2026 Yellowstone entrance fees
From the National Park Service official fee schedule (nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/fees.htm):
Single-vehicle, single-visit
- 7-day Yellowstone vehicle pass: $35 (covers one non-commercial vehicle, all passengers)
- 7-day motorcycle pass: $30
- 7-day individual (on foot/bike/horse): $20 per person
Annual passes
- Yellowstone Annual Pass: $70 (Yellowstone only, valid one year from purchase)
- America the Beautiful Annual Pass: $80 (all U.S. national parks, monuments, and federal recreation sites for one year)
Specialty annual passes
- Senior Annual Pass (62+, U.S. residents): $20
- Senior Lifetime Pass (62+, U.S. residents): $80, lifetime access to all national parks
- Access Pass (permanent disability): Free
- Military Annual Pass: Free (active duty + dependents)
- 4th Grade Annual Pass: Free (covers entire family including 4th-grade student)
- Volunteer Pass: Free (250+ service hours)
Nonresident surcharge (begins 2026)
$100 per non-US visitor age 16+, in addition to the entrance fee. Does not apply if the visitor enters using an Annual Pass. Significant change — international families should plan accordingly.
Which pass to buy
If you’re visiting once for one week
The $35 7-day vehicle pass. Covers everyone in your vehicle for 7 consecutive days. Buy at the gate or in advance via recreation.gov.
If you’re visiting more than once a year, or two parks in one trip
The $80 America the Beautiful Annual Pass. Pays for itself if you also visit Grand Teton (one hour south of Yellowstone’s south entrance), Glacier, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, or any other national park or monument within the year. Most Grandview cabin guests who plan to also visit Grand Teton will hit break-even on the very first day.
If you’re 62 or older
The $80 Senior Lifetime Pass. One-time payment, valid for life, all national parks. The obvious choice for anyone 62+ planning to visit any national park ever again.
If a 4th-grader is in your family
The free Every Kid Outdoors pass. Cover your entire family for the entire 4th-grade year. Apply at everykidoutdoors.gov.
If you’re active duty military
Free military Annual Pass at any gate. Bring military ID.
Where to buy
At the gate
Credit cards accepted. Lines back up at the west entrance in July and August — particularly Saturday mornings. Allow 20–30 minutes of gate line in peak season.
Online in advance
Recreation.gov or the USGS Store. Print the pass at home or save the digital pass on your phone. Show at the gate.
At REI, AAA, sporting goods stores
Many retailers sell the America the Beautiful Annual Pass at face value. Useful if you’re passing one on the drive in.
What you need at the gate
- The pass itself (or your phone with the digital pass)
- The pass holder’s photo ID (the pass is non-transferable)
- A vehicle (vehicle passes are tied to anyone in the vehicle, not a specific plate)
What the entrance pass doesn't cover
The vehicle pass covers entrance to the park, NOT:
- Lodging — separate, booked through Yellowstone National Park Lodges. Books up 6–12 months ahead.
- Camping — separate fees, reservations through Recreation.gov
- Fishing — separate Yellowstone fishing permit required ($40 / 3-day, $55 / 7-day, $75 / season)
- Backcountry permits — required for overnight backcountry trips, separate fee
- Boating — separate boating permit required for any watercraft
- Snowmobile access (winter) — requires either a commercial guided tour or the NCGSAP permit
When to buy each pass
The choice between the $35 7-day vehicle pass and the $80 Annual Pass isn’t obvious to first-time visitors. Below is the working logic.
Buy the $35 vehicle pass if:
- This is your only national-park visit for the year
- You’re visiting Yellowstone only (not Grand Teton)
- You have only one vehicle and one entry per week
Buy the $80 America the Beautiful Annual Pass if:
- You’ll also visit Grand Teton (one hour south of Yellowstone’s south entrance)
- You’ll visit any other national park or monument within 12 months (Glacier, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Arches, Zion, etc.)
- You expect repeat Yellowstone visits (multiple entries in a season)
- Two vehicles in your party — the pass covers any vehicle the pass-holder is in
For most Grandview cabin guests who plan a multi-day Yellowstone trip and any other park exposure, the $80 Annual Pass breaks even immediately and saves money long-term.
Buy the $80 Senior Lifetime Pass if:
Anyone in your group is 62 or older and a U.S. resident. $80 once, valid for life, all national parks. The obvious answer for any senior who’ll visit any park ever again.
Reservation status (2026)
Unlike a few national parks (Arches, Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun Road, etc.), Yellowstone does not require timed-entry reservations for general park access. You can show up at any gate, any day, with or without an advance pass.
The exceptions where reservations DO matter:
- Lodging inside the park — books 6–12 months ahead. Reserve through Yellowstone National Park Lodges.
- Camping — multiple campgrounds use reservations through Recreation.gov; others are first-come.
- Backcountry permits — required for overnight backcountry use, separate application.
- Winter snowmobile access — NCGSAP permit lottery in late summer.
Discounts and free options
Beyond the senior/military/disability passes already listed, several other free or discounted options exist:
- Free entrance days — the NPS designates 5–6 fee-free days per year (MLK Day, the first day of National Park Week in April, Juneteenth, the Great American Outdoors Act anniversary, National Public Lands Day, Veterans Day). Worth a check if your trip falls on one.
- Every Kid Outdoors — if you have a 4th-grade student, the entire family enters free for the school year. Apply at everykidoutdoors.gov.
- Volunteer Pass — 250+ qualifying service hours earn a free annual pass.