So How Much Does it Actually Cost to Visit a National Park? A Complete List
Fun fact: a national parks trip can be incredibly cost effective, but can also be mind blowingly expensive. I’ll always tell you that national parks are one of the cheapest vacations you can take, but….I might be a little bit wrong sometimes. There, I said it. With a little research, a national parks visit can be affordable. There are so many different options for lodging, camping, backpacking, staying in or outside of the park boundaries...you can make a national park whatever price point you want it to be. But we’re here to talk budget-friendly national parks, so let’s be real, just how expensive is a national parks trip?!
THE RULES
I did a little bit of research and came up with a way to rank our parks based on budget. We’re strictly discussing parks in the lower 48, because (a) Alaska is a whole different ball game, and (b) the vast majority of Americans don’t live in Hawaii, American Samoa, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, so the travel to get to these places is going to drive the cost up significantly. You’ll also notice that 6 parks in the continental United States are missing from this list: Cuyahoga Valley and Gateway Arch National Parks don’t offer any camping options whatsoever within the park boundaries; Carlsbad Caverns, Petrified Forest, Saguaro, and White Sands National Parks all offer backcountry camping, but do not have organized campgrounds.
The prices found here are based on a weekend trip to a national park for you and one other person. We’re assuming that you have a vehicle of some kind (so if a rental is necessary, that’s not accounted for), and that you’ll be front country camping at an organized campground inside park boundaries. Most activities within the park are free (hiking, museums, overlooks, etc.), but you’ll see the cost included here if there is a major activity at a park (i.e. cave tours) that costs money. It should also be noted that the prices shown here are not necessarily for the most desirable campgrounds within a certain park, but that this is the cheapest possible option. The entrance fees are per vehicle and good for 7 days unless otherwise noted. Also, I feel like it goes without saying--you can up the cost of your trip REALLY FAST if you want to stay at a lodge inside the parks. If that’s your thing, by all means, go for it. We won’t be doing that here, though. This list is specifically based on camping for those of us a little more budget-conscious.
WAYS TO SAVE BEYOND THIS LIST
The quickest and easiest way to save money in a lot of these parks is to buy an annual pass, so that you don’t have to pay the entrance fee. This list is also based on peak season prices; a lot of parks offer reduced-price camping in the off season, and some even offer reduced entrance fees. At some parks, backcountry camping permits are cheaper (many times free) than staying at a campground, or staying outside of the park could be a more affordable option.
Let’s get into it!
43. Biscayne National Park
Entrance fee: free
Boat rental: starts at $500
Camping: $25 per night; 25 x 2 nights = $50
TOTAL: $550
Based on the parameters, Biscayne is far and away the most expensive national park to camp at in the lower 48. HOWEVER, there are ways around the expense here! Personally, when I visited Biscayne, I stayed at a local hostel for $30, took a day trip to the park, and got out on the water for a guided adventure with the Biscayne National Park Institute. If you were a very skilled paddler, you could also kayak, which would save massive expense on the boat rental.
42. Dry Tortugas National Park
Entrance fee: $15, or included in your ferry ticket
Ferry ticket: $200; 200 x 2 people = $400
Camping: $15 per night; 15 x 2 nights = $30
TOTAL: $430
Dry Tortugas is a park that is impossible to visit without taking a plane or boat, and the boat is by far the cheaper option (and also the only option if you want to camp). There’s really no way to get around the expense here, but you’ll rest easy knowing that the cost is well worth it!
41. Isle Royale National Park
Entrance fee: $7 per person per day; (7 x 2 people) x 3 days = $42
Ferry ticket: $70 each way; (70 x 2 ways) x 2 people = $280
Camping permit: free
TOTAL: $322
Isle Royale is a special park for so many reasons (it’s in my top 5 parks for sure), and one of them is the entrance fee. Almost every other park has an entrance fee that is good for 7 days, but at Isle Royale. The real kicker here, though, is the cost of the ferry ride. Since the park is an island requiring you to fly or boat in, the ferry is the cheaper option for transport.
Isle Royale National Park
40. Channel Islands National Park
Entrance fee: free
Ferry ticket: $79 round trip; 79 x 2 people = $158
Camping: $15 x 2 nights = $30
TOTAL: $188
39. Voyageurs National Park
Entrance fee: free
Canoe/kayak rental: $40 per day; 40 x 3 days = $120
Camping: $10 fee + $20 per night; 10 + (20 x 2 nights) = $50
TOTAL: $170
Voyageurs is interesting because their front country camping is only accessible by boat. Unlike the island parks listed, the campsites are reachable by canoe or kayak, so I’ve included that price instead of your less strenuous option of a water taxi.
