This Most Expensive National Park Offers Unforgettable Experiences

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24/7 Wall St. Insight

• Many national parks are free, but some charge entrance fees
• There are 10 parks that charge the most for a standard private vehicle pass
• America the Beautiful Pass is the way to go when planning to visit several parks a year
• Also see: 2 Dividend Legends To Hold Forever

Several national parks have made headlines the past week. Hikers went missing -- and were found two days later -- in Yosemite National Park; in Glacier National Park, rangers recovered the body of a man who drowned over the July 4th weekend; and two people died in two separate incidents in Grand Canyon National Park. While national parks can indeed be dangerous if visitors don't adhere to rules and act careless -- which is often the case -- they also offer great experiences, including remarkable vistas, interesting wildlife, diverse plants, and the ability to access activities that are not part of regular city life. Hiking, camping, fishing, boating, bird and wildlife watching, and many others such activities attract millions of Americans to national parks every year. (Also see: America’s 10 Greenest Cities .)

Also, these experience are relatively cheap. Over 300 national parks are free and do not require any entrance passes. And though an entrance pass is required in over 100 parks, these fees are generally not too expensive, starting at just $5 per private vehicle and its occupants for one day. The most expensive fees are for annual entrance passes, which at the top range cost $70 in 11 parks.

To find the most expensive national parks, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed entrance fees by park, from the National Parks Service . We ranked the parks by the standard pass for a private vehicle, which is often how people and families would arrive at a park. Listed here are the 10 parks that charge $35 for a private vehicle pass. The NPS explains that at some parks, the "Private Vehicle" or "Motorcycle" price includes the vehicle and its passengers. A "Per Person" pass is for those who enter on bicycles or on foot. In parks with only "per person" fees, all passengers would be required to buy a pass. (Visitor statistics also came from the NPS .)

In addition, parks offer an annual pass. All the parks on the list charge $70 for an annual pass. One more park -- Rocky Mountain National Park -- charges $70 for an annual pass, but it is not on the list because the standard private vehicle pass costs $30. One way to cheapen park entrances, if someone plans to visit multiple parks in a year, is to buy America The Beautiful annual pass , which costs $80 for a private vehicle and allows multiple entries during one year to national parks and federal lands. Another way is to go during free entrance days. Two remain in 2024 -- Saturday, Sept. 28 — National Public Lands Day and Monday, Nov. 11 — Veterans Day.

As some of the most iconic and dramatic parks, the 10 national parks on the list drew, combined, over 32 million visitors in 2023. The 10 parks are diverse in their offerings, from geothermal features to geological wonders; from ice-capped peaks to ocean vistas; from giant forests to unique wildlife, and much more.

Why are we covering this

Visitations to national parks declined dramatically in 2020, the first pandemic year, but they've been recovering since. Compared to many other family vacations, even the most expensive national parks are cheaper (even when assuming hotel accommodation and not camping) than, say, Disney attractions . And parks offer experiences that few other places do.

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