List of fee areas in the United States National Park System

Last updated

Fee areas of the National Park System comprise a minority of the areas of the United States National Park System administered by the National Park Service. [1] [2] A majority of sites are fee-free areas.

Contents

The list below includes all areas that charge an entrance or standard amenity fee; generally not included are sites that only charge expanded amenity fees such as those for camping, boat launching, and parking. Sites where nearly all visitors purchase these additional amenities, such as areas with caves that require fee-based guided tours for cave access, are also generally not included. Many areas listed have parts where fees do not apply. Each year, there are a handful of free entrance days when entrance fees are waived at these areas. [3]

Fees are given on a per-vehicle or per-person basis. Per-vehicle fees admit all occupants of a private passenger vehicle, generally for 7-days (unless otherwise noted). Most per-vehicle sites also offer passes for individuals arriving on foot, bicycle, or motorcycle; these are not listed. Fees do not apply to children age 15 or younger unless otherwise noted. All sites accept America the Beautiful Passes to waive entrance fees, which have been described as one of the best deals in recreation. [4] [5] [6] [7] Most fee areas also offer an annual area-specific pass for those who visit the same area often.

List

Bold indicates national parks.

NameLocationTypical feeFee typeWebsiteNotes
Little River Canyon National Preserve Alabama $15per-vehicle
Denali National Park and Preserve Alaska $15per-person
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Arizona $30per-vehicle
Utah
Grand Canyon National Park Arizona $35per-vehicle
Montezuma Castle National Monument Arizona $10per-person passes valid at Tuzigoot National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Arizona $25per-vehicle
Petrified Forest National Park Arizona $25per-vehicle
Pipe Spring National Monument Arizona $10per-person
Saguaro National Park Arizona $25per-vehicle
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Arizona $25per-vehicle passes valid at Wupatki National Monument
Tonto National Monument Arizona $10per-person
Tumacacori National Historical Park Arizona $10per-person
Tuzigoot National Monument Arizona $10per-person passes valid at Montezuma Castle National Monument
Walnut Canyon National Monument Arizona $15per-person
Wupatki National Monument Arizona $25per-vehicle passes valid at Sunset Crater National Monument
Fort Smith National Historic Site Arkansas $10per-person
Cabrillo National Monument California $20per-vehicle
Death Valley National Park California $30per-vehicle
Nevada
Devils Postpile National Monument California $8per-person fee for daily use of shuttle; other types of passes and limited vehicle access exist
Joshua Tree National Park California $30per-vehicle
Kings Canyon National Park California $35per-vehicle passes valid at Sequoia National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park California $30per-vehicle
Lava Beds National Monument California $25per-vehicle
Muir Woods National Monument California $15per-person
Pinnacles National Park California $30per-vehicle
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park California $15per-person
Sequoia National Park California $35per-vehicle passes valid at Kings Canyon National Park
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area California $25per-vehicle
Yosemite National Park California $35per-vehicle
Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site Colorado $10per-person
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Colorado $25per-vehicle
Colorado National Monument Colorado $25per-vehicle
Dinosaur National Monument Colorado $25per-vehicle
Utah
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Colorado $10per-person
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Colorado $25per-vehicle
Mesa Verde National Park Colorado $30per-vehicle fees are reduced during the winter season
Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado $25per-vehicle
Canaveral National Seashore Florida $20per-vehicle
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument Florida $15per-person
Dry Tortugas National Park Florida $15per-person
Everglades National Park Florida $30per-vehicle
Gulf Islands National Seashore Florida $25per-vehicle
Mississippi
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Georgia $5per-vehicle
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Georgia $10per-person fees only required for visiting Point Park at Lookout Mountain battlefield
Tennessee
Cumberland Island National Seashore Georgia $10per-person
Fort Pulaski National Monument Georgia $10per-person
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Georgia $5per-vehicle daily fee
Haleakala National Park Hawaii $30per-vehicle
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hawaii $30per-vehicle
Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park Hawaii $20per-vehicle
Craters of the Moon National Monument Idaho $20per-vehicle
Poverty Point National Monument Louisiana $4per-person daily fee; monument and fees administered by Louisiana state parks
Acadia National Park Maine $30per-vehicle
Antietam National Battlefield Maryland $10per-person 3-day pass; $20 per-vehicle pass available (3-day pass)
