America The Beautiful Pass: Is The US National Parks Pass Worth It?

Do you plan to visit several US national parks, monuments, battlefields, forests and seashores in the next year? If the answer is yes, you should seriously consider buying an America the Beautiful Pass to save money. We buy a new pass each year because we can’t stay away from the parks, so it benefits us financially. But it’s important you only get one if you’ll be able to make the most of it.

In this guide we explain everything you need to know about the America the Beautiful national parks pass, based on our experiences.

Our Experience

When planning our first West Coast road trip back in 2019, we realized the dozen national parks we wanted to visit were going to cost us a small fortune in entry fees. We thought cutting certain parks would be our only option to keep costs down (a three month road trip costs a lot of money!), but in the end we didn’t have cut any parks because we discovered the America the Beautiful annual national parks pass.

We bought a pass and used it to get into all the national parks, but it also got us into some monuments, forests and other federal lands which was a nice surprise. And we still had 9 months validity on the pass after our three month road trip (which we naturally couldn’t let go to waste) so we continued visiting parks. Since then, we’ve bought a new annual pass each year. Read more about us.

How Much Does A Pass Cost?

First things first, let’s get the most important thing out of the way: a standard America the Beautiful Pass costs $80 and lasts for one year. This is the most commonly purchased pass because it applies to anyone aged between 16-62 years old who doesn’t fall under any special circumstances.

But there are some exceptions to the standard pass that may apply to you (only available to US citizens and permanent residents):

• Senior Annual – $20: Applies to anyone over the age of 62 and lasts for one year.
• Senior Lifetime – $80: Applies to anyone over the age of 62 and lasts forever.
• Military Annual – Free: Applies to currently serving military or a dependent for one year.
• Military Lifetime – Free: Applies to any gold star family member or a veteran forever.
• Access – Free: Applies to those with medically determined permanent disabilities forever.
• 4th Grade – Free: Applies to any US student in the 4th grade and last for one year.

Note: The vast majority of people (including us) will buy a standard America the Beautiful Pass for $80. Therefore, all references in our guide are related to the standard pass.

Who Can Use The Pass?

Okay, so you buy a pass, but who is eligible to use it? Well, your pass basically counts you as the pass holder and all other passengers in your vehicle. So essentially it covers entry for your entire car load, whether there’s two or five in your group.

And here’s where things get interesting: the beauty of an America the Beautiful Pass is that there are two separate signature spots on the back. Now, the two signature spots are for the holders of the pass, but the holders do not need to be related and they don’t have to travel together.

For instance, you and your sister or you and your nature loving friend split the cost of a pass. You both sign the back of the pass, and now each of you can take a car load of your family or group of friends to any national park or federal recreation land for one whole year. And it only costs you a one off payment of $40 each. We’ll get into individual park costs later so you can see how amazing this really is.

Sound too good to be true? It’s not, that’s really how it works. Just be aware the pass must be signed on the back by both holders and you must remember to take ID because it will be checked upon entry to any park. All you have to do is make sure your alternate pass holder is someone who will make the most of it!

What’s Included?

Have you ever noticed the America the Beautiful Pass also being referred to as the Interagency Pass? This is because the pass includes entry to lands administered by six different federal agencies:

• National Park Service
• US Forest Service
• Bureau of Land Management
• US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Bureau of Reclamation
• US Army Corps of Engineers

Why are we telling you this? Well, it’s because you probably only know that the pass includes entry to national parks like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Zion. But in reality, there are over 2,000 federal recreation sites included.

Now, you might only end up using the pass for national parks and that’s fine. But you could be leaving money on the table. If you buy a pass, you do not need to pay entry to any of the following lands:

• National Parks
• National Historic Parks
• National Monuments
• National Lakeshores
• National Seashores
• National Battlefields
• National Recreation Areas

Important: You cannot use the pass at any state park around America. Each individual US state sets its own entry fees on a park by park basis.

Individual National Park Entry Fees

We know the chances are high you’ll end up using the pass mostly at national parks. The America the Beautiful Pass covers entry to all 63 US national parks (as long as the pass is valid and in date). But how much does it cost to pay for entry to individual national parks?

This is the most important thing you need to consider because it’s only worth spending $80 on a pass if it will help you save money in the process. So let’s take a look at entry fees for all 63 national parks:

Free Entry

• Alaska – Gates of the Arctic, Glacier Bay, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Kobuk Valley, Lake Clarke, Wrangell-St. Elias
• American Samoa – American Samoa
• Arkansas – Hot Springs
• California – Channel Islands, Redwood
• Florida – Biscayne
• Kentucky – Mammoth Cave (paid tours)
• Minnesota – Voyageurs
• Nevada – Great Basin
• North Carolina/Tennessee – Great Smoky Mountains (you need a parking tag)
• Ohio – Cuyahoga Valley
• South Carolina – Congaree
• South Dakota – Wind Cave (paid tours)
• US Virgin Islands – Virgin Islands
• Washington – North Cascades
• West Virginia – New River Gorge

Note: You can enter any of the national parks above for free with or without buying an America the Beautiful Pass. So you do not need to spend $80 buying a pass if you only intend on visiting any of the national parks above.

$20 Entry Fee

• Utah – Capitol Reef

$25 Entry Fee

• Arizona – Petrified Forest, Saguaro
• Colorado – Great Sand Dunes
• Indiana – Indiana Dunes
• New Mexico – White Sands

$30 Entry Fee

• California – Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Lassen Volcanic, Pinnacles
• Colorado – Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde
• Florida – Everglades
• Hawaii – Haleakala, Hawaii Volcanoes 
• Maine – Acadia
• North Dakota – Theodore Roosevelt
• Oregon – Crater Lake
• South Dakota – Badlands
• Texas – Big Bend
• Utah – Arches, Canyonlands
• Virginia – Shenandoah
• Washington – Mount Rainier, Olympic

$35 Entry Fee

• Arizona – Grand Canyon
• California – Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yosemite
• Colorado – Rocky Mountain
• Montana – Glacier
• Utah – Bryce Canyon, Zion
• Wyoming – Grand Teton, Yellowstone

National Parks With Per Person Costs

• Alaska – Denali ($15) 
• Florida – Dry Tortugas ($15)
• Michigan – Isle Royale ($7)
• Missouri – Gateway Arch ($3)
• New Mexico – Carlsbad Caverns ($15)
• Texas – Guadalupe Mountains ($10)

Tip: Remember there are 6 dates each year with free entry to all national parks and federal sites. Technically, you could plan your trips around those specific dates and see different parks without spending any money at all.

What Else Is Included?

Don’t worry, we’re not going to show you all 2,000 federal lands available on the pass! Here’s the full list. But we do want to share a few of the more popular places covered by the pass that aren’t national parks, along with entry fees so you can see how quickly the costs add up without a pass.

National Battlefields

• Antietam ($20) – MD
• Kennesaw Mountain ($5/vehicle) – GA
• Little Bighorn ($25) – MT
• Vicksburg ($20) – MS, LA
• Wilson’s Creek ($20) – MI

National Historical Parks and Sites

• Adams National ($15) – MA
• Bent’s Old Fort ($20) – CO
• Chesapeake & Ohio Canal ($20) – MD
• Fort Davis Site ($20) – TX
• Harpers Ferry ($20) – WV
• Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt ($10/person) – NY
• Lewis & Clark ($10/vehicle) –IL
• Sagamore Hill ($10/person) – NY
• San Francisco Maritime ($15/person) – CA
• San Juan ($10/person) – Puerto Rico
• Thomas Edison ($15/person) – NJ

National Lakeshores and Seashores

• Assateague Island ($25) – MD and VA
• Cape Cod ($25) – MA
• Cumberland Island ($10/person) – GA
• Gulf Island ($25) – TN
• Padre Island ($25) – TX
• Sleeping Bear Dunes ($25) – MI

National Monuments

• Bandelier ($25) – NM
• Cabrillo ($20) – CA
• Craters Of The Moon ($20) – ID
• Devils Tower ($25) – WY
• Dinosaur ($25) – UT
• Florissant Fossil Beds ($10/person) – CO
• Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie ($10/person) – SC
• Lava Beds ($25) – CA
• Montezuma Castle ($10/person) – AZ
• Muir Woods ($15) – CA
• Natural Bridges ($20) – UT
• Organ Pipe Cactus ($25) – AZ
• Pipe Spring ($10/person) – AZ
• Sunset Crater Volcano ($25) – AZ
• Tuzigoot ($15/person) – AZ

National Recreation Areas

• Glen Canyon ($30) – AZ
• Lake Mead ($25) – NV
• Whiskeytown ($15/person) – CA

Note: You cannot use the pass for certain NPS managed places like Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty or for Alcatraz Tours. All three have free entry to the actual sites, but you have to pay to park or take a ferry which are owned by third parties.

Will You Save Money?

So, you know the prices to enter each national park and some of the other popular federal sites. How much would you spend in the next year if you paid individual entry fees? Is it close to $80? Or is it way over?

It doesn’t take much to reach the $80. All you have to do is visit three of the more expensive national parks and you’re already saving money. Now imagine you go to 8, 10 or 15 national parks and federal sites in the next year. The savings can be enormous.

But it’s also important to be realistic. It can be easy to get carried away and think you’ll visit a bunch of parks if you get the pass, only for life to get in the way. Don’t buy the pass unless you’re sure you’ll spend more than $80 in the next year on entry fees. Remember, you can split costs with a friend or family member.

Our Savings Example

We want to show you our example so you can see how much we saved the first time we bought an America the Beautiful Pass. Yes, we know not everyone is going on a three month road trip. But it helps to see the numbers from someone else’s experience.

We visited the following national parks:

• Badlands (US$ 30)
• Yellowstone (US$35)
• Grand Teton (US$ 35)
• Capitol Reef (US$ 20)
• Bryce Canyon (US$ 35)
• Zion (US$ 35)
• Death Valley (US$ 30)
• Yosemite (US$ 35)
• Joshua Tree (US$ 30)
• Grand Canyon (US$ 35)
• Canyonlands (US$ 30)
• Arches (US$ 30)

In total we would have blown through $380 to enter those national parks if we paid individual entry fees. Instead, we paid just $80. Therefore, our savings amounted to a whopping $300. And it’s important to remember we’re not even including the additional national monuments or other federal sites we also visited during that road trip.

READ: Inspiring quotes about National Parks

How Do You Buy A Pass?

There are the four ways you can buy an America the Beautiful Pass:

1. Buy online at the official National Park store
2. Call USGS (United State Geological Survey) on 1-888-275-8747
3. Buy in person at most National Park entrance kiosks
4. Buy from REI either online or in store (same price)

Personally, we always buy our passes online well in advance of any trip. Shipping takes just a few days and we prefer to arrive at our first park entrance with pass in hand, ready to explore.

READ: Is it worth getting a National Parks Passport?

The Morgan Conclusion

As long as you visit enough national parks and other federal recreational sites in the next 365 days with entry fees totaling more than $80, the America the Beautiful Pass is definitely worth buying. Whereas if you only want to visit one or two parks, it’s not going to be a cost effective investment, unless you split costs with a second pass holder.

We buy a new pass each year because we’re constantly visiting national parks, so it’s an easy decision for us. We’ve probably saved close to $1,000 since 2019. The pass works perfectly for nature lovers, hikers, photographers and outdoorsy people. And it’s also a great gift idea!

Popular National Parks

• Grand Canyon South Rim
• Grand Teton
• Yellowstone National Park
• Yosemite
• Zion National Park
• Acadia National Park

Still can’t find what you need? Visit our US National Parks page for more of our popular posts.

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We hope our America the Beautiful Pass guide helps you decide if it’s a good fit for your travel plans!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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