Motorcycling in the United States
All across this land great motorcycle roads are waiting to be explored, just like the road to Lassen Volcanic National Park that my friend Tony discovered quite by accident in northern California.
Motorcycleroads.org gives you links to the information you need to find great roads for your next motorcycle adventure, as well as photos from the journeys of our friends.
Let us know if you have photos to share of one of your rides.
The USA's 10 best motorcycle roads, according to Lonely Planet.
Heading for Sturgis? Consider a ride on Badlands Loop Road, 75 miles east of Rapid City just off I-90. The Ben Reifel Visitor Center is 8 miles south on the NE section of Hwy 240 (download NPS map). See our Sturgis page for more Sturgis area info.
The Blue Ridge Mountains are another favorite place for motorcyclists to ride featuring US129/ "Tail of the Dragon" at Deals Gap, NC, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherohala Skyway, the Smoky Mountains NP, and more. Maryville, TN provides a great fly & ride opportunity to enjoy riding the Blue Ridge. See our Smoky Mountains page for more info.
Yosemite National Park, Photo credit: Schick from
morguefile.com
National Park Service Pass http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm
(From nps.gov June 2014) A pass is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. Each pass covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as standard amenity fees at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation. A pass covers entrance and standard amenity fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at per vehicle fee areas (or up to four adults at sites that charge per person). Children age 15 or under are admitted free.
The following passes make up the series:
Annual Pass
- $80 annual pass
- Available to everyone.
- Can be obtained in person at a federal recreation site, or by calling 1-888-ASK USGS (1-888-275-8747), Ext. 3 (Hours of operation are: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Mountain time), or online.
Free Annual Pass for U.S. Military
- Available to U.S. military members and dependents in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard and also, Reserve and National Guard members.
- Must be obtained in person at a Federal recreation site by showing a Common Access Card (CAC) or Military ID (Form 1173).
Senior Pass
- $10 Lifetime pass
- For U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over.
- May be obtained in person at a federal recreation site or through the mail. (Download the application form from the website link.) The cost of obtaining a Senior Pass through the mail is twenty dollars ($20). Ten ($10) for the Senior Pass and ten ($10) for processing the application. Applicants must provide documentation of age and residency or citizenship.
- May provide a 50 percent discount on some amenity fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launch, and specialized interpretive services.
- Generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners.
Access Pass
- Free
- For U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities.
- May be obtained in person at a federal recreation site or through the mail. (Download the application form from the website link.) The cost of obtaining an Access Pass through the mail is ten dollars ($10) for processing the application (the Pass is free). Applicants must provide documentation of permanent disability and residency or citizenship.
- May provide a 50 percent discount on some amenity fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and specialized interpretive services.
- Generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners.