There are sixty two National Parks in the United States – all of them beautiful and full of incredible photo opportunities. If you are planning to visit several of them on your next trip, it could be worth purchasing an America the Beautiful annual pass as entrance fees can easily add up.

What is the America the Beautiful Annual Pass?

The America the Beautiful annual pass is an interagency pass valid for one year from date of purchase and available to anyone over the age of sixteen regardless of nationality. The pass can have two names/signatures on it allowing it to be shared by friends as the two people do not need to be related or have the same address.

Where Can an America the Beautiful Annual Pass be Used?

The America the Beautiful pass can be used at over two thousand federal recreation sites across the United States including National Parks, National Monuments and National Forests. The agencies that honour the pass are the National Park Service, the USDA Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation and the US Army Corps of Engineers.

The America the Beautiful pass cannot be used at Grand Canyon West which is owned by the Hualapai Tribe or at Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon or the Four Corners Monument as these are all situated on Navajo Nation land.

How Much is the America the Beautiful Annual Pass?

The America the Beautiful pass costs $80 which allows unlimited access for one year for the passholder and all passengers in one private vehicle at sites that charge a per vehicle fee or the passholder and up to three adults at sites that charge per person. There are no fees for anyone fifteen years of age and under.

Photo ID must be shown with the pass when entering the park and passes cannot be reissued if lost or stolen.

What is Not Included in the America the Beautiful Annual Pass?

Whilst the America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees and standard amenity fees, it does not cover the cost of camping, boat launches, tours or any concessions.

The pass also does not cover the cost of parking at Mount Rushmore or the cost of ferries to get to and from Alcatraz, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Where to Buy an America the Beautiful Annual Pass

You can buy an America the Beautiful pass in person at the park gate of the first park you visit on your trip. You can also order the pass online but this will have added service fees as well as high shipping fees for overseas visitors.

The full list of places where you can buy an America the Beautiful pass can be found here.

How Much Does Each National Park Cost to Enter?

Entrance costs can vary per park with the most famous National Parks also being the most expensive. You can look up the current costs ahead of your visit on the National Parks Service website. After seeing the costs for each park, you can then work out if buying an America the Beautiful pass is worth it or not for you.

Is the America the Beautiful Annual Pass Worth it?

Without a doubt, the America the Beautiful pass is one of the best things you can buy when travelling in the United States and a must have when on a road trip. The pass very quickly pays for itself and you only have to visit three of the major National Parks within a year to break even – and if travelling through California, Arizona and Utah where there are many parks in close proximity, that is very easy to do in a short space of time.

The America the Beautiful pass will give you the opportunity to visit many places that you might not have originally planned to at no extra cost and without having to worry about paying admission each time. It also gives you the flexibility and freedom when on a road trip to be able to take alternate routes – we were able to take the more scenic route one day through the Grand Canyon just because we could!

How Much Did I Save by Buying an America the Beautiful Pass?

As already mentioned, we purchased an America the Beautiful annual pass to not only use on our last road trip but also on another trip this year.

On the road trip we visited Grand Canyon National Park, Badlands National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Without buying an America the Beautiful pass, we would have spent $160 in entrance fees. By buying the pass for $80, we saved a total of $80 – this was only a two week trip as well so if you used it a lot more during the year, the possible savings could be incredible.

We had also planned to visit both Volcanoes National Park and Haleakalā National Park (which would have been a further saving of $60) in Hawaii this year but sadly the Coronavirus pandemic stopped our trip that we were looking forward to so much. We hope to replan our Hawaii trip (and make it even bigger and better than before) as soon as we can and yes, we will purchase an America the Beautiful pass once again.

Since this blog post was written back in 2020, some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

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