Most of the sites managed by the National Park Service are free to visit,but some require an entrance pass. You may also need areservation at a few high-trafficsites.
Frequent visitors, seniors, military, and others may save money on entrancefees with an America the Beautiful—the National Parks and FederalRecreational Lands Pass, also known an America the Beautiful or interagencypass. Review all pass options below and decide which pass is best for you.
Entrance Pass Comparison
National parks that charge an entrance fee require visitors to purchase orobtain a standard pass, park-specific annual pass, or America the Beautifulpass. Visitors only need one of these.
Standard Pass
- For one national park
- For 1–7 days
- Directly funds the park
Recommended for
One trip to one park
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Annual Pass
- For one national park or park group
- For 1 year
- Directly funds the park
- Not available for every park
Recommended for
- Multiple trips to one park
- One or more trips to one park group
Entrance fees and passes by park
America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal RecreationalLands Pass
- Covers entrance fees and standard amenity fees (day-use fees) at Federalrecreational sites, including national parks
- 1 year and lifetime options
Recommended for
- Seniors, military, visitors withpermanent disabilities
- One or more trips to multiple parks
More about America the Beautiful Passes
Reservations and Timed Entry
When planning a visit to a national park, check if you need a reservation.Some national parks use a timed entry system to manage vehicle traffic. Otherparks use tour reservations to manage access to a building or natural feature.Reservations are typically made available throughrecreation.gov on a rolling basis. If you need a reservation, we recommend making it wellin advance.
Parks with reservations
America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal RecreationalLands Pass
Covers entrance fees and standard amenity(day-use) fees at lands managed by
- National Park Service
- US Fish & Wildlife Service
- US Forest Service
- Bureau of Land Management
- Bureau of Reclamation
- US Army of Corps of Engineers
Depending on the type of entrance fee charged at a site, covers
One private vehicle fee
or
Four per person fees
| Type | Available to | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Pass | Everyone | $80.00 |
| Annual Senior Pass | US citizens and permanent residents 62+ years old | $20.00 |
| Lifetime Senior Pass | US citizens and permanent residents 62+ years old | $80.00 |
| Annual Military Pass | Current US military and dependents | Free |
| Lifetime Military Pass | Gold Star Family members and veterans | Free |
| Access Pass | US citizens and permanent residents with permanent disability | Free |
| 4th Grade Pass | US 4th graders | Free |
| Volunteer Pass | Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours | Free |
America the Beautiful Passes are non-refundable, non-transferableand cannot be replaced if lost or stolen. Passholders must showvalid photo identification (ID) with each pass.
How to Get an America the Beautiful Pass
In Person (Recommended)
Passes can be purchased or picked up at over 1,000 federal recreation sites.
Purchase and pickup locations
Order Online, Receive by Mail
To receive your pass by mail, order online at theUSGS Online Store. Online orders are for physical passes, not digital passes, and may take up to three weeks to be processed and delivered. Order receipts may not be used in place of a physical pass. We recommend ordering at least three weeks in advance of your visit, or picking up a pass in person instead.
Visiting soon? Pick up a pass when you arrive.
America the Beautiful Passes ordered online through the USGS Online Storemay take up to three weeks to be processed and delivered. Get your pass atone of over 1,000 purchase and pickup locations to avoid the wait.
Senior Passes
US citizens and permanent residents ages 62 and older canpurchase an annual America the Beautiful—the National Parks and FederalRecreational Lands Pass for $20.00, or a lifetime version for $80.00.Applicants must provide documentation of age and residency or citizenship.
- The Senior Pass may provide a 50 percent discount on some amenity feescharged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boatlaunch, and specialized interpretive services.
- The Senior Pass generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreationpermit fees or fees charged by concessioners.
- Passes may not be purchased as gifts since eligible recipient must showproof of eligibility.
Annual Senior Pass
Annual Senior Pass $20.00
Lifetime Senior Pass
Lifetime Senior Pass $80.00
Golden Age Passports and Golden Access Passports
Golden Age Passports and Golden Access Passports are no longer sold.However, these passes are still honored according to the provisions of thepass.
We encourage you to exchange your Golden Age/Golden Access Passport for acurrent Lifetime Senior Pass for free. You can exchange in-person at sitesthat issue passes. Please bring your old pass and photo identification withyou.
Annual Passes and Park Groups
While most annual park passes are limited to one national park, a few sitesoffer an annual pass valid at multiple national parks, federal recreationallands, or state parks.
- Hawaiʻi Tri-Park Pass
- Valid for 12 months from purchase date. Admits the pass holders andpassengers in a non-commercial vehicle (14 max capacity or less) toHaleakalā National Park, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Parkand Puʻuhonua ʻO Hōnaunau National HistoricalPark.
- Southeast Utah Parks Annual Pass
- Valid at Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Natural BridgesNational Monument, and Hovenweep National Monument.
- Flagstaff Area National Monuments Annual Pass
- Admits the passholder, passenger of one motorcycle, or occupants of asingle, non-commercial vehicle at Sunset Crater Volcano, Walnut Canyon,and Wupatki National Monuments for 1 year.
- Northern California/Southern Oregon 4-Park Pass
- The annual park passes offered by Whiskeytown National Recreation Area,Lassen Volcanic National Park, Crater Lake National Park, and Lava BedsNational Monument are accepted at all four parks.
- Oregon Coast Passport
- The annual Oregon Coast Passport covers entry, vehicle parking, and dayuse fees at all Oregon state and federal fee sites along the Oregon Coast.Valid for 12 months.
- Assateague Island National Seashore Annual Pass/Chincoteague NationalWildlife Refuge Annual Pass
- Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague National WildlifeRefuge honor both site-specific annual passes.
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks Annual Pass
- This pass is valid for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks andHume Lake Ranger District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant SequoiaNational Monument for one year from the month of purchase. The pass admitsall passengers in a private vehicle and is non-transferable.
- Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot Annual Pass
- $35 annual pass, good for one (1) year. Will cover the entrance fee atboth Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments. Available toeveryone; good for card holder plus 3 adult guests. Can be obtained inperson at Montezuma Castle National Monument, Tuzigoot National Monument,or online at Recreation.gov. Passes are NON-REFUNDABLE, NON-TRANSFERABLE,and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen.
- Great Falls Annual Pass
- Valid for one full year from the month of purchase. Permits access to theGreat Falls area of the C&O Canal National Historical Park in Marylandand Great Falls Park in Virginia. The annual pass allows entrance for thepass holder and additional passengers in a single private non-commercialvehicle, or pass holder plus three adults when entering on foot orbicycle.
