National Park Fees, Passes, Permits, and Reservations

In the not-so-distant past, you could head to any of the National Parks and pay your entrance fee and secure a backcountry or frontcountry campsite and pay that fee, then go and explore pretty much any trail. With the explosion in popularity of the park system over the last couple decades, you need to be prepared. Know what passes, permits, and reservations are required, and when, where, and how to get them!

Below, we try to break out all of the requirements for each park, from entrance fees to hiking permits to vehicle reservation passes. We also provide links to the associated park pages, which we highly encourage you to check out, because things are actively changing.

NOTE: While we make every effort to keep this page up to date, it’s a moving target as the parks continually adjust to dealing with millions of visitors each year. Please let us know if you find out-of-date information, or more information I should add!

Park Entrance Fees

Every park has an entrance fee or “park pass”. If all you plan to do is visit only one park for less than seven days, then the specific park’s seven day pass (outlined in the parks below) is probably right for you. If you plan on visiting two or more parks or other federal fee areas, I would recommend getting the America the Beautiful Pass.

The America the Beautiful Pass is good for one year from date of purchase (with a couple options being lifetime) at all national parks and many other federal fee areas including National Forests, National Wildlife Refuges, National Monuments, etc (more details and lists here). Purchase online at the USGS Store or at the park entrance stations and visitor centers.

** NOTE: In the past, the America the Beautiful card had two signature lines, which allowed two people to use the pass. Now, there’s only one signature line, so only one person is authorized to use the pass. However, one pass CAN get multiple people (all the passengers in a vehicle) into a park.

America the Beautiful Pass options
  • Annual Pass – $80
  • Senior Lifetime (over 62 and purchase once) – $80
  • Senior Annual (over 62 and good for one year) – $20 (If you save your expired Annual Pass, you can trade it in as “credit” towards the Lifetime Pass. More information here.)
  • Military Annual and Lifetime – Free
  • 4th Grade Pass – Free
  • Access Pass (for US Citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities) – Free
  • Volunteer Pass – Free and must get from supervisor
Click on the name to jump to a particular park’s information:

Glacier National Park

Entrance Fee

Glacier specific park passes can be purchased online at Recreation.gov or in person when you arrive.

  • 7-day pass – $35 (motorcycles – $30 and on foot $20/person)
  • Glacier Annual Pass (only good for Glacier) – $70
  • America the Beautiful Pass as listed above

Vehicle Reservation System

Starting in 2020, Glacier implemented a vehicle reservation system for Going-to-the-Sun Road to manage congestion along the road. This was done both for safety and to make the park experience more enjoyable. Since then, the program has expanded to the other areas of the park. Find out more details at Glacier’s Vehicle Reservation System page. Get your reservations here at Recreation.gov with details below.

A notable exception is “service reservation”. Visitors with lodging, camping, or service/activity reservations (e.g., boat tours and horseback rides) within the specified reservation areas can use proof of their reservation for entry instead of a vehicle reservation to gain access to the area for which they have a “service reservation”. See the park’s Vehicle Reservation System page for more details.

Going-to-the-Sun Road
  • Reservation is valid for 1 day. 
  • Required for each vehicle going east past the Apgar Check Point May 24 through September 8, 2024, 6 am to 3 pm.
  • The vehicle registration check point is located past the west entrance station, so visitors will be able to access Apgar Village amenities, including the Apgar Visitor Center, without a vehicle reservation.
  • No reservation required at St Mary (East) entrance station.
North Fork
  • Reservation is valid for 1 day. 
  • Required for each vehicle accessing the North Fork area from May 24 through September 8, 2024, 6 am to 3 pm.
Many Glacier
  • Reservation is valid for 1 day.
  • Required for each vehicle accessing Many Glacier from July 1 through September 8 vehicle, 6 am to 3 pm.
Vehicle Reservation Release Dates:

Vehicle reservations will be available through two booking windows, 120 days in advance and the day before.

