National Park Trip Planning Guides

National park trip planning starts with one money decision: pay each park's entrance fee at the gate, or buy a pass that covers them. The guides below price that choice for Bryce Canyon and Glacier national parks, for visitors who live in the United States and for those who live outside it.

Entrance Fees for National Park Trip Planning at Bryce and Glacier

Bryce Canyon charges a $35 entrance fee per private vehicle, and Glacier charges $35 in summer. Glacier drops its fee to $25 from November 1 to April 30, and a Glacier entrance receipt is valid for 7 days. Each park also sells its own annual pass for $70.

Visitors who live outside the United States pay more. The National Park Service adds a fee per person aged 16 and over at both parks, on top of the entrance fee. An Annual or America the Beautiful pass removes that extra charge.

When the America the Beautiful Pass Pays Off

The America the Beautiful pass costs $80 a year for United States citizens and residents and $250 for nonresidents. It covers entrance and standard amenity fees at sites run by the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. One pass covers one private vehicle, or four people where a site charges per person.

The math changes with residency and group size:

• Residents visiting both parks in summer pay the vehicle fee twice, so $70 at the gates, which is $10 less than the pass.
• Two nonresident adults at one park pay the vehicle fee plus 2 × $100, so $235. Visiting both parks doubles that to $470, well above the $250 pass.
• Seniors 62 and over can buy a $20 annual pass or an $80 lifetime pass.

Free passes exist for current military members and their dependents, Gold Star families, veterans, people with a permanent disability, 4th graders and volunteers with 250 service hours. Our guide on whether the America the Beautiful pass is worth it covers each pass type. You can buy a pass in person at more than 1,000 federal sites, order one by mail from the U.S. Geological Survey online store (allow up to 3 weeks), or get a digital pass on Recreation.gov.

Adding Lodging to National Park Trip Planning

Dark Light Collection is building glass pyramids on private land near Bryce Canyon and near Glacier, opening in 2027, and founding deposits are open on the Dark Light Collection reservation page. Wherever you stay, Bryce Canyon and Glacier each charge an entrance fee. Run your group's numbers through the America the Beautiful pass cost breakdown as the first step of your national park trip planning.

Passes & fees