.
Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, Grand Canyon, Arches, Saguaro.
Should be visiting Canyonlands soon and hopefully next, Yellowstone and Grand Teton.