38. Mesa Verde National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $36 x 2 nights = $72
Tours: $7; 7 x 2 people = $14
TOTAL: $116
37. Hot Springs National Park
Entrance fee: free
Camping: $30 x 2 nights = $60
Bathing: $20-40; 20 x 2 people = $40
TOTAL: $100
36. Pinnacles National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $35 x 2 nights = $70
TOTAL: $100
35. Grand Teton National Park
Entrance fee: $35
Camping: $31 x 2 nights = $62
TOTAL: $97
34. Rocky Mountain National Park
Entrance fee: $35
Camping: $30 x 2 nights = $60
TOTAL: $95
Rocky Mountain National Park
33. Yellowstone National Park
Entrance fee: $35
Camping: $27 x 2 nights = $54
TOTAL: $89
32. Arches National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $25 x 2 = $50
TOTAL: $80
31. Everglades National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $25 x 2 = $50
TOTAL: $80
Everglades National Park
30. Redwood National Park
Entrance fee: free
State park entrance fee: $8
Camping: $35 x 2 nights = $70
TOTAL: $78
Redwood National Park is managed in partnership with a handful of California state parks. Many of the iconic hikes and points of interest in this national park are actually technically in a state park, which is why I’ve included the state park entrance fee.
29. Zion National Park
Entrance fee: $35
Shuttle reservation: $1; 1 x 2 people = $2
Camping: $20 x 2 nights = $40
TOTAL: $77
28. Bryce Canyon National Park
Entrance fee: $35
Camping: $20 x 2 nights = $40
TOTAL: $75
27. Acadia National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $22 x 2 nights: $44
TOTAL: $74
26. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Entrance fee: $35
Camping: $18 x 2 nights = $36
TOTAL: $71
25. Great Sand Dunes National Park
Entrance fee: $25
Camping: $20 x 2 nights = $40
TOTAL: $65
24. Big Bend National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $16 x 2 nights = $32
TOTAL: $62
Big Bend National Park
23. Canyonlands National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $15 x 2 nights = $30
TOTAL: $60
22. Capitol Reef National Park
Entrance fee: $20
Camping: $20 x 2 nights = $40
TOTAL: $60
21. Joshua Tree National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $15 x 2 nights = $30
TOTAL: $60
20. Olympic National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $15 x 2 nights = $30
TOTAL: $60
Olympic National Park
19. Shenandoah National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $15 x 2 nights = $30
TOTAL: $60
18. Grand Canyon National Park
Entrance fee: $35
Camping: $12 x 2 nights = $24
TOTAL: $59
17. Yosemite National Park
Entrance fee: $35
Camping: $12 x 2 nights = $24
TOTAL: $59
16. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $14 x 2 nights = $28
TOTAL: $58
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
15. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Entrance fee: $25
Camping: $16 x 2 nights = $32
TOTAL: $57
14. Wind Cave National Park
Entrance fee: free
Camping: $18 x 2 nights = $36
Cave tour: $10 x 2 people = $20
TOTAL: $56
13. Glacier National Park
Entrance fee: $35
Camping: $10 x 2 nights = $20
TOTAL: $55
12. Lassen Volcanic National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $12 x 2 nights = $24
TOTAL: $54
Lassen Volcanic National Park
11. Indiana Dunes National Park
Entrance fee: free
Camping: $25 x 2 nights = $50
TOTAL: $50
10. Mammoth Cave National Park
Entrance fee: free
Camping: $15 x 2 nights = $30
Cave tour: $6 x 2 people = $12
TOTAL: $42
9. Crater Lake National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: $5 x 2 nights = $10
TOTAL: $40
Crater Lake National Park
8. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Entrance fee: $10
Camping: $15 x 2 nights = $30
TOTAL: $40
7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Entrance fee: free
Camping: $17.50 x 2 nights = $35
TOTAL: $35
6. Badlands National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: free
TOTAL: $30
5. Death Valley National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: free
TOTAL: $30
4. Great Basin National Park
Entrance fee: free
Camping: $15 x 2 nights = $30
TOTAL: $30
3. Mount Rainier National Park
Entrance fee: $30
Camping: free
TOTAL: $30
Mount Rainier National Park
2. Congaree National Park
Entrance fee: free
Camping: $5 x 2 nights = $10
TOTAL: $10
Congaree National Park is known for its swampy environment, and offers options for free canoeing ranger programs, as well as boardwalk and hiking trails. It’s hard to beat a weekend trip for only $10.
1. North Cascades National Park
Entrance fee: free
Camping: free
TOTAL: free
North Cascades takes the cake for most affordable national park! Again, while there are campgrounds that require fees, there are places to camp in the frontcountry within this national park for free. In my opinion, North Cascades is one of the most scenic and underrated parks in the entire system. Do yourself a favor and go!
North Cascades National Park