  • A portion of vehicle reservations will be available 120 days or approximately four months in advance, starting on January 25, 2024, at 8 am MST on a daily rolling basis.
  • Next Day vehicle reservations will be available at 7 pm MDT for next-day entry starting on May 23, 2024 on a daily rolling basis.
  • NOTE: There are a limited number of vehicle reservations available for each day and demand will exceed supply.

Front Country Camping

Front country camping is camping that you can drive up to. Glacier has 13 front country campsites all run by the park service. Three are reservable and the rest are first-come, first-served. Cost varies depending upon time of year. Check Glacier’s Camping page for current status.

Reservation campgrounds

Reservations can be made on a six month rolling basis. Some sites are held back for reservations four days in advance. Reservable campgrounds are below with associated Recreation.gov links.

First-come, First Served Campgrounds

The following campgrounds are first-come, first-served. Show up early in the morning get your spot. For more on these campgrounds, visit the First-come, First Served Campgrounds page for Glacier. (Note that both Apgar and St. Mary become First-come, First-Served in the winter months.)

  • Bowman Lake
  • Cut Bank
  • Kintla Lake
  • Logging Creek
  • Quartz Creek
  • Rising Sun

Back Country Camping

There are many great backpacking trips to be had in Glacier. Trouble is, many folks are trying to get those trips as well! Knowing how to navigate the system won’t guarantee you a spot, but just showing up at a back country desk and expecting your dream backpack will only lead to walking away with some disappointment.

Two words you’ll hear are “reservation” and “permit”. A reservation is simply reserving a site, but you’ll still need to swing by one of the ranger stations to pick up your actual permit before you hit the trail. For those without a reservation, you’ll want to know what’s available and be at a permitting location very early the day before your trip.

Advanced Reservations Lotteries (NEW in 2024)
  • Approximately 70% of wilderness campsites parkwide are available for advance reservations.
  • Glacier National Park will implement two early access lotteries for Wilderness Camping advance reservations in 2024 using the Recreation.gov online platform.
  • Large group lottery (9-12 campers) – Application submission date March 1, 2024
  • Standard group lottery (1-8 campers) – Application submission date March 15, 2024

For more information on Glacier’s advanced reservations, check out the Wilderness Camping Advanced Reservations page.

After early access lotteries are completed, all remaining advance reservation campsites will be available to standard groups (1-8 campers) online at Recreation.gov.

If you are unable to secure a wilderness camping advance reservation through recreation.gov, wilderness permits may be available the day before or day of a desired trip start date. Approximately 30% of all sites parkwide are set aside for walk-in campers.

walk-in permit

Be prepared before you go in for your walk-in permit, but also remember that you can have an amazing backpacking trip even if you don’t get your ideal itinerary. Visit the park’s Wilderness Camping page for the official details.

Permitting Locations
  • Apgar Backcountry Permit Center
  • St. Mary Visitor Center
  • Many Glacier Ranger Station
  • Two Medicine Ranger Station (UPDATE: Will NOT be issuing Wilderness Permits for 2024)
  • Polebridge Ranger Station

Grand Teton National Park

Entrance Fee

Grand Teton specific park passes can be purchased online at Recreation.gov or in person when you arrive.

  • 7-day pass – $35 (motorcycles – $30 and on foot $20/person)
  • Grand Teton Annual Pass (only good for Grand Teton) – $70
  • America the Beautiful Pass as listed above

Front Country Camping

Front country camping is camping that you can drive up to. Grand Teton has 8 front country campsites all run by the park service. All park campground sites are reserved by advanced reservations only. Check out the park’s Camping page for the official details and the links below to reserve them on recreation.gov.

Reservation campgrounds

Back Country Camping

There are many great backpacking trips to be had in Grand Teton. Trouble is, many folks are trying to get those trips as well! Knowing how to navigate the system won’t guarantee you a spot, but just showing up at a back country desk and expecting your dream backpack will only lead to walking away with some disappointment.

Two words you’ll hear are “reservation” and “permit”. In Grand Teton, you can get an advanced reservation from January to May. A reservation is simply reserving a site, but you’ll still need to swing by one of the permitting locations to pick up your actual permit before you hit the trail. For those without a reservation, you’ll want to know what’s available and be at a permitting location very early the day before your trip. For more information on advanced reservations, check out the Backcountry Permits page for Grand Teton for the details.

