Fees & Passes

Key Information

1. Get an entrance pass

   All visitors must have one of these entrance passes:

   Pass	Price
   Standard Pass	$15.00–$30.00
   Annual Pass	$55.00
   America the Beautiful Pass (includes Senior Passes)	FREE–$80.00

   Help me choose an entrance pass

2. Plan to go cashless

   This park does not accept cash.

Choosing an Entrance Pass

Do you have or qualify for a discounted America the Beautiful Pass?

If you already have an America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, that's the only entrance pass you need. Seniors, military, visitors with a permanent disability, and families with a 4th grader are eligible for a free or discounted America the Beautiful pass.

America the Beautiful Pass

How often do you plan to visit national parks in the next 12 months?

If you don't qualify for a discounted America the Beautiful pass, we recommend choosing an entrance pass based on your trip plans.

I'm visiting...	We recommend
This park, once	Standard Pass
This park, multiple times	Annual Pass
More than one national park or federal recreation site	America the Beautiful Pass

Entrance Passes

• Standard Pass
• Annual Pass
• America the Beautiful Pass

Standard Entrance Pass

$15.00–$30.00

Buy pass

Badlands National Park charges an entrance fee. No cash is accepted. Credit/debit card only. You may purchase a 7-day pass valid at only Badlands National Park privately or commercially. Private passes (private vehicle, motorcycle, or individual) can be purchased on recreation.gov or on-site, at one of the 3 entrance stations (Northeast, Pinnacles, or Interior). Commercial passes (sedan, van, minibus, or motorcoach) must be purchased on-site at one of the entrance stations. If you are visiting other federal recreation areas consider purchasing an Interagency Pass (Annual, Senior, Access, Military, etc.) when you arrive at the park. If you already hold one of the accepted entrance passes you do not need to purchase any of the 7-day passes. Site Passes purchased on Recreation.gov are non-refundable and non-transferable. Only purchase this Badlands National Park Site Pass if you do not plan to use another pass to cover the entrance fee.

For Vehicles

If you enter the park in a motorized vehicle, your entrance pass covers both you and your passengers. Your passengers do not need a separate pass.

Costs for vehicles with more than 15 passengers are listed below under Organizations and Businesses.

Private Vehicle

$30.00

Fee covers the entry of a private vehicle and its occupants for 7 days

In-person Purchase Locations

• Northeast Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Pinnacles Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Interior Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

More information

Motorcycle

$25.00

Fee covers the entry of a motorcycle and its occupants for 7 days

In-person Purchase Locations

• Northeast Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Pinnacles Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Interior Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

More information

For Individuals without a Vehicle

If you enter the park on a bicycle or on foot and are at least 16 years old, you need your own entrance pass. Children under the age of 16 don't need an entrance pass.

Per Person

$15.00

Fee covers the entry of an individual that is hiking, bicycling, etc... for 7 days

In-person Purchase Locations

• Northeast Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Pinnacles Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Interior Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

More information

For Organizations & Businesses

Commercial Sedan (1-6 seats)

$25.00

Commercial sedan, 1 to 6 passenger capacity. $25 plus $15 per person - 7 days for Original Manifest

In-person Purchase Locations

• Northeast Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Pinnacles Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Interior Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

More information

Commercial Van (7-15 seats)

$50.00

Commercial van, 7 to 15 passenger capacity; $50 - 7 days for Original Manifest

In-person Purchase Locations

• Northeast Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Pinnacles Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Interior Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

More information

Commercial Mini-bus (16-25 seats)

$60.00

Minibus, 16 to 25 passenger capacity; $60 - 7 days for Original Manifest

In-person Purchase Locations

• Northeast Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Pinnacles Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Interior Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

More information

Commercial Motor Coach (26+ seats)

$150.00

Motorcoach, 26 or more passenger capacity; $150 - 7 days for Original Manifest

In-person Purchase Locations

• Northeast Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Pinnacles Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Interior Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

More information

Show less about Standard Entrance Pass

Annual Entrance - Park

$55.00

This pass admits a single, private, non commercial vehicle and its occupants into the park. This pass does not include camping or give any type of discount at stores inside the park. Valid for one year from month of purchase.

In-person Purchase Locations

• Northeast Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Pinnacles Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

• Interior Entrance Station

  Credit/Debit Only

Show lessabout Annual Entrance - Park