Not sure whether to get a National Park Pass? Wondering which pass you should get? Wishing you could visit more parks for less money? This handy chart will help you decide! (Or if you’d rather read about it, keep scrolling!)

Types of Passes

There are three basic types of park passes that you might use while traveling in the US:

Individual Park Pass

These will get you into a single park. They may allow you to enter and exit the park for 1, 3, or 7 days. An annual pass would allow you to enter the park for an entire year. Prices vary widely.

Example 1: Day pass to Ecola State Park. Last I looked, it was $10 for single day. The pass was only valid for Ecola State Park, not for any other park.

Example 2: Annual pass to Zion National Park. This would allow you entry into Zion National Park at any time for an entire year. It is only valid for Zion; not for entering any other park.

State Park Passes

These will allow you free entry to all of the parks in a specific state. Prices vary by state, but they are typically valid for either 1 year from the date of purchase or one calendar year (for example, the remainder of 2025).

Example: A New York State Park Pass (Empire Pass) allows you into all (or most) state parks in New York for free. However, it will not give you free entry into Ohio state parks or any national park.

Note: Some states or regions restrict who can buy a state park pass. For example, only Utah residents are allowed to purchase a Utah State Parks Pass. Also, some states give free entry to some groups. New York allows free entry to its state parks for those over 62 years of age (New York residents only and only on non-holiday weekends).

National Parks Pass (America the Beautiful National Parks & Federal Lands Pass)

America the Beautiful passes are some of the most widely accepted park passes in the United States. Typically, they waive the entry fee for all federally owned/run parks – national parks, national forests, national grasslands, national historic parks, national recreation areas, national seashores, etc. The basic pass costs $80 (as of early 2025). I’ll talk more about the specific America the Beautiful Passes below.

Example: You want to visit Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Glacier National Park. An America the Beautiful Pass will allow you free entry into all three parks (and since each charges $35, and 35×3 parks = $105, it’s much cheaper to buy the National Park Pass at $80 – that’s a savings of $25!)

Note: An America the Beautiful passes typically does not waive the entry fee to a state park. While the pass waives entry fees, it does not cover camping fees, tour fees, boat ramp fees, private concessionaire fees, and some parking fees – if you’re not sure whether or not a fee is covered, check the website of the individual park you wish to visit. In per-person entry-fee situations, the pass covers the pass holder and 3 adults (16+) – usually, children 15 and under are free.

Types of America the Beautiful Passes

There are 8 different America the Beautiful National Parks & Federal Lands Passes. All of them work under the same general rules (they will waive the entry fee to parks, they cover up to 4 per-person entry fees, but each has specific nuances and rules regarding who can purchase each pass

Note that passes are non-transferrable. Photo ID must be provided along with the pass for entry into parks with an entrance station.

America the Beautiful National Parks & Federal Public Lands Pass

This is the original national park pass. It’s also the only pass that can be purchased by anyone of any nationality, age, etc. It was once labeled the “Golden Eagle Passport” (I have one or two of those!)

Current price (2025): $80, valid for 12 months from the month purchased (so if you purchase it in May, it will be valid through April of the following year).

Senior Passes

Formally the Golden Age Passport. Another long-standing national park pass, this is available to any US citizen 62+ (apologies to all of you seniors from other countries). ID with your birth date (a driver’s license, for example) is required to purchase this pass. Senior Passes occasionally provide a discount for pass holders – for example, most federally-owned/run campgrounds give Senior Pass holders half price campsites. (Note that the senior must present the pass while checking into the site).

To make things more complicated, there are two levels of Senior Passes: Annual (valid for 1 year, similar to an America the Beautiful Pass) and Lifetime (valid for the rest of the life of the senior). Note that 4 Annual Passes can be presented and traded in for a free Lifetime Pass.

Current price (2025) for the Annual Senior Pass: $10, valid for 12 months from the month purchased (so if you purchase it in May, it will be valid through April of the following year).

Current price (2025) for the Lifetime Senior Pass: $80, valid until the death of the signee (it cannot be transferred to a spouse).

Access Pass

Formally the Golden Access Passport, this pass is free to permanently disabled individuals. I’m not up exactly how you get one, but it is valid for the lifetime of the individual. There are no age restrictions; a child can qualify for the pass. The pass may provide a discount (for example, for camping) at some sites. Please visit the USGS store for information on how to prove a permanent disability.

Current Price (2025) of an Access Pass: Free

Active Military Annual Pass

Available to current US military and their dependents, this is essential an America the Beautiful Pass, but it’s free with the proper documentation (an unexpired CAC, DD Form 1173, or Next Generation Dependent ID, for example). Civilian military contractors/employees, inactive US reservists, PHS members, and NOAA employees do not qualify (sorry about that!) The pass is valid for one year from the month of acquisition (for example, if you got a pass in May, it will be valid through the following April).

Current Price (2025) of an Active Military Annual Pass: Free

Lifetime Military Pass (Veterans and Gold Star Families)

A next-of-kin who lost their family member in the service of the United States Armed Forces can request a special voucher that will allow them to acquire a lifetime military pass. Similarly, veterans who served in the US Armed Forces, including the Reserves, who are able to present non-expired acceptable documentation qualify for the free pass. A few examples of documentation include DD Form 2, DD Form 2765, Next Generation USID replacement, VHIC, Veteran ID Card (digital or physical), or a veteran designation on a driver’s license. The pass is valid for the lifetime of the holder (it cannot be transferred to another individual).

Current Price (2025) of an Lifetime Military Pass: Free

Volunteer Pass

Love to volunteer at your national parks and other federal recreation sites? You may qualify for a free annual pass! Volunteers with 250 accrued hours (accrued in one year or over multiple years) can get a free Volunteer Pass, valid for one year (similar to other annual passes). Your volunteer coordinator will help you track your hours and will issue the pass, but make sure you keep good records so you can prove your time of service, if necessary. Campground hosts, volunteer rangers, and many more activities count toward your volunteer hours.

Current Price (2025) of a Volunteer Pass: Free

4^th Grade Pass

I wish they’d had this pass back when I was in 4^th grade! I visited all kinds of beautiful parks in the Pacific Northwest that year and then went to Florida for a winter escape. But anyway, this is a somewhat new program that allows all US 4^th grade students (homeschoolers included) a free year-long national parks pass with all of the same perks and features of a regular America the Beautiful Pass – except that it’s only valid for the 4^th-grade school year. (In other words, the earliest you can get the pass is September of the year the child is in 4^th grade. No matter when during the following months the child gets the pass, it will expire at the end of the following August.)

Current Price (2024) of a 4^th Grade Pass: Free, valid through the August after the child’s 4^th grade year.

And now, which pass should you choose…

As yourself the following questions in the following order:

1. Do you plan to visit one park or many parks?
   1. One park: Do you plan to visit once or several times over the course of a year?
      1. Once: Buy an individual pass for that park
      2. Several times: Buy an annual pass for that specific park (if available)
   2. Many parks: Move to Question 2.
2. Will you be visiting mostly national parks (or similar federally-managed parks) or state parks?
   1. National/federal parks: Move to Question 3.
   2. State parks: Is the sum of the entry fees (for each state) greater than or equal to a state park pass?
      1. Yes, the sum of the individual park entry fees is more than the state’s park pass: Buy the State Park Pass.
      2. No: Plan to buy individual passes for each park
3. Are you an American Citizen?
   1. Yes: Continue to Question 4.
   2. No: Buy an America the Beautiful National Parks & Federal Public Lands Pass
4. Are you over 62 years of age, active military or veteran, permanently disabled, a volunteer with 250 accrued hours, or have a child in 4^th grade?
   1. Yes; over 62: Buy a Senior Pass (Annual or Lifetime) Pass
   2. Yes; active military/veteran: Get a Military/Veteran Pass
   3. Yes; permanently disabled: Get an Access Pass
   4. Yes; volunteer: Get a volunteer pass
   5. Yes; 4^th grade: Get a 4^th Grade Pass
   6. No: Buy an America the Beautiful National Parks & Federal Public Lands Pass

Note: If you’re over 62, it may be cheaper to buy a Senior Annual Pass rather than pay for a single visit to a national park. I knew a senior who was driving through a national park (not visiting), and it was $15 cheaper for her to buy her annual pass than to pay the regular entrance fee! (That’s ok – she used that pass for an additional $195 of national park entry fees in the following year!)

I hope that helps you understand the park pass system in the US a little better – and helps you decide which type of pass to buy!

Some of My Favorite Hikes in the National Parks!

I put together this book (physical or e-book) with some of the most scenic trails across the western national parks. Oceans, rain forests, mountaintops, rock formations, and so much more will make any trip memorable. Buy your copy here.