Southwest USA & The West Coast (California, Arizona etc) - General Thread

PeacefulWaters

A quick question on the $80 annual national park fee v $20 single park weekly fee.

We will certainly enter Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Yosemite. We might enter Joshua Tree. There's an outside chance of a USA return within a year.

Does having an annual pass get faster entry to any of the parks or is it join the same same queue as others who are now paying? Can the same pass be used with a different car next year?

I'll probably pay the $80 but might not get full value for it. Just weighing up the pros and cons.

John259

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

Does having an annual pass get faster entry to any of the parks or is it join the same same queue as others who are now paying?

I've never encountered a separate entrance station queue but I suppose it's possible they might exist at the busiest parks. Delays at entrance stations aren't normally very lengthy, except perhaps Yosemite when entering from the west.

Can the same pass be used with a different car next year?

Yes, the car registration isn't recorded on it. It's like a credit card, with space for two signatures.

I'll probably pay the $80 but might not get full value for it.

As well as the national parks it also covers entrance fees for national monuments, national historic sites, and some other federal fee areas, but NOT state parks; nor does it cover optional add-ons such as tram tours, cave tours, boat trips, and some other ranger-led tours. It DOES cover the shuttle buses in the parks which have them.

There more information about it on the National Park Service web site here:
http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm

Crispy_Ambulance

We got the annual pass as we did 6 parks. There wasn't a separate queue but we did have to show ID that matched the signature at one of the park entrances. There are no car details on the pass.

blindman

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

A quick question on the $80 annual national park fee v $20 single park weekly fee.

We will certainly enter Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Yosemite. We might enter Joshua Tree. There's an outside chance of a USA return within a year.

Does having an annual pass get faster entry to any of the parks or is it join the same same queue as others who are now paying? Can the same pass be used with a different car next year?

I'll probably pay the $80 but might not get full value for it. Just weighing up the pros and cons.

Depending how MSe or moralisitc you are :cool:

You can buy used ones or sell yours

as per this link

Ebay.de

If you buy it at the park entrances AFAIK you (still) have to pay in Ca$h-so make sure you have some!

Crispy_Ambulance

blindman wrote: »

If you buy it at the park entrances AFAIK you (still) have to pay in Ca$h-so make sure you have some!

Pretty sure we paid by card. But I couldn't be 100%

blindman

Crispy_Ambulance wrote: »

Pretty sure we paid by card. But I couldn't be 100%

You may be correct-My last experience was a while back :cool: (24 months)

But as these Park Ranger cabins\entrances can be out in the middle of nowhere always worth having the ca$h as backup.

Crispy_Ambulance

True - and at Death valley, the passes were only available via machines.

The National Parks were all wonderful.

PeacefulWaters

Thanks all. We'll pay the $80 at Grand Canyon and take it from there. If it only pays for three parks so be it.

The web site says many of the bigger entrances will take card but the cash will be in my wallet just in case.

northwest1965

Bought ours at Grand Canyon last year. Paid with a credit card at the booth.

John259

Grand Canyon National Park - Fees and Reservations - Where can I buy an Entrance Permit?
"NPS North Rim Entrance Station: checks and credit cards.
NPS Desert View Entrance Station: checks, credit cards and cash
NPS South Entrance Station: checks: credit cards and cash."
- http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm