Entrance Fees and Where to Get Your Park Pass for Yellowstone

When you enter Yellowstone National Park, you’ll need to buy a park pass at the entrance station (unless you have a park pass already).  There are several different options you have when you go to buy a park pass. You can buy a pass that is good for seven days to Yellowstone, an annual pass to Yellowstone or you can buy an all-parks pass that is good for a year and gets you into every national park site. If you think you’ll visit more than one park in a year, buying the America the Beautiful all parks pass makes a lot of economical sense. Here are all the details below.

Yellowstone Entrance Passes

For private, non-commercial vehicles, a 7-day pass to Yellowstone National Park costs $35/vehicle and does not include entrance into nearby Grand Teton National Park. The latter park, home to the mighty Grand Teton and other rugged peaks, also charges $35/vehicle for entrance. Visitors entering Yellowstone’s South Entrance will be traveling through Grand Teton National Park first and so will pay both entrance fees.

An annual Yellowstone park pass costs $70/vehicle.

Money from the entrance fees goes toward park-specific projects, including road repairs, monitoring and mitigation of park resources, campground upgrades, and rehabilitation of park structures, among other things.

$80 America the Beautiful National Park Pass

Get More Parks For Less. There are many ways to get more bang for your entrance fee buck. For one, if you’re considering hitting a few national parks this year, buy the America the Beautiful Pass. The America the Beautiful National Park pass is honored at all federally-managed land units (national parks, national forests, national monuments, etc.) It’s good for a year from the month of purchase.

$80 Senior Lifetime Pass

The best deal if you’re 62 and older is the national park lifetime passes, which are only $80. If you have a young family, you might want to take the grandparents along on vacation. The whole car can get into the park with the Senior Pass, and the memories created will be priceless.

Get in For Free

Active military receive free annual parks passes for themselves and their dependents when they show a military ID. Travelers under 16 years of age, as well as those visiting parks for educational or scientific purposes, also receive an entrance waiver. And if you have a permanent disability and show documentation, you get in for free and get a discount on camping. Is there a fourth grader in your family? Visit everykidoutdoors.gov for your free pass.

Don’t fit those categories? Hit your favorite park on a free admission day. There are usually 6 free days every year. Check our event calendar for dates.

Where to Get a National Park Pass

Most park visitors purchase their park pass at an entrance gate as they arrive. You can also buy a park pass in advance.

Buy a Yellowstone-only annual park pass online at yourpassnow.com/r1s/site/72451 or at www.recreation.gov/sitepass/72451. Please be prepared to show your hard copy pass or the downloaded digital pass on your mobile device at all times in the park. Cell phone service will be limited inside the park.

Get your America the Beautiful Annual Pass at the USGS online store at store.usgs.gov/pass (shipping and handling fees apply) or at REI’s online store at www.rei.com (free shipping and National Park Foundation donation). You can also pick up an America the Beautiful Annual Pass at participating REI stores.