Season Pass

[johnhens]

The season pass is a good deal if you are going to IR with more than one person. Up to 3 additional adults are covered by 1 pass, whcih is $60. The daily fee is $7 per person. You can buy the season pass over the phone with a credit card from the office in Houghton.

[huntertim214]

The park statement reads: "The Isle Royale Season Pass will cost $60 and include up to three adults traveling with the pass holder...".
Just to be sure that I'm clear on it, this means the Pass Holder and then up to 3 additional adults for a total of 4 people, correct?

[Ingo]

That's my understanding from what I've read.

[huntertim214]

great, that's how I read it as well, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. We are still waiting to hear about our group site requests for a boy scout trip this summer, but that would save us some money on daily fees.

[Tortuga]

The pass is a no-brainer for me. I plan to go on two week-long trips this year, one in May/June and another in early September. Even if I went solo both trips, the pass more than pays for itself, and with a partner or two all the better.

[torpified]

Or, if you have the good fortune to be at least 62, you can fork over $10 (+ a $10 processing fee) for a National Parks Senior Pass (https://store.usgs.gov/pass/senior.html), valid for a lifetime and as potent as an annual pass and then some (certain additional fees, e.g. for campsite reservations, get reduced or waived) . I'm still about 10 years short.

Does anybody know: if you're a holder of one of these annual/lifetime passes, can you just appear on the Island and wave it around, are you supposed to go to pay.gov in advance of your visit, request day passes for the duration of your visit, and invoke the annual/lifetime pass when pay.gov demands payment? (The Greenstone is ambiguous on this question. I was planning to ask an official, but I thought, as long as it had sort of come up, I 'd try here first.)

[Ingo]

Or, if you have the good fortune to be at least 62, you can fork over $10 (+ a $10 processing fee) for a National Parks Senior Pass (https://store.usgs.gov/pass/senior.html), valid for a lifetime and as potent as an annual pass and then some (certain additional fees, e.g. for campsite reservations, get reduced or waived) . I'm still about 10 years short.

I just read that it's going up to $80--will still be a good deal, IMO, but now would be to time to purchase if you can.

[thesneakymonkey]

wish you could buy it online. That would make life easy. Good deal though for anyone going with more than 1 person for an extended trip.

[Base654]

I have just read on the Park website that the national parks passes are now accepted on IR. The cost is $80, covers total of four people and can be purchased online.

https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/fees.htm

[johnhens]

While not looking forward to being 62 (a few years off), I am looking forward to buying the senior lifetime recreation pass.

[jerry]

johnhens, I passed that 62 mark many, many years ago. ISRO NP has kept me young. I guess I should look into that senior pass.
Jerry (the old guy)

[treeplanter]

I bought a senior pass while at Zion last spring. Saved me a bundle, as we stayed outside of the park and were going in and out for the several days we were there. I look forward to using it on Isle Royale.

[huntertim214]

The park statement reads: "The Isle Royale Season Pass will cost $60 and include up to three adults traveling with the pass holder...".
Just to be sure that I'm clear on it, this means the Pass Holder and then up to 3 additional adults for a total of 4 people, correct?

Just as an FYI, we did talk to the IR office and the season pass does in fact cover the card holder and 3 additional people for a total of 4.

[Midwest Ed]

Just to be clear, there is an annual Isle Royale season pass available to anyone for $60 and includes up to 4 people total. Good ONLY at Isle Royale.

Isle Royale NP now honors Federal Recreation Passes (Annual, Military, Senior, Access, and Volunteer). (Access to many national park system facilities) This pass used to NOT cover IRNP.
Annual for anyone is $80 for 2017
Military is free
Senior is a one time (lifetime) fee of $10 (Age 62 and up)
Access is free to Disabled
Volunteer is free to NP volunteers with 250 hours of "interagency" volunteering (whatever that means).

So bring Grandpa and you all get in for $10 forever (max 3 + Grandpa).

The old $150 annual boater pass is no longer issued. The $60 IRNP annual covers boaters. Not sure if a Federal Recreation Pass also admits a boater +3, although I don't see why it would not.

[torpified]

Following up about procedure for covering the daily users' fees if you're a National Parks annual pass holder. According to isro_parksinfo (aka Chris Amidon, at the Houghton Visitor Center, I think),

``No need to go to rec.gov or pay.gov. When you come to visit Isle Royale, simply bring the pass with you. Rangers will ask to see it upon your arrival. Photo ID is required for verification. The pass will waive the entrance fees for the pass holder as well as 3 additional adults traveling in the same party."

So it's easy!