Let’s talk National Park passes.
There are a surprising number of passes to national parks available. And they have changed quite a lot in 2026. In this guide, we’ll look at all the different US national parks passes so you can see which one is best for you.
Table of Contents
Regular National Parks Fees and Passes
If you aren’t eligible for a lifetime pass, don’t have a 4th grader, and are only going to visit one or two federal properties in a year (more on all that below), then it’s generally cheaper to just pay for the entrance fee for each park.
Most National Parks charge around $35 per vehicle for 7 days entry – though this is a just a general statement – always double check the fees for the parks you’re visiting before deciding this, though, as this does vary.
You can pay the entrance fee at the entrance gate for most parks. If there’s no gate or if the gate isn’t open when you go through, you can usually pay at the Visitor Center. Some parks will stop you on the way OUT to check you’ve paid and collect the fee if you haven’t.
I prefer to pay online in advance. You can pay the entrance fee for most parks on recreation.gov and print your receipt as proof of payment. Some parks have express lines for people who have already paid, so this can save you time getting into the park!
If you plan to visit one park a lot (mostly useful if you live near one), then some parks have annual passes.
The nice thing about individual park passes is that the funds go directly to that particular park.
A few parks are free to enter. Check out the full list here. Though if you look at this list, you’ll notice that there’s a catch for most of them – like Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free to enter but they charge a fee to park.
Non-Resident Visitors
Unless you have a non-resident annual pass (see below) or are admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass , there is an additional $100 nonresident fee for nonresidents age 16 and older for the following national parks:
Acadia National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Everglades National Park
Glacier National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Teton National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Yellowstone National Park
Yosemite National Park
Zion National Park
NOTE: This is in addition to the regular entrance fee!
America The Beautiful Resident Annual Pass
If you’re going to more than a couple of parks in a year, it generally makes sense to buy an America The Beautiful Pass before you go.
This pass covers all occupants in a personal vehicle at per-vehicle fee sites or up to 4 adults at sites that charge per person (kids 15 and under get in free). In addition to all NPS sites, it’s also honored at sites managed by the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and Army Corps of Engineers. That’s over 2,000 sites!
It cost $80.00 and is valid for 1 year from the month of purchase.
The pass is only available to US citizens and residents 16 years or older may purchase the pass (children under 16 are always admitted free).
There is a digital and a physical card option.
You can get an America The Beautiful Pass here or here. If you want a physical card, choose the “physical pass” option before you finalize your purchase in the cart (there’s a $7.50 shipping and handling fee).
America The Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass
There is an equivalent annual pass for non-US citizens or residents. It covers the same properties as the resident pass and is also valid for a year from the date of purchase. It costs $250. It is only available in digital form if you buy it online. You can purchase it on recreation.gov here. You can get a physical card – but you have to buy them at the park entrance.
It covers the entire vehicle, or 2 motorcycles, or the passholder plus three additional adults in their party where per-person rather than per-vehicle fees are charged.
Note that if you have a non-resident annual pass, you do not need to pay the $100 surcharge for the list of popular parks (see above).
National Parks Passes for Veterans and Military Members
If you’re a current military member, a veteran or a member of a Gold Star family, the United States government thanks you for your service and sacrifice by granting free access to all these 2,000+ federal recreation areas, including national parks, wildlife refuges, and forests.
There are two options:
Current US military and dependents
You can get an annual pass here. The pass is free, but if you choose to get a physical card, there’s a $7.50 shipping fee.
Gold Star Family members and veterans
You can get a lifetime pass here. The pass is free, but if you choose to get a physical card, there’s a $7.50 shipping fee.
National Parks Passes for Seniors
There are also two different America The Beautiful passes (annual and lifetime) available for seniors.
The annual pass is just $20 and the lifetime senior pass (valid for lifetime of the pass holder) is currently $80. These are also available in digital form or as a physical card. There’s a shipping fee of $7.50 if you choose to get a physical card.
The Senior Annual Pass and Senior Lifetime Pass are for U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or older.
The Senior Pass admits the pass owner and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas and pass owner and up to 3 adults at sites where per-person fees are charged. (Children under 16 are always admitted free.)
National Parks Passes for Persons with Disabilities
There’s an Access Pass which gives free, lifetime access to all these properties to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have been medically determined to have a permanent disability (does not have to be a 100% disability). The card is free, but if you choose to get a physical card, there’s a $7.50 shipping fee.
Passes for Fourth Graders
Yes, this may seem random, but fourth graders are eligible for free national parks passes. Every Kid Outdoors is an official government program for 4th graders (or home school equivalent) that gives them free entry to hundreds of federal properties, including the national parks.
By choosing one age and offering this every year, the idea is that every child in the US will have the chance to visit the parks free for a year. This age was chosen because research shows that kids ages nine to 11 are beginning to learn about the world around them. They’re open to new ideas, and they are likely to connect to nature and our history.
Kids fill out an online diary entry with things they’d like to see and do (it produces a fun diary entry) and then print out their pass and take it with them. The pass is from September 1 – August 31.
Now here’s the thing: children under 16 are always free.
However, it works because although it’s officially for fourth graders, if you visit a site that charges entrance fees per person, the pass admits up to three adults (and all children under 16, of course) for free. If your group visits a site that charges vehicle entrance fees, the pass admits all adults (and all children under 16) in up to one passenger vehicle.
(Commercial vehicles can’t use a pass to get in.)
How to Get Passes
I’ve mentioned here that the various America The Beautiful passes are available online as a digital pass on recreation.gov and that you can pay $7.50 for shipping to get a physical card (excluding the non-resident pass).
However, resident passes and regular park entrance passes are also available at the entrance to parks. So, you can just go to the first park on your trip and get a pass there.
The other option if you want a physical card is to buy it online at the USGS Online Store. Online orders are for physical passes only, not digital passes. They can take up to three weeks to be processed and delivered, so you need to make sure you do this well in advance of your trip. You can’t use your receipt in place of a physical pass.
Using Digital Passes
Many national parks have poor or no cell phone coverage.
If you get a digital pass, there are several options:
- Download the Recreation.gov mobile app; tap Reservations button to access digital pass
- Download the pass to your phone, using your Google Wallet or Apple Wallet
- Print a PDF version, and/or
- Bring the physical pass (if available)
Free Entrance Days
There are several days a year where national parks are free for US citizens and residents. (Nonresidents still pay the regular entrance fee and any applicable nonresident fees.)
In 2026, free days are:
February 16: Presidents Day
May 25: Memorial Day
June 14: Flag Day
July 3–5: Independence Day weekend
August 25: 110th Birthday of the National Park Service
September 17: Constitution Day
October 27: Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday
November 11: Veterans Day
Did you find the right pass? Are there are any other types of passes for national parks that I missed? Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).
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About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Newsweek, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.
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