Explore More, Spend Less with a National Park Pass!
Updated March 10, 2025
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Why you need a National Park pass?
There are 63 reasons why you should get a National Park pass. That’s because there are 63 US National Parks for you to explore across the United States. If you love to plan adventures as much as I do and want to stop at multiple national parks along the way it is worth purchasing the America the Beautiful National Park Pass.
Cost: The national park pass is $80 for an annual pass, and this will get you into all of the National Parks for free. This is a great deal if you plan to visit multiple parks in a year because most National Parks cost $20-$35 per park. This pass allows the owner of the pass plus 3 adults in the vehicle to enter the park for free. Children 15 and younger are always free.
Other National Park passes
There are other national park passes available for discounted fees.
Senior - $20 annual or $80 lifetime pass
4th grade students - FREE pass
Military - FREE pass
Medically determined permanent disability - FREE (**Access pass)
Volunteer pass
Access Pass
Access pass allows individuals to enter National Parks for free for a lifetime. The Access pass can be obtained for an individual with a disability. Check with your medical provider to see if they agree that you or your child has a permanent disability for life. If so, obtain a written statement from their medical provider that states their disability impacts them for life. You will need to upload the documentation from your doctor online and pay the $10 fee or take the information to certain national parks where you can obtain a National Park pass for free in person. **A mental health disability can qualify as a permanent disability as well.
For more information on getting an Access pass check out details online.
2025 Free National Park entrance days
January 9th
January 20th
April 19th
June 19th
August 4th
September 27th
November 11th
How do I know where to go once I have my pass?
Some examples of national parks we have visited since having a national park pass are listed below. I absolutely love visiting national parks. Each park is so unique and provides a variety of activities along with the most breathtaking landscapes. Take your time and hike the many trails, have a picnic lunch or stay overnight and watch the sky light up with stars. No matter how much time you spend at a national park, you are sure to make lasting memories for yourself.
Zion National Park
Zion National park is located in Utah. Each time we visit Zion National Park; we visit The Narrows. We have loved it so much we have done this hike twice and it was an amazing experience both times. During this hike you will walk in water the entire time and over large rocks. This is a 10-mile hike, but you can stop at any time and turn around. It was so fun wading in the water along the Narrows. This area is full of sandstone cliffs and slot canyons ready for your next adventure. Some areas get waist deep so you may need to carry smaller kids. Check out my blog post on visiting The Narrows at Zion National Park for more details.
Cost: $35 per vehicle valid for 7 days or FREE with National Park pass
Hours: open 24 hours a day all year
Things to do: backpacking, hiking, bicycling, the Narrows, river trips, rock climbing, visitor center
Camping:
South Campground - Closed in the winter. Reservations are needed due to the campground being full often. Picnic table, fire ring, dump (seasonal), trash (seasonal), flush toilets, water. Tent sites No hookups. $20, group sites $50
Watchman Campground - Tent and electric campsites are available year round. Reservations required. Picnic table, fire ring, dump, water, trash, flush toilets. Tent only $20, electric $30, group $50-$130 (seasonal only).
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park was an amazing site to visit in Arizona. The landscape was absolutely beautiful, and it is amazing to see all of the canyons within the rocks that are carved from the Colorado River. The Grand Canyon is 1 mile deep and 18 miles wide. Quite an expansive canyon. Check out more details on my blog on visiting Grand Canyon National Park.
Cost: $35 for private vehicle for a 7-day pass or FREE with a national park pass
Hours: South Rim is open 24 hours a day/365 days of the year. The North Rim closes in the winter from mid-October to mid-May.
Things to do: hiking, biking, backcountry hiking, mule trips, restaurant, visitor center
Camping:
Mather Campground on the South Rim - Open all year. Most campsites are reservation only. 10 campsites first come, first serve. Hot showers, flush toilets, water, dump station, laundry, trash, picnic table, fire ring/grill. No RV hookups. Family camp $18, hiker/biker sites $6, Horse camp $25
Desert View Campground - Reservations only. Open seasonally. Flush toilets (seasonal), trash, picnic table, fire ring/grill. No hookups. Camp $18.
North Rim Campground - Closed for winter. Reservations only. Flush toilets (seasonal), dump (seasonal), fire pit/grill, trash, picnic table. No hookups. Family camp $18, hiker/biker $6
Trailer Village RV Park South Rim - Reservations recommended. The only campsite with full hookups. Fire pit/grill, trash, dump, flush toilets, water, hot showers, laundry, picnic table. Cost $61-$71.
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is located in Colorado. Over 1,400 years ago a group of 700 people lived here and built their homes into the stone walls of Mesa Verde. This structure is just amazing to see and to imagine a life once lived. I cannot imagine the work it took to build such a site. Check out my blog post on visiting Mesa Verde National Park. Definitely a place you will want to visit!
Cost: $20 winter/spring and $30 summer/fall for private vehicle or FREE with national park pass
Hours: Open 24 hours
Things to do: hiking, cliff dwelling tours
Camping:
Morefield campground. $38 dry camping $51 full hookup. Campsites include picnic table, fire pit/grill. Camp store offers registration, food, camp supplies. Nearby you can find gas, coin laundry, kennel, firewood, showers.
Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park located in Kentucky gave us the opportunity to cool off after our hot summer in Arizona. We were able to take advantage of the cave to view the tunnels within the cave system. Since our trip dates were not set in stone, we did not know exactly when we would be at this location so were not able to make advanced reservations. Therefore, we were only able to complete the self-guided tour. Find more details on visiting Mammoth Cave National Park on my blog.
Cost: FREE to enter Mammoth Cave National Park. However, cave tours are fee based and range from $14-$35 per person. Advanced reservations are suggested but not required. You are not guaranteed an opportunity to tour the cave if you go in person to get tickets the day of your travel.
Hours: Open 24 hours
Things to do: cave tours, visitor center (open 8am-5pm (or 6:30pm depending on season)), canoe/kayak/boating, fishing, hiking, horseback riding
Camping:
Mammoth Cave Campground - Dump, laundry, trash, water, flush toilets (seasonal), showers (seasonal), fire pit. campsite $25, group $50, electric sites $50
Maple springs Campground - More secluded sites. All sights have water and electric hookups. Water (seasonal), trash (seasonal), vault toilets (seasonal), fire pit. Campsites $50
Houchin Ferry Campground - 12 tent only campsites. Reservations only. Water, fire ring, portable toilet. Campsite $20
Padre Island National Seashore
Padre Island National Seashore was a fun and relaxing place to visit on the beach in Texas. This is the second place that we have been able to camp directly on the beach. This area consists of 66 miles of coastline for you to explore and camp. Check out more details on this camping location and Port Aransas, also a beach camping location in Texas.
Cost: $10 per vehicle for a 1-day pass (expires at midnight), $25 for a 7-day pass. $5 per day to use boat ramp or FREE with a national park pass
Hours: Open 24 hours all year.
Things to do: fishing, camping on the beach (free), Windsurfing, canoeing/kayaking, sea turtle release
Amenities: Visitor center (open 9am to 5pm), cold showers (open 24 hours except between 7am -9am when they are cleaning them), flush toilets
Camping: Generators allowed between 6am to 10pm. 14 day camping limit. Camping is FREE with Senior/Access pass.
North and South beach runs along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico. Free camping (need free permit at the entrance) is allowed on the beach. No reservations and first come first served. You will be driving on the sand and camp on the sand at this location. Toilet and dumpster at the entrance. Fires are allowed in a contained grill or within a hole dug in the ground.
Bird Island Basin Campground. $8 day or $4 with Senior or Access pass. Toilets only. No reservations and first come first serve. Windsurfing.
Malaquite Campground. $14 night or $7 with Senior or Access pass. No reservations. First come first serve only. Flush toilets, cold showers, picnic table, shade structures, grill, paved parking.
Pets are welcome except in buildings
White Sands National Park
White Sands National Park proved to be a beautiful place to visit with its white glistening sand and warm weather within New Mexico. The sand is so soft and beautiful that you will enjoy spending time here. Check out more information on my blog about visiting White Sands National Park.
Cost: $25 per vehicle or FREE with a national park pass
Hours: Open 7am - 9am daily. Hours vary during holidays
Amenities: Visitor Center (open 9am - 5pm)
Things to do: biking, hiking, picnicking, private individual horse riding
Camping: Primitive backcountry camping only
Due to missile testing within the area this park may close temporarily during testing.
Pets allowed within the park except in buildings.
Mt Rushmore National Memorial
Mt Rushmore National Memorial located in South Dakota was a great place to visit with family. It is amazing to see the final product that so many people worked so hard to create. The sacrifice made to build this memorial was time well spent. Check out my blog post on 11 Things to do in South Dakota.
Cost: It is FREE to visit Mt Rushmore, but you do have to pay for parking which $10 per vehicle. National Park passes cannot be used for parking fees.
Hours: Parking structure and memorial grounds 5am - 11pm and 5am - 9pm in the winter months.
Amenities: Gift shop 8am - 8:30pm (closing hours vary), Information Center 8am - 5pm (closing hours vary), Carvers’ Cafe 8am - 7pm (closing hours vary)
Things to do: hiking, visiting the memorial
Camping: camping and overnight parking are not allowed within Mt Rushmore National Memorial. Camping is available in the surrounding Black Hills.
Need accommodations while traveling?
While traveling I usually boondock but if I prefer to stay in a hotel, we use booking.com or VRBO to find the perfect place to sleep for the night.
Investing in a national park pass is one of the best ways to explore some of the most beautiful natural wonders in the United States. With the national park pass, you will have access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites. Other iconic national parks not listed on this blog page are Yellowstone, Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Teton to name a few.
Visiting multiple parks in a year, the pass quickly pays for itself. Whether you want to hike the rugged trails, marvel at the breathtaking landscapes, or enjoy family time in the outdoors, a national park pass is the perfect and affordable way to visit nature and make some unforgettable memories with your family.
If you only are visiting one national park a year, then an annual pass may not be the best decision financially, but if you get to visit multiple in a year, then you have to get a pass!
What is your favorite National Park to visit? Comment below.
Enjoy the journey,
Meet the author: Jennifer
I am a girl who loves to travel with my family and enjoys sharing expert family travel advice. I am a content creator and influencer on Instagram with years of travel experience and provide readers with advice, tips, and details on adventurous family travel and tips on saving money while boondocking or traveling across the US. You can usually find me dreaming up our next epic vacation or outside exploring natural landscapes. I am a fearless roadtripper who isn’t afraid to explore new and off the path adventures.
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