Assateague Island National Seashore Maryland $25per-vehicle 7-day pass; daily $10 per-vehicle pass available for Virginia district. Passes valid for entrance to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
Virginia
C & O Canal National Historical Park Maryland $20per-vehicle passes required only for Great Falls Tavern area; passes valid at Great Falls Park
Washington D.C.
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine Maryland $15per-person
Adams National Historical Park Massachusetts $15per-person
Cape Cod National Seashore Massachusetts $25per-vehicle
Isle Royale National Park Michigan $7per-person daily fee
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Michigan $25per-vehicle
Vicksburg National Military Park Mississippi $20per-vehicle
Louisiana
Gateway Arch National Park Missouri $3per-person daily pass; tickets for tram to top of arch separate
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Missouri $20per-vehicle fees currently waived and some venues closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Glacier National Park Montana $35per-vehicle reduced fees during the winter season
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument Montana $25per-vehicle
Lake Mead National Recreation Area Nevada $25per-vehicle
Arizona
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park New Hampshire $10per-person fees currently waived and some venues closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Thomas Edison National Historical Park New Jersey $15per-person
Bandelier National Monument New Mexico $25per-vehicle
Capulin Volcano National Monument New Mexico $20per-vehicle
Carlsbad Caverns National Park New Mexico $15per-person 3-day pass
Chaco Culture National Historical Park New Mexico $25per-vehicle
Valles Caldera National Preserve New Mexico $25per-vehicle fees currently waived
White Sands National Park New Mexico $25per-vehicle
Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site New York $20per-person 2-day pass; passes required only for the house and presidential library. Top Cottage requires a separate $10 fee per-person.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site New York $10per-person fee applies only for Theodore Roosevelt Home tour
Statue of Liberty National Monument New York $19.25per-person children 4–12 years, $9; seniors 62+ years $14; fee includes ferry ticket and pedestal access, crown tickets additional fee and require reservation
New Jersey
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site New York $12per-person youth 6-18, $7; seniors 62+, college students, and veterans, $9
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site New York $10per-person fee for mansion entry only, gardens and grounds free
Wright Brothers National Memorial North Carolina $10per-person
Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Dakota $30per-vehicle
First Ladies National Historic Site Ohio $7per-person children under 18, $5; seniors, $6; America the Beautiful Pass holders, $4
James A. Garfield National Historic Site Ohio $10per-person
Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial Ohio $10per-person fees for memorial and observation deck only; these are currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Crater Lake National Park Oregon $30per-vehicle reduced fees during the winter season
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park Oregon $10per-person fee applies only to Fort Clatsop, separate fees apply to state park units
Washington
San Juan National Historic Site Puerto Rico $10per-person daily fee
Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park South Carolina $10per-person fees for Fort Moultrie only; Fort Sumter is free to enter but generally requires a paid ferry fare to reach
Badlands National Park South Dakota $30per-vehicle
Big Bend National Park Texas $30per-vehicle
Fort Davis National Historic Site Texas $20per-vehicle
Guadalupe Mountains National Park Texas $10per-person
Padre Island National Seashore Texas $10per-vehicle daily pass; 7-day vehicle pass available for $25
Arches National Park Utah $30per-vehicle
Bryce Canyon National Park Utah $35per-vehicle
Canyonlands National Park Utah $30per-vehicle
Capitol Reef National Park Utah $20per-vehicle
Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah $10per-person
Golden Spike National Historical Park Utah $20per-vehicle
Natural Bridges National Monument Utah $20per-vehicle
Zion National Park Utah $35per-vehicle
Christiansted National Historic Site Virgin Islands $7per-person
Great Falls Park Virginia $20per-vehicle passes valid at Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Prince William Forest Park Virginia $20per-vehicle
Shenandoah National Park Virginia $30per-vehicle
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Washington $10per-person fee only for entry to reconstructed fort, free access to rest of grounds
Oregon
Mount Rainier National Park Washington $30per-vehicle
Olympic National Park Washington $30per-vehicle
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park West Virginia $20per-vehicle
Devils Tower National Monument Wyoming $25per-vehicle
Grand Teton National Park Wyoming $35per-vehicle no fee stations at the north entrance, which is only accessible through Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park Wyoming $35per-vehicle
Idaho
Montana

