Entrance Fees

Lower Falls, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Entrance Fees

Buy you pass online at Recreation dot gov

Whether you’re planning a single visit or coming back multiple times a year, enjoy the convenience of purchasing a Yellowstone National Park site-specific digital pass on Recreation.gov before you arrive. You have immediate access to your digital pass and can easily download it on your phone or tablet. Your pass will also be emailed as a PDF and can be printed out for display when you arrive.

Learn more about your pass options, find the right Yellowstone National Park pass for you, and buy your pass online.

Visitors entering Yellowstone’s South Entrance will be traveling through Grand Teton National Park first; separate entrance fees are charged.

The following passes are sold at all entrance stations.

Seven-day Passes

Good for entry into Yellowstone National Park for seven days from the date of purchase.

  • Private, non-commercial vehicle: $35
  • Motorcycle or snowmobile: $30
  • Individual (by foot, bicycle, ski, etc.): $20/person

Annual Pass

Annual pass providing free entrance into Yellowstone National Park for one year (valid through the month of purchase). On a snowmobile, this pass admits the signer(s). When traveling by snowcoach or shuttle, this pass admits a signer and up to three additional persons (16 and older) for a total of four people.

  • Yellowstone National Park Annual Pass: $70.00

Regulations and Exceptions

  • All passes are non-transferable.
  • All snowmobiles must be on a guided tour or permit.
  • School groups and other bona fide national and international academic institutions may be eligible for an Academic Fee Waiver.
  • Anyone age 15 or younger is exempt from paying entrance fees.
  • Passes may be used for entry as defined on the back of the pass.
  • Anyone traveling through the park for business or commercial purposes needs a commercial travel permit.

Non-Commercial Buses/Vans

Non-commercial groups (e.g. church groups, scouts) traveling in vehicles with a capacity of 16 people or more pay $20/person.

Commercial Tours

Based on CDC guidance, The Department of the Interior and National Park Service (NPS) have determined that the physical distancing standards outlined in the DOI COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan are not practicable on park transportation systems. The National Park Service (NPS) has recently issued new guidance requiring the lifting of social distancing measures on transportation systems.

Effective June 3, 2021, Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks will no longer require strict physical distancing standards on park transportation systems. Park transportation systems may return to full capacity operations as soon as practicable. While some practices that promote physical distancing may be appropriate to continue (such as designating an entry and exit door for vehicles with multiple doors), practices that limit capacity, such as closing alternate rows of seating or limiting occupancy, are not required.

Public Transit Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) identifies maintaining six feet of physical distance from others who are not part of your household as a sound public health practice and while this remains accurate, the CDC recognizes that “distancing may be difficult to impossible on flights” and that “travel by bus, train, vessel, and other conveyances pose similar challenges.” As a result, the CDC ordered and requires that masks be worn on transportation systems, however, physical distancing is not required.

All commercial operators are independently responsible for understanding and complying with the most current applicable laws, regulations, orders, ordinances and other requirements and for conducting their operations in a manner that is safe and protects the health of employees, customers and the public.

This guidance could change if COVID-19 conditions become less favorable. Operators are responsible for staying up-to-date on the latest guidance.

If you are a Road-Based Commercial Tour operator and would like to receive communication from the park about operational changes, please email us your business name, contact name, address, phone number, and email address.

Commercial bus tours pay fees based on the seating capacity of the vehicle. The following fees cover entry to Yellowstone:

  • Commercial Sedan (1-6 seats): $25, plus $20/person
  • Commercial Van (7-15 seats, regardless of occupancy): $125
  • Commercial Mini Bus (16-25 seats, regardless of occupancy): $200
  • Commercial Motor Coach (26 or more seats, regardless of occupancy): $300

Commercial entry good for seven days as long as it’s the same passenger group.

Federal Lands Passes

Federal lands passes are accepted and sold at Yellowstone entrance stations.

Note about Winter Use in Yellowstone

On a snowmobile, annual/lifetime passes admit the signer(s). When traveling by snowcoach or shuttle, passes admit a signer and up to three additional persons (16 and older) for a total of four people.

America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes

The America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series includes different options of interagency passes that provide access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas across the United States.

Passes cover:

  • entrance fees at National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife sites
  • standard amenity fees (day-use fees) at Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, US Forest Service, and US Army Corps of Engineers sites

In general, passes cover the above types of fees for everyone in a personal vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas or up to four adults at sites that charge per person. Children ages 15 or under are admitted free. Two lifetime passes (Senior and Access) provide additional benefits, such as a 50-percent discount on camping at some sites. Always check with individual sites for details.

Interagency passes include:

  • Annual Pass: $80
  • Annual Military Pass: Free*
  • Annual Fourth Grade Pass for US students in fourth grade: Free
  • Annual Senior Pass: $20
  • Lifetime Senior Pass: $80
  • Lifetime Access Pass: Free
  • Annual Volunteer Pass: Free (250 hours of volunteer service at any of the six participating federal agencies is required)

*A new program that provides free access for US military veterans and Gold Star Family members took effect in fall 2020 as a way to thank them for their support of our country and to encourage them to explore recreational opportunities on their public lands and waters. Find detailed information about who qualifies, acceptable forms of identification, and how to download a Gold Star Family voucher.

New passes added this year include:

Continue to part four Average Yellowstone Temperatures