Free Lifetime Federal Park Passes for Veterans

[Johnny]

If you're a veteran, stop by the nearest US Forest Service station and get yourself a FREE lifetime Federal park pass. It gives you free or reduced access to Federal lands throughout the country.

Both my brother and I are US Army veterans. In just 15 minutes, the Forest Service employee (a former Marine) got us our lifetime passes. Very cool. Of course, there was a bit of inter-service rivalry and strong words exchanged!

If you're NOT a veteran, but still want to have the same pass, it costs $70 per year (I think), but there are various programs where you can volunteer your time to get a reduced or free price. It's well worth the cost.

Volunteering for such "work days" is actually a lot of fun. I do it for a local land conservancy. It pays nothing, but I like getting out in the woods and there are always biologists, foresters, and other experts to kinda guide our actions and answer dumb questions.

[JD Miller]

I avoid anything 'Federal park', They have federal park police(thugs). They think its their private park, and Not American citizen's (We the People)park

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by JD Miller

I avoid anything 'Federal park', They have federal park police(thugs). They think its their private park, and Not American citizen's (We the People)park

I don't doubt your experiences, but here in Michigan the Federal lands are much better managed than State lands. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources does a pretty poor job. Yes; I've encountered some superb Michigan DNR employees but the majority are slugs. But... Every area is different.

It's become a running joke that the DNR employees never leave there vehicles. And frankly, there's a lot of truth to it. As a result, hiking trails are overgrown, campgrounds are dirty and poaching laws are not enforced.

As soon as you hit the Federal lands, everything changes. Boat launches, campgrounds and hiking trails are maintained, clean and safe. The few encounters I've had with Federal guys have always been positive. The former Marine got us our park passes was super friendly. The officer checking our river passes last month looked like he was 12 years old and never shaved in his life. Same with that guy. He was just as polite, professional and friendly as can be. It's the norm with the Federal guys.

DNR, on the other hand? Not so much. With very few exceptions, just about every DNR employee has been a turd: slow, lazy, unfriendly, rude.

[JD Miller]

I think of places like Yellowstone national park , when you mention Federal Park Passes

But Federal Parks could include buildings and statues and monuments in the big cities

.

[4thIDvet]

Those passes come in handy I have had mine for a number of years. They also work when touring Federally owned old forts and museums like the Smithsonian.
Living in a National Forest down here their are campgrounds all over. They franchise them out for anyone who wants to run them for a year at a time I think it is and you get a great rate or some are free camping.
I camped out years ago in one when I was looking for real estate down here. Don't camp to save money I learned that one fast. Between camping supplies, driving to get ice and odds and ends, fire wood gathering?
I think I could have stayed at a 4 star hotel for God sake.
But I really did enjoy it.

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by JD Miller

I think of places like Yellowstone national park , when you mention Federal Park Passes

But Federal Parks could include buildings and statues and monuments in the big cities

.

I never thought about whether or not the pass gives access to federal buildings and such. It's possible. My wife and I use it mostly for the federal boat launches and hiking trails.

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by 4thIDvet

Those passes come in handy I have had mine for a number of years. They also work when touring Federally owned old forts and museums like the Smithsonian.
Living in a National Forest down here their are campgrounds all over. They franchise them out for anyone who wants to run them for a year at a time I think it is and you get a great rate or some are free camping.
I camped out years ago in one when I was looking for real estate down here. Don't camp to save money I learned that one fast. Between camping supplies, driving to get ice and odds and ends, fire wood gathering?
I think I could have stayed at a 4 star hotel for God sake.
But I really did enjoy it.

The "camp host" concept seems to work well. They're basically old, retired people who get to park their camper all summer long at the best spot free of charge. In return, they agree to "manage" the campground. Perhaps I'm showing my age, but I could see myself doing that some day!

For me, camping has evolved. As a kid, I loved it whether in Boy Scouts or family trips. 30 years in the Army soured my love of camping. Now retired, I'm getting back into it, and really having a good time.

Lately, I've been "cheating" and using our small off-grid cabin. Just a couple weeks ago I pounded in a sand point well. As luck would have it, I struck ice cold water. Having water on site greatly simplifies things.

I almost always go alone, leaving the wife and dogs at home. It actually gives her a break from ME!

[JD Miller]

Americans should not have to buy $$ a pass to use public land with"improvedments" paid for with their tax $$ money anyway. Its just another gubment scam stealing your money.

[4thIDvet]

Originally Posted by Johnny

The "camp host" concept seems to work well. They're basically old, retired people who get to park their camper all summer long at the best spot free of charge. In return, they agree to "manage" the campground. Perhaps I'm showing my age, but I could see myself doing that some day!

For me, camping has evolved. As a kid, I loved it whether in Boy Scouts or family trips. 30 years in the Army soured my love of camping. Now retired, I'm getting back into it, and really having a good time.

Lately, I've been "cheating" and using our small off-grid cabin. Just a couple weeks ago I pounded in a sand point well. As luck would have it, I struck ice cold water. Having water on site greatly simplifies things.

I almost always go alone, leaving the wife and dogs at home. It actually gives her a break from ME!

