How to buy U.S. national park pass

I've read that you can buy a pass valid in almost every National Park for $80, called 'America the Beautiful'.

Some sources state that you have to buy regular entrance tickets and keep every single one of them. Once they sum up to $80, you can ask for the pass (for free). Other sources claim that you can buy the pass right away (which in my opinion is easier). Can anyone confirm which it is?

Since I'm not a US resident, I'm not gonna risk it to pre-order it through the official site and hope it arrives in time before we leave for the US.

Best Answer

I traveled from Austin Texas to San Francisco and paid entrance to a half dozen national parks and a couple national moniments on the way. When I got to Joshua Tree, I off handedly said it was too bad that I didnt just buy the pass because I had been to so many National Parks in the past couple weeks. They laughed and said that you can and said monuments counted too. I conveniently had the receipts in my dash and pulled them out. They used all of them and I walked away with an annual pass starting from the previous month (first receipt was the end of the prior month). I think playing dumb will go a lot further than being super organized.

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Quick Answer about "How to buy U.S. national park pass"

In person: Find a location to purchase this pass at a federal recreation site.

Online: Buy this pass from the USGS Store.

By phone: Call 888-ASK USGS (1-888-275-8747), extension 2. Hours of operation are 8 am to 4 pm Mountain Time.

How much does a US national park pass cost?

The US National Parks Pass costs $80 and is valid for one year. US citizens are also eligible for a senior pass if over 62 ($20 for an annual pass or $80 for a lifetime pass), or a free pass for disabled people or the military.

How long does it take to get a US national park pass?

Passes take between six to ten weeks to arrive. Be careful with your pass! They are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen.

Where does the America the Beautiful Pass work?

Each pass covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as standard amenity fees (day use fees) at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

National Park \u0026 Federal Land Passes Explained [Changes for 2021]

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