Nearly every sector of the economy, including travel, has experienced rising prices. Hotel rooms, new and used vehicles, airline fares and restaurant meals have seen major price increases during the last several years.
Entrance fees have increased at some national parks but remain a miniscule slice of most travel budgets. A 7-day pass for occupants of a private vehicle entering Yellowstone National Park is $35, the same as neighboring Grand Teton National Park. Many national parks charge even less or nothing at all. Compare this to cost of one person purchasing a single-day ticket in June to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. While national park entrance fees remain a bargain, many travelers will find annual and lifetime passes to be an even better deal.
Individual parks that charge an entrance fee generally offer their own annual passes for about twice the cost of a regular pass. For example, an annual pass for Grand Canyon National Park is $70 compared to the park’s $35 7-day pass. Even better is the America the Beautiful Pass that sells for $80 and covers entrance fees for a private vehicle and its passengers to all national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as facilities operated by other federal agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service.
The pass is valid for a year from the month of purchase and remains one of the great bargains available to both U.S. citizens and foreign visitors. Consider a family of four planning a trip that includes visits to Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks. Each park charges a $35 entrance fee, resulting in an outlay of $105 to visit all three units. At $80, an America the Beautiful Pass costs $25 less and offers free entrance to these and other national parks and federal agency locations for an additional 11 months.
While purchase of the America the Beautiful Pass is beneficial for many travelers, a variety of other passes are available that may well offer some individuals an even better option. One of the most popular national park passes is the lifetime Senior America the Beautiful Pass for those age 62 and older, which covers all passengers in a private vehicle for only $80. This pass sold for $10 before jumping to $80 in 2017. Like the America the Beautiful Pass, the senior pass allows entry into all national parks and other federal agency locations for the lifetime of the pass holder. This pass also offers a 50% discount on a variety of services such as camping fees, boat launches and some interpretive programs. The longer you live, the more you save with this pass. A one-year senior pass is available for $20. The annual senior pass converts to the lifetime pass after being purchased four times.
U.S. citizens and permanent residents with permanent disabilities qualify for a lifetime America the Beautiful Access Pass that offers the same benefits as the lifetime senior pass, but at no cost. Other free annual passes are available to current military members and dependents, along with Reserve and National Guard members. A free annual pass is offered to park volunteers with 250 service hours and to 4th graders and their families for the student’s school year through the end of the following summer. Free lifetime passes are also available for U.S. military veterans and Gold Star families.
As mentioned above, not all national park units charge an entrance fee. In fact, nearly three-quarters of NPS units allow free entrance. In addition, the National Park Service offers no-cost admission to all of its units during five specific days each year: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday (Jan. 15), the first day of National Park Week (April 22), the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (Aug. 4), National Public Lands Day (4th Saturday in September) and Veterans Day (Nov. 11).
Passes mentioned above are generally available at national parks and other federal facilities that charge an entrance fee. Documentation is required for individuals who wish to purchase specialized passes such as those for seniors or the permanently disabled.
Many of the passes can be purchased online from the United States Department of the Interior at https://store.usps.gov. Requirements, an explanation of benefits and application forms are included. An additional $10 handling fee is charged when a pass is purchased online. The passes cannot be transferred and will not be replaced if lost or stolen.