Permits are required for all overnight stays in the backcountry.

Advanced reservations:
  • Advanced reservations for backcountry camping permits for peak season (May 1–October 31, 2024) become available beginning January 10, 2024, at 8 a.m. MST on Recreation.gov. 
  • An advanced reservation will hold your permit but does not replace it. Permits must be picked up in-person by the permit holder or alternate permit holder listed on the permit by 10 a.m. on the start date of your backcountry camping permit.
Walk-up Permits:
  • Approximately two thirds of all backcountry camping permits are available via walk-up through Grand Teton’s permit offices.
Permitting Locations
  • Colter Bay Visitor Center
  • Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center
  • Jenny Lake Ranger Station
Fees
  • $20 for advanced reservations booked through Recreation.gov (only available from January to May)
    • Nightly Fee: $7 per person, per night (refundable until five days before the permit start date)
  • $35 for walk-in permits

Check out the Grand Teton Backcountry Camping page for all of the details and to find planning guides, maps and more information.

Olympic National Park

Entrance Fee

Olympic specific park passes can be purchased online at Recreation.gov or in person when you arrive.

  • 7-day pass – $30 (motorcycles – $25 and on foot $15/person)
  • Olympic Annual Pass (only good for Olympic) – $55
  • America the Beautiful Pass as listed above

Misc Access Fees

Makah Recreation Permit

A Makah Recreation Permit is required for activities in the Near Bay Area including Shi Shi Beach. Visit their Neah Bay Activities page for where one can be purchased.

Discover Pass Washington

A Discover Pass is required for hiking the Little River Trail and the South Fork Hoh River as well as for camping in Washington’s state lands. Visit the Discover Pass site for more details and where to pick one up.

Front Country Camping

Front country camping is camping that you can drive up to. Olympic has 15 campgrounds within its boundaries and six of those are reservable. Fairholme, Kalaloch, Mora, and Hoh are operated by the park service and are first-come, first-served during the off-season. The rest are first-come, first served. For the official list and more details, visit the Olympic Camping page.

Reservation campgrounds
First-come, First-served
  • Deer Park
  • Graves Creek
  • Heart O’ the Hills
  • North Fork
  • Ozette
  • Queets
  • South Beach

Back Country Camping

To explore Olympic’s back country, you’ll need to make sure you get your permit in advance! There are no walk-in permits or self-registration/trailhead permits. Visit Olympic’s Planning Your Wilderness Trip page for details on planning your trip, proper food storage, current trail conditions, weather/tides, etc. To make a reservation, visit the Olympic Wilderness Permit page on Recreation.gov.

The summer season is defined as May 15th – October 15th (higher elevation areas have shorter summer seasons starting in June or July). You can begin making reservations for the summer season on April 15th at 7am PST.

You will first make your reservation at Recreation.gov, then you will get confirmation from the Wilderness Information Center that your permit is ready. You can then log in and print your permit. You can make a reservation less than a week in advance and usually get your permit within a day or so. If you need it sooner, visit or contact a Wilderness Information Center.

Fees
  • A reservation fee of $6 for the permit
  • Another $8 per person per night (This fee is waived for those with the $45 Olympic National Park Annual Wilderness Pass)
Permitting Locations
  • Port Angeles Wilderness Information Center
  • Quinault (South Shore) Wilderness Information Center
  • Hoodsport Wilderness Information Center

Rocky Mountain National Park

Entrance Fee

Rocky Mountain specific park passes can be purchased online at Recreation.gov or in person when you arrive. (NOTE: Cashless payments ONLY at all entrance stations and campgrounds.)

  • 1- day pass – $30 (motorcycles – $25 and on foot $15/person)
  • 7-day pass – $35 (motorcycles – $30)
  • Rocky Mountain Annual Pass (only good for Rocky Mountain) – $70
  • America the Beautiful Pass as listed above

Timed Entry Permits

In order to help reduce congestion within the park, Rocky Mountain has implemented a Timed Entry Permit system. A pilot reservation system using timed entry, will begin on Friday, May 24th in 2024.