Camp host is good and has its advantages. But the downside. 03:00 hrs. and their knocking on your door a bear is eating out of their cooler.
Now this bear is smarter than the campers and is probably as harmless as could be. Its not its first rodeo and knows what limits to push and does not want to ruin its next raid. But now your awake and you have to chase it away.
Bears really really are super smart and know Monday is garbage day and their here. That and someone is making noise late in the next spot and they want you to stop it.
Ah hell its a bunch of Hells Angels partying.
Good luck with the job.

ADD: Yes the pass was good for Fed. forts and museums. Is it still? I don't know look it up have not used mine in years?

[JD Miller]

Originally Posted by 4thIDvet

Camp host is good and has its advantages. But the downside. 03:00 hrs. and their knocking on your door a bear is eating out of their cooler.
..............

I had one of those "campground" host beating on my truck camper window at 3:00 am in the morning when I was sound asleep after pulling in , to sleep, tired as hell, from 12 hours driving
Frickin stupid asshole is lucky I didnt shoot his stupid ass

What a dumbass

.

[4thIDvet]

Originally Posted by JD Miller

I had one of those "campground" host beating on my truck camper window at 3:00 am in the morning when I was sound asleep after pulling in , to sleep, tired as hell, from 12 hours driving
Frickin stupid asshole is lucky I didnt shoot his stupid ass

What a dumbass

.

What the hay did you do to make him beat on your window??
Our camp host was a WWII vet and he was so damn drunk all the time his wife would call me to drive the company truck. Oh this guy was funny as all hell.

[JD Miller]

Originally Posted by 4thIDvet

What the hay did you do to make him beat on your window??
.......

4thID,,,

After he was beating on my window, and I woke up, and got out to see wtf was going on, He started yelling at me that I was one of "those Idaho people" (?), Idaho license plates on my truck.

I guess he was a faggot liberal camp ground host commie.

Pretty sure he was Drunk. He went on and on about "you Idaho people" bla bla bla

This was heading south on 395 from Reno, National forest campground just north of Bridgeport Calif.

This was probably 15-20 years ago.

The campground host was a wacko, apparently he hates people from Idaho. This was back when Diesel's friends, Butler and his troops, in North Idaho were in the news

[Sanders]

I pulled up into one of those campgrounds once and walked down to check out the group campsite for a company campout with my guys. The access road had a gate across, so I had to park at the gate.

As I was coming back, some dude was waiting for me at the truck and said I had to pay a day use fee. I told him to fuck off, I was just checking out the campsite, not hiking or picnicking or anything else. His attitude got me hickered up and I let him know what a pathetic little tyrant he was acting like and he screeched (yes, screeched) that he had taken a picture of my license plate and was turning me in to the Forest Service. I gave him a nice f-u, and told him to go ahead, that then they'd know what an ass he was as well.

Never did hear from the Forest Service and I didn't rent in that campground.

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by Sanders

I pulled up into one of those campgrounds once and walked down to check out the group campsite for a company campout with my guys. The access road had a gate across, so I had to park at the gate.

As I was coming back, some dude was waiting for me at the truck and said I had to pay a day use fee. I told him to fuck off, I was just checking out the campsite, not hiking or picnicking or anything else. His attitude got me hickered up and I let him know what a pathetic little tyrant he was acting like and he screeched (yes, screeched) that he had taken a picture of my license plate and was turning me in to the Forest Service. I gave him a nice f-u, and told him to go ahead, that then they'd know what an ass he was as well.

Never did hear from the Forest Service and I didn't rent in that campground.

You're probably not the first person this "little tyrant" has gone after. Guys like this don't last long. It's only a matter of time before he pisses off the wrong person and gets walked out the door.

My wife and I haven't encountered anything like this in the Federal lands. We've even walked our dogs through the Federal campgrounds in the Winter when they're officially closed. The only thing we get from the Forest Service guys is a friendly wave as they drive past.

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by 4thIDvet

Camp host is good and has its advantages. But the downside. 03:00 hrs. and their knocking on your door a bear is eating out of their cooler.
Now this bear is smarter than the campers and is probably as harmless as could be. Its not its first rodeo and knows what limits to push and does not want to ruin its next raid. But now your awake and you have to chase it away.
Bears really really are super smart and know Monday is garbage day and their here. That and someone is making noise late in the next spot and they want you to stop it.
Ah hell its a bunch of Hells Angels partying.
Good luck with the job.

ADD: Yes the pass was good for Fed. forts and museums. Is it still? I don't know look it up have not used mine in years?

Good point. The main problem with being a "camp host" would be PEOPLE. I'd bet 95% of them would be no trouble at all. The 5%, however; could make the job unpleasant. Much would depend on the skill of the camp host in effectively dealing with the 5% people.

Campers tattling on other campers for minor offenses probably happens a lot. Another frustrating thing would be high-maintenance campers wanting you to help them for everything.

As for the campers complaining about a bear ravaging their cooler at 3:00 AM, my response would be somewhere along the lines of... "I'm so sorry you failed to adequately protect your campsite from wildlife. Since I am unwilling to scare away the bear or euthanize it for reasons of my personal safety, your only option at this point is to wait till the bear is finished with the contents of your cooler."