One important consideration for anyone planning to visit multiple parks and public lands within the next year is purchasing an America The Beautiful Annual National Park Pass. This pass will have your entrance fees covered for over 2,000 federal recreation sites, including National Parks and Monuments, BLM Lands, National Forests and other public lands that charge an entrance fee for a year from your date of purchase.
When Should I Purchase a National Park Pass?
For anyone planning a National Park Road trip, you might want to do a little research and some quick math to see if purchasing this pass will be worth it for you. You can purchase a pass year-round, and it is good for one year from the date of purchase.
Example – How Much In Entrance Fees Can I Expect to Pay?
We are currently planning a National Park road trip from Las Vegas. As of 4/27/2019, entrance fees for our visit of 2 adults (over the age of 15) in one vehicle would look like this:
- Great Basin National Park: no entrance fee
- Cedar Breaks National Monument: $7 per person * 2 people = $14
- Bryce Canyon National Park: $35 per vehicle
- Zion National Park: $35 per vehicle
- Pipe Spring National Monument: $10 per person * 2 people = $20
- Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument: no entrance fee
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: $30 per vehicle
- Rainbow Bridge National Monument: no entrance fee
- Grand Canyon National Park: $35 per vehicle
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area: $25 per vehicle
- Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument: no entrance fee
- Death Valley National Park: $30 per vehicle
- Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area: $15 per vehicle
That’s a total of $239 in entrance fees – not including the price of tours, tchotchke or any other purchases that we might make. Now, don’t get me wrong – I think that our National Parks are one of THE MOST AFFORDABLE ways to see some of the most beautiful and culturally significant sites in our country! And I love that we are able to make this trip – and others – even more affordable through purchasing the America The Beautiful Pass.
Pro tip – do your research.
We live in the Midwest, and many of the parks within a days drive of our home do not charge entrance fees. Just because you will be visiting multiple parks and public lands does not mean that having a National Park Pass will necessarily benefit you.
You can look up what entrance fees you can expect to pay by using the nps.gov website an entering the park that you plan to visit in the search bar. Each park page will have a “Fees and Passes” section that should outline any entrance fees that will be charged.
How Much Does a National Park Pass Cost?
The America The Beautiful Pass costs only $80. This price is good for two adult signers on the card (and also the folks in their vehicle for parks that charge per vehicle). By purchasing this pass, Jason and I will be saving $239 – 80 = $159 in fees on our Vegas Road Trip. And this is only the beginning because after our trip, we will still have the rest of the year to use it to save even more.
I love that the pass makes visiting the parks even more accessible for individuals and families alike!
How Can You Buy Your National Park Pass?
You can buy a pass in a variety of ways. According to the National Park Service Website, you can purchase a pass in person at one of several parks, on the phone or online.
How Do I Buy a Pass Online?
We purchased our pass through the USGS (US Geological Survey website). You can do this in the following way:
- Visit the USGS website.
- Add the Pass that you would like to purchase to your cart.
- Select checkout.
- Log into your account or set one up. To set up an account, be prepared with your name, email address, physical address and phone number.
- Complete the information to purchase including your credit card number and preferred method of delivery (we purchased ours with standard delivery and received it within a week of purchase even though the quoted time indicated that we should allow for up to 3 weeks). Note: You will be charged a $5 handling fee – even if you select the default shipping. So even though the pass is technically $80, when you order online, you will pay a total of $85 or more depending on your shipping selection.
- Once satisfied with your selections, complete the transaction. You will receive an email confirming your order.
Wait… and when your pass arrives, celebrate! Ours was sent with a hang tag and brochure which provides an overview of the pass.
What Other Types of Passes Are There?
In addition to the Annual America The Beautiful Pass, there are also the following pass types available to those that may qualify. Just visit this site to learn more.
- Free Annual Pass for Military
- Annual 4th Grade Pass
- Senior Pass
- Access Pass
- Volunteer Pass
That’s All She Wrote!
This is our first time purchasing an America The Beautiful Interagency Pass, and I’m excited to know that we are saving money while still having the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful places in the world! Let us know if you have any questions or experiences with your own pass that you’d like to share in the comments below.
Until next time, happy exploring!