There are two different permits. One permit is the Bear Lake Road Corridor which gives you access both the the Bear Lake Road Corridor and the rest of the park. The second permit is for the “rest of the park” which excludes the Bear Lake Road Corridor. The timed entry allows for visitors to enter into the park in two hour windows and leave at any point.

Timed entry permits will allow park visitors to enter Rocky Mountain National Park within two-hour windows of availability, with no set time for departure.

  • One permit will be for the Bear Lake Road Corridor, which includes the entire corridor, as well as access to the rest of the park. This reservation period will be from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • The second permit will be for the “rest of the park,” and does not include access to the Bear Lake Road Corridor. This “rest of park” reservation period will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Reservation Release Dates:

Reservations to enter the park will be available through www.recreation.gov following the schedule listed below:

  • Beginning at 8 a.m. MT on Wednesday, May 1. This round of reservations will be available to enter the park from May 24 through June 30.
  • The next release will occur on June 1, for the month of July and any remaining days that have not been booked for June.
  • On July 1, reservations will be available for the month of August and any remaining days that have not been booked for July.
  • On Aug. 1, reservations will be available for the month of September and any remaining days in August that have not been booked.
  • On Sept. 1, reservations will be available for October and any remaining days in September that have not been booked. 

NOTE: Visitors with camping reservations at Aspenglen, Glacier Basin, and Timber Creek Campgrounds, a Timed Entry Permit is included in the reservation. They will be able to get into the park at 1pm on the first day of their reservation.

More details available on the Timed Entry Permit System page and reservations will be made available on the Timed Entry page at Recreation.gov beginning at 8am MDT on May 1st, 2024. 40% of the reservations will be held until the day before.

Hiker Shuttle

If you wish to leave your vehicle parked in Estes Park and take a shuttle into the Park and Ride area, you will need to purchase a Hiker Shuttle Ticket at Recreation.gov. Make sure that you are back at the Park and Ride before 5:15pm to catch the last shuttle back to Estes Park. Also note that at least one person in the group will need an annual or lifetime park pass in addition to the Hiker Shuttle Ticket.

Front Country Camping

  • Front Country Campgrounds
  • Aspenglen
  • Glacier Basin
  • Longs Peak (only first-come, first-served campground in RMNP; campground is for tents only)
  • Timber Creek
  • Moraine Park (currently closed for rehabilitation project, but expected to open early June 2024)

Fees:  $35 per night (summer) Access and Senior Pass holders receive a 50% discount on standard sites.

Back Country Camping

Reservations MUST be reserved through Recreation.gov. Overnight backpacking in the wilderness requires a physical permit.

All wilderness permits MUST be picked up in person during regular business hours by the permit holder at one of two Wilderness Office locations listed below:

Permit locations:
  • East Side of RMNP (near Estes Park, CO): Wilderness Office located near Beaver Meadows Visitor Center.
  • West Side of RMNP (near Grand Lake, CO): Kawuneeche Visitor Center.

Reservations for all Summer Wilderness Overnight Backpacking Permits will Open on March 1, 2024 at 8 a.m. MST.

Yellowstone National Park

Entrance Fee

Yellowstone specific park passes can be purchased online at Recreation.gov or in person when you arrive.

  • 7-day pass – $35 (motorcycles – $30 and on foot $20/person)
  • Yellowstone Annual Pass (only good for Yellowstone) – $70
  • America the Beautiful Pass as listed above
Permits & Reservations

You do not need a reservation to enter the park (just pay the entrance fee).

Front Country Camping

All campsites must be reserved in advance (with the exception of Mammoth which offers first-come, first-served from October 15 – April 1)

Campgrounds Reservations (Yellowstone Park Lodges):

  • Bridge Bay
  • Canyon
  • Fishing Bridge RV Park
  • Grant Village
  • Madison

Campgrounds Reservations (Recreation.gov):

  • Indian Creek
  • Lewis Lake
  • Mammoth (2024 reopen dates TBD: First-come, first served from October 15 – April 1)
  • Norris (CLOSED for the 2024 season)
  • Pebble Creek (CLOSED for the 2024 season)
  • Slough Creek
  • Tower Fall (CLOSED for the 2024 season)

Back Country Camping

Permits are required year-round for overnight camping in the backcountry.