History

On October 24, 2017, Secretary of the Interior Zinke proposed large fee hikes at seventeen of the most visited national parks in order to address a backlog of maintenance at all national parks. [8] The NPS considered that these changes, which would increase entrance fees from $25 to $75, were appropriate because they only targeted the most popular parks, which already have entrance fees. [8] However, there was a nearly unanimous public backlash against this proposal; many families felt this would prohibit them from being able to visit the parks. [9]

Further, there was concern that this hike would disproportionately affect low-income families, who are already underrepresented in visitation to national parks. [10] Additionally, many organizations working to increase access to nature for families of color, such as Latino Outdoors and African American Nature and Parks Experience, spoke out against these proposed fee hikes. [10]

Altogether, more than 110,000 comments were posted on the NPS website, with 98% of them protesting this change. [11] Representative Raul Grijalva commented, “This is a prime example that activism works.” [11] In response to this strong public reaction, on April 12, 2018, Secretary Zinke released a statement replacing this plan with a more moderate proposal to raise prices incrementally across all parks with entrance fees. [12]

Cashless

In an effort to save on cash processing and hand handling fees, 22 national parks have gone cashless as of 2023. In September 2023, U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) proposed the "Protecting Access to Recreation with Cash Act" (PARC) which would require national parks to accept cash as a form of payment for entrance fee. [13] In April 2024, several NPS visitors sued seeking to restore cash as a payment form noting how cash is legal tender suitable "for all public charges" and that the "additional processing fees that will be borne by NPS and by visitors who ultimately fund the federal government through taxes, in addition to personal surcharges and bank fees visitors may incur under NPS cashless policy." [14] [15] [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Canyon National Park</span> National park in Arizona, United States

Grand Canyon National Park is a national park of the United States located in northwestern Arizona, the 15th site to have been named as a national park. The park's central feature is the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, which is often considered one of the Wonders of the World. The park, which covers 1,217,262 acres of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties, received more than 4.7 million recreational visitors in 2023. The Grand Canyon was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. The park celebrated its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Park Service</span> United States federal agency

The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government, within the U.S. Department of the Interior. The service manages all national parks; most national monuments; and other natural, historical, and recreational properties, with various title designations. The United States Congress created the agency on August 25, 1916, through the National Park Service Organic Act. Its headquarters are in Washington, D.C., within the main headquarters of the Department of the Interior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Rainier National Park</span> National park in Washington, United States

Mount Rainier National Park is a national park of the United States located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. The park was established on March 2, 1899, as the fourth national park in the United States, preserving 236,381 acres including all of Mount Rainier, a 14,410-foot (4,390 m) stratovolcano. The mountain rises abruptly from the surrounding land with elevations in the park ranging from 1,600 feet to over 14,000 feet (490–4,300 m). The highest point in the Cascade Range, Mount Rainier is surrounded by valleys, waterfalls, subalpine meadows, and 91,000 acres of old-growth forest. More than 25 glaciers descend the flanks of the volcano, which is often shrouded in clouds that dump enormous amounts of rain and snow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic City Expressway</span> Highway in New Jersey

The Atlantic City Expressway, officially numbered, but unsigned, as Route 446 and abbreviated A.C. Expressway, ACE, or ACX, and known locally as the Expressway, is a 44.1-mile (70.97 km) controlled-access toll road in the U.S. state of New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority. It serves as an extension of the freeway part of Route 42 from Turnersville southeast to Atlantic City. The Atlantic City Expressway is signed as east-west, though the mileage and exits decrease as if one is travelling north-south. It connects Philadelphia and the surrounding Philadelphia metro area with Atlantic City and other Jersey Shore resorts, and also serves other South Jersey communities, including Hammonton and Mays Landing. The expressway intersects many major roads, including Route 73 in Winslow Township, Route 54 in Hammonton, Route 50 in Hamilton Township, the Garden State Parkway in Egg Harbor Township, US 9 in Pleasantville, and the Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector near the eastern terminus in Atlantic City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denali National Park and Preserve</span> National park in Alaska, US

