The ability to get passes to National Parks has just gotten a little easier around Golden according to Lynn Romano, the Onsite Manager of the British Columbia Visitor Centre @ Golden.
“We have very exciting news. We are now able to sell National Park Passes,” Romano said.
She explained thatthis will be a great benefit for visitors and local residents alike.
“We have had many people come to the centre and request a National Park pass. What it means for a visitor is they will no longer have to travel to Field in order to visit some of the greatest parts of the park, including Wapta Falls.”
Training has been completed at the centre and on the first day sales were going very well.
Currently visitors can get day passes at the centre with the hope for seasonal passes to be sold there in the future. The centre has different priced passes for adults, seniors and children, plus a family or group pass which up to seven people can use.
Karin Smith, the Promotions Officer for Yoho and Kootenay National Parks, thinks this is a beneficial move for everyone.
“Parks Canada is very excited to partner with Tourism BC to sell national park passes at the Visitor Centre in Golden. Golden is an important tourist destination in our region and is a great place from which to start a memorable mountain national park experience – it’s surrounded by national parks to the east, west and south, acting as a gateway to Yoho, Kootenay, Banff, Glacier and Mount Revelstoke national parks,’”she said.
Romano said this would not have happened without the ability to work very closely with Parks Canada and the benefits would be there for local people as well as visitors.
“The reason why it will benefit the locals is they can pick up a pass a 4 p.m. today and go hiking at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning. As an avid hiker would know it is better to get on some of those trails by 7 a.m. Now they can do this,” she said.