Advanced reservations are encouraged but required. Apply for the 2024 Early Access Lottery March 1 – March 20 on Recreation.gov.

  • Peak Season (May 15 – October 31) – Permits are available online in advance or in person during the walk-up period. Advance reservations are available at Recreation.gov during the Early Access Lottery and General On-Sale period. Walk-up permits are available in person at a backcountry office up to 2 days prior to start of trip.
  • Non Peak Season (November 1- May 14) – Visit the Winter Backcountry Camping page for more information regarding obtaining a backcountry permit during the winter season.

Yosemite National Park

Entrance Fee

Yosemite specific park passes can be purchased online at Recreation.gov or in person when you arrive.

  • 7-day pass – $35 (motorcycles – $30 and on foot $20/person)
  • Yosemite Annual Pass (only good for Yosemite) – $70
  • America the Beautiful Pass as listed above

Entrance Reservations

A reservation will be required to drive into Yosemite during two different periods in summer 2024. Reservations can be reserved through Recreation.gov.

Day-Use/Horsetail Fall: February 2024 Reservation Requirements

Certain times of the year, the setting sun lights up Horsetail Fall. It requires the sun in a certain position and water to be flowing.

DATES OF REQUIRED RESERVATIONS

  • February 10–11, 2024
  • February 17–19, 2024
  • February 24–25, 2024

You can acquire a reservation at Yosemite Ticketed Entry page on Recreation.gov.

Peak-Hours Reservations 

A reservation will be required to drive into or through Yosemite National Park on some days from April 13 through October 27, 2024, for those driving into the park between 5 am and 4 pm as follows:

  • April 13 through June 30: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and on holidays (May 27 and June 19).
  • July 1 through August 16: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm every day.
  • August 17 through October 27: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (September 2 and October 14).

Half Dome

Climbing the iconic Half Dome is a classic experience and should be on any visitor’s list who is physically capable. Due to the popularity of the climb, the park service has a permit system in place when the cables go up. You can hike without a permit to the base up subdome, but can go no further.

PRESEASON LOTTERY

The target limit is 300 hikers per day with 225 being available for day hikers and 75 being available for backpackers as part of the preseason lottery which runs from March 1st – March 31st (eastern time). You can apply for that lottery by going to the Cables on Half Dome Permits page on Recreation.gov during the month of March.

DAILY LOTTERY

For those that want to climb to the top, but missed getting a reservation, a daily lottery is set up where you apply two days prior to when you want to climb. (For example, if you wanted to climb on Saturday, you would apply on Thursday.) The application is from midnight to 4pm and you should find out some time after 4pm. Pay attention to how popular different days are, if you have the flexibility, to improve your chances. Like the early lottery, you apply at the Cables on Half Dome Permits page on Recreation.gov.

For all of the details, visit the official Half Dome Permits for Day Hikers page.

NOTE: Backpackers (including those who plan to spend the night in Little Yosemite Valley) should apply for Half Dome permits with their wilderness permit rather than using the general day hikers permit process.

Fees

There is a $10 application fee regardless of whether you get the permit or not. If you get a permit, you’ll be charged an additional $10 per person.

Front Country Camping

Reservations are required for all campgrounds from approximately April through October. First-come, first-served camping is not available during this time. Any canceled reservations will be available on Recreation.gov until the arrival date.

  • North Pines Campground- Early access lottery or Reserve 5 months ahead on 15th of each months (Lottery application period: November 28 (7 am PST) through December 12, 2023 (9 pm PST))
  • Tuolumne Meadows Campground is closed for 2024 for rehabilitation projects

Back Country Camping

Wilderness reservations and permits are required May – October. Reservations by lottery are available 24 weeks in advance on Recreation.gov.

Reservations not taken by lottery are available on a first-come, first-served basis on Recreation.gov from about 22 weeks in advance until seven days before intended start date.