Denali National Park and Preserve, formerly known as Mount McKinley National Park, is a United States national park and preserve located in Interior Alaska, centered on Denali, the highest mountain in North America. The park and contiguous preserve encompass 6,045,153 acres which is larger than the state of New Hampshire. On December 2, 1980, 2,146,580-acre Denali Wilderness was established within the park. Denali's landscape is a mix of forest at the lowest elevations, including deciduous taiga, with tundra at middle elevations, and glaciers, snow, and bare rock at the highest elevations. The longest glacier is the Kahiltna Glacier. Wintertime activities include dog sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. The park received 594,660 recreational visitors in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocky Mountain National Park</span> National park in Colorado, United States

Rocky Mountain National Park is a national park of the United States located approximately 55 mi (89 km) northwest of Denver in north-central Colorado, within the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The park is situated between the towns of Estes Park to the east and Grand Lake to the west. The eastern and western slopes of the Continental Divide run directly through the center of the park with the headwaters of the Colorado River located in the park's northwestern region. The main features of the park include mountains, alpine lakes and a wide variety of wildlife within various climates and environments, from wooded forests to mountain tundra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delaware Water Gap</span> Geological feature along the Delaware River

Delaware Water Gap is a water gap on the border of the U.S. states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the Delaware River cuts through a large ridge of the Appalachian Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muir Woods National Monument</span> United States National Monument in California

Muir Woods National Monument is a United States National Monument managed by the National Park Service and named after naturalist John Muir. It is located on Mount Tamalpais near the Pacific coast in southwestern Marin County, California. The Monument is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and is 12 miles (19 km) north of San Francisco. It protects 554 acres (224 ha), of which 240 acres (97 ha) are old growth coast redwood forests, one of a few such stands remaining in the San Francisco Bay Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capitol Reef National Park</span> National park in Utah, United States

Capitol Reef National Park is a national park of the United States in south-central Utah. The park is approximately 60 miles (100 km) long on its north–south axis and just 6 miles (10 km) wide on average. The park was established in 1971 to preserve 241,904 acres of desert landscape and is open all year, with May through September being the highest visitation months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park</span> National park in Hawaii, United States

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a national park of the United States located in Hawaii on the island of Hawaii. The park encompasses two active volcanoes: Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world's largest shield volcano. The park provides scientists with insight into the development of the Hawaiian Islands and access for studies of volcanism. For visitors, the park offers dramatic volcanic landscapes, glimpses of rare flora and fauna, and a view into the traditional Hawaiian culture connected to these landscapes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park</span> Historic site in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is located in the District of Columbia and the state of Maryland. The park was established in 1961 as a National Monument by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to preserve the neglected remains of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and many of its original structures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf Islands National Seashore</span> 96,000 underwater acres in Mississippi and Florida (US) managed by the National Park Service

Gulf Islands National Seashore is an American National seashore that offers recreation opportunities and preserves natural and historic resources along the Gulf of Mexico barrier islands of Florida and Mississippi. In 2023, it was the fifth-most visited unit of the National Park Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Cypress National Preserve</span> Over 729,000 acres in Florida (US) managed by the National Park Service

Big Cypress National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located in South Florida, about 45 miles west of Miami on the Atlantic coastal plain. The 720,000-acre (2,900 km2) Big Cypress, along with Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas, became the first national preserves in the United States National Park System when they were established on October 11, 1974. In 2008, Florida film producer Elam Stoltzfus featured the preserve in a PBS documentary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Rocks State Park</span> State park in New Mexico, United States

City of Rocks State Park is a state park in New Mexico, consisting of large sculptured rock formations in the shape of pinnacles or boulders rising as high as 40 feet (12 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Fork Canyon</span> Canyon in the Wasatch Mountains, Utah

American Fork Canyon is a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, United States. The canyon is famous for the Timpanogos Cave National Monument, which resides on its south side. It is named after the American Fork River, which runs through the bottom of the canyon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive</span> Scenic drive in Michigan

The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is a scenic route within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, in western Northern Michigan in the United States. The roadway, with its "scenic vistas and gentle curves", is located off state highway M-109 between Empire and Glen Arbor. It runs for 7.4 miles (11.9 km) through forest and dunes areas, providing access to scenic overlooks of the Lake Michigan shoreline and the surrounding park land. Interpretive markers along the roadway are keyed to the National Park Service's printed guide to the drive. Over 80,000 vehicles make the trip, in addition to bicyclists, hikers and skiers who use the road each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sequoyah State Park</span> State park in Oklahoma, United States

