If you’re planning to travel to several national parks in the US over 12 months, I have a great tip that will save you dozens of dollars on entrance fees. The America the Beautiful Annual Pass is a one-year pass granting access to more than 2,000 national parks, wildlife refuges, and recreation areas. The price for 2025 is set at $80; you only pay it once, and then you can visit as many places as you want without paying again.
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Table of Contents
How America the Beautiful Pass Works
The America the Beautiful Annual Pass is essentially a season pass that allows unlimited visits to parks and other venues. The pass is valid for 12 months from the month in which you purchased the pass.
The entire car group can travel on one pass. If there is a per-person (rather than per-car) admission charge at the park, up to three other people aged 16 or older can use the pass along with the owner. Younger persons are admitted free of charge. In practice, the three-person limit is often disregarded, and the entire car group can enter the park on the pass.
In addition to the pass, a passport or driving license is required to enter the park.
When you buy an America the Beautiful Pass, you get a plastic card – the pass, an information booklet and a car tag (hangtag). This is used for identification and should be placed in a visible place behind the front window. There is a box on the card in which the holder’s name is written in marker. As of 1 January 2024, there is space for one signature on the card, and by the end of 2023, two signatures will fit on the card.
The America the Beautiful Annual Pass only covers entry to national parks. There is a separate fee for parking, camping, reserving entry times or renting boats.
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Places Where You Can Use America the Beautiful Pass
The annual pass is valid in national parks (also shown on the map above) and more than 2,000 national forests, wildlife refuges, rainforests, or desert and recreation areas. National equals federal. America The Beautiful does not apply in state-established parks (e.g., Hearst Castle or Niagara Falls State Park).
With the America the Beautiful Pass, you can visit national parks such as Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, or Death Valley. If you’re planning to visit three or four national parks, the America the Beautiful Pass is well worth the price because its cost will be lower than the combined entrance fees.
Visit the official Recreation.gov website for a list of all locations where the Annual Pass can be used.
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Price of the America the Beautiful Pass 2025
In the year 2025 america the Beautiful – Annual Pass is sold for $80.
Annual passes for seniors aged 62 and older are also available, but these can only be purchased by Americans and permanent residents.
If you are already in the US or Canada, you can buy a pass online. Ordering outside of these two countries is so complicated that it is worth buying your pass locally. They sell it at the information center of each national park, where you can usually pay by credit card.
- Details can be found on the official website
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Buy/Buy America The Beautiful Pass
There was room for two names on the America the Beautiful plastic card purchased by the end of 2023. Some people bought a new pass, used it, and then sold it. It was against the rules and the National Park Service was losing money, but visitors got away with it.
As of 2024, there is only room for one signature on the card. This measure was apparently intended to prevent the trading of the America the Beautiful Pass.
In the discussion below this article, there are offers to sell or buy the card. I tolerate comments here. If you want to post an ad for, say, an unused Annual the Beautiful Pass, be sure to include contact information. If you want to delete the ad after a successful trade, just post a comment with the same email address.
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FAQs
Is the America the Beautiful Annual Pass Worth Buying?
If you are planning to visit at least 3-4 U.S. national parks, national monuments, forests, or other included sites in 12 consecutive months, it is probably worth it. Our U.S. national parks road trip itinerary will provide you with inspiration.The exact amount of savings depends on the specific places you visit. In some national parks, there is no entrance fee, while in others, the entrance fee is relatively high.
Where Can I Buy an America the Beautiful Pass?
You can purchase an America the Beautiful Pass at a visitor center in any national park, and you can usually use a credit card for payment. Purchasing it when you visit your first park is the best option; it takes just a few minutes, and you do not have to make any arrangements in advance.Can I Visit the Same National Park More Than Once With the America the Beautiful Pass?
Yes. Unlike The New York Pass, for example, the America the Beautiful Pass allows repeated visits to all parks without any restrictions. I recommend checking the current park hours before each visit, as some places may be closed during the winter season, for example.How Do I Show My Card in Places Where There Is No Entrance Gate?
For this purpose, a tag is included with your order and is hung behind the rear-view mirror inside the car. The America the Beautiful Pass must be inserted into the tag so that the holder’s signature is visible on the outside. The tag itself is invalid without the pass inserted.What Is the Exact Validity of the America the Beautiful Annual Pass?
The pass is valid for 12 months, starting from the time of purchase and ending on the last day of the same month in the following year. For example, if you purchase your pass on May 21, 2025, it will expire on May 31, 2026.
US National Parks
- List of US National Parks
- America the Beautiful Annual Pass
- Timed-Entry Reservation for US National Parks
Travel Guides to USA National Parks
Discussion (1)
Hi, I am selling an Annual pass with one signature valid 9/2024. Price £40, I will send by post :)