Additional reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis seven days in advance on Recreation.gov.

Fees: The processing fee is $10 per application. If you receive a wilderness permit, an additional fee of $5 per person applies.

Zion National Park

Entrance Fee

Zion specific park passes can be purchased in person when you arrive.

  • 7-day pass – $30 (motorcycles – $25 and on foot $15/person)
  • Zion Annual Pass (only good for Zion) – $70
  • America the Beautiful Pass as listed above
permits & reservations

You do not need a permit or reservation to enter the park or ride a park shuttle (just pay the park entrance fee).

A permit is not required to hike The Narrows going upstream (starting from the Temple of Sinawava).

If you plan to hike in specific areas of the park (like to Angels Landing), do certain kinds of recreation (like canyoneering the Left Fork to Subway), or day-hike the from The Narrows from top-down you will need a permit.

Effective January 5, 2024, Zion Wilderness Recreation Permits will be applied for on recreation.gov. All wilderness permits must be obtained in-person at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk or the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center prior to starting your activity.

Fees: $20 per permit; $7 per person per night

Angels Landing

Angels Landing puts you right in the middle of Zion Canyon. Not only is it breathtaking in beauty, but the scramble along the knife-edge ridge is not for the faint of heart. Due to its popularity, people were waiting for hours for others to go up and come back down. This caused people to trample the area, overuse the toilet, and run out of water making the whole thing not very enjoyable.

Zion has gradually been tweaking a program to reduce the number of visitors to the top of Angels Landing, thus making it an enjoyable experience once again.

NOTE: You do not need a permit to hike to Scout Lookout.

seasonal Lottery

Seasonal lotteries run quarterly ending approximately a month before the quarter (for example the lottery for the spring dates of March 1st – May 31st run between January 1st and January 20th). Head over to the Angels Landing page on Recreation.gov and pick seven ranked days and times or windows of days and times, then you’ll be notified by the 25th after the lottery ends.

day-before Lottery

For those that didn’t get a permit in the seasonal lottery, you can apply for the Day-before Lottery, once again at the Angels Landing page on Recreation.gov. Apply the day before you wish to hike up Angels Landing between midnight and 3pm Mountain. You will be notified by 4pm that day if you got your permit.

See table below for lottery dates and permits:

DATESINFORMATION
January 1, 2024 – January 20, 2024Seasonal lottery for spring dates (hikes on March 1 – May 31, 2024)
January 25, 2024Notification of results of spring seasonal lottery
February 28, 2024 – May 30, 2024Day-before lotteries (apply one day in advance of desired hiking dates)
April 1, 2024 – April 4, 2024No permits issued, trail maintenance taking place
April 1, 2024 – April 20, 2024Seasonal lottery for summer dates (June 1- August 31, 2024)
April 25, 2024 – July 20, 2024Notification of results of summer seasonal lottery
July 1, 2024 – July 20, 2024Seasonal lottery for fall dates (hikes on September 1 – November 30, 2024)
July 25, 2023 – October 20, 2024Notification of results of fall seasonal lottery
October 1, 2024 – October 20, 2024Seasonal lottery for winter dates (hikes on December 1, 2023 – February 29, 2025)
October 25, 2024Notification of results of winter seasonal lottery

For the official details and any changes, visit the park’s page on Angels Landing Permits.

Fees

It costs $6 (non-refundable) to apply for the permit in either lottery and then $3 (refundable) per person is charged for awarded permits.

Front Country Camping

There are only three campgrounds in Zion

  • Watchman – Make reservations up to six months in advance
  • South- Make reservations up to two weeks in advance
  • Lava Point- Located on Kolob Terrace Road

There are several campgrounds located outside the park.

Back Country Camping

Overnight stays in the park require a reservation and a Wilderness Recreation Permit.

Half of the backpacking campsites in the Zion Wilderness can be reserved online through Recreation.gov. Online reservations are available during a three-month time frame (For example: For a trip in January, February, or March, the online reservation is available on January 5th at 10:00 am Mountain Time. Trips in April, May, June, the online reservation is available March 5th.)