Sequoyah State Park, one of Oklahoma State Park's 32 parks, is a 2,200 acre peninsular recreation space on the eastern shore of Fort Gibson Lake in Cherokee County, Oklahoma. It is 8 miles (13 km) east of Wagoner, Oklahoma and 18 miles (29 km) west of Tahlequah, Oklahoma on State Highway 51. A shortleaf pine-lined drive leads you to the many amenities of the park including camping loops, Paradise Cove Marina, a golf course, Three Forks Nature Center, Sequoyah Riding Stables, and the state's largest state park lodge. There are 12 miles of hiking trails free and open to the public including the Fossil Trail, Bluebird Trail, and Scissortail Paved Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Rim Road</span> Four-wheel drive road in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, United States

The White Rim Road is a 71.2-mile-long (114.6 km) unpaved four-wheel drive road that traverses the top of the White Rim Sandstone formation below the Island in the Sky mesa of Canyonlands National Park in southern Utah in the United States. The road was constructed in the 1950s by the Atomic Energy Commission to provide access for individual prospectors intent on mining uranium deposits for use in nuclear weapons production during the Cold War. Large deposits had been found in similar areas within the region; however, the mines along the White Rim Road produced very little uranium and all the mines were abandoned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassius Cash</span> 16th superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Cassius Cash is a federal career official who serves as the 16th superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, encompassing the eponymous mountain range in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. He started his career in the Forest Service, in wildlife management, and nearly two decades later transferred to the National Park Service.

The America the Beautiful Pass series comprises annual or lifetime passes that grant the holder entrance to more than 2,000 federally protected areas including national parks, national monuments, and other protected areas managed by six federal agencies: the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Army Corps of Engineers. At per-vehicle fee areas, the pass entitles the holder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle to admission. At per-person fee areas, the pass entitles the holder and up to three additional adults to admission. The pass was created by the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act and authorized by Congress in December 2004, which is Division J, Title VIII of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, Public Law 108–447, 118 Stat. 2809, an omnibus appropriations act. Passes are available at all National Park Service sites that charge entrance fees as well as online through the United States Geological Survey online store. The passes have been described as one of the best deals in recreation.

References

  1. "Your Fee Dollars at Work". nps.gov. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  2. David, Mark. "New fee-free day designated for national parks, federal lands". powelltribune.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  3. "Free Entrance Days in the National Parks". nps.gov. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  4. Elliot, Christopher. "National Parks Pass: The best $80 you'll ever spend". usatoday.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  5. Scott, Douglas (12 November 2017). "Seven Reasons Why You Should Buy an America the Beautiful Pass". outdoor-society.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  6. "America the Beautiful Passes". parksandpoints.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  7. Webb, Ted. "5 Benefits of an America The Beautiful Pass". nationalparkwanderlust.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  8. 1 2 "National Park Service Proposes Targeted Fee Increases at Parks to Address Maintenance Backlog 2 - Office of Communications (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  9. "Americans tell Interior to take a hike over proposed National Park fee increase". The Know. April 2, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  10. 1 2 "More Expensive National Parks May Threaten Access to Nature". October 25, 2017. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  11. 1 2 Fears, Darryl (April 12, 2018). "Public outrage forces Interior to scrap massive increase in park entry fees". The Washington Post . ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  12. "National Park Service Announces Plan to Address Infrastructure Needs & Improve Visitor Experience - Office of Communications (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  13. "Lummis Introduces Bill to Require National Parks to Accept Cash » Senator Cynthia Lummis". Senator Cynthia Lummis. September 21, 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  14. Hauser, Christine (March 21, 2024). "U.S. Park Service Says to Leave Your Cash at Home, but Some Object". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  15. Lin, Summer (20 March 2024). "The National Park Service will only take plastic at its parks. Three visitors are suing to use cash". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  16. Golder, Dave (18 March 2024). "Irate visitors sue National Park Service over cashless entrance fees". Yahoo Life. Retrieved 23 March 2024.