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Yellowstone is celebrating its 150th birthday by offering an annual park pass that won’t be valid for another 150 years. In exchange for a $1,500 donation, park supporters can snag a current annual parks pass and one of these “Inheritance Passes,” handing it down to their descendents to use in 2172.
“It is our way of celebrating 150 years of Yellowstone national park and to help preserve the park for the next 150 years,” Lisa Diekmann, president and CEO of Yellowstone Forever (a non-profit that supports fundraising for Yellowstone), told the Billings Gazette.
Instead of looking back at the park’s history, Yellowstone officials are using the 150th birthday of the park to focus on its future, in hopes of creating a resilient park that will still be as beautiful in 150 years as it is today. Their hope is that the Inheritance Pass—a campaign created by advertising agency Havas Chicago— could create an important legacy among families that are committed to conservation.
Those who choose to invest in the Inheritance Pass will receive it as soon as August of this year. It will feature the name of the donor on the back. Yellowstone Forever says that the money it raises through the campaign will go toward supporting scientific studies, trail maintenance, and wildlife conservation, among other projects.
It’s hard to tell what the next 150 years could hold for Yellowstone. As one of the nation’s most popular national parks, Yellowstone regularly breaks its own annual visitation records, increasing human impact and straining the park’s infrastructure. In 2021 alone, the park hosted nearly 5 million visitors, making it the 12th most visited park. Compared to 2015, that’s nearly a 20% increase.
Conversely, with gas prices soaring, the park may see fewer tourist dollars over the near term. The Inheritance Pass could help to support the next chapter of the park by providing much-needed financial relief and resources to help tackle some of the park’s most pressing challenges.
Interested in dropping $1,500 on an heirloom parks pass? You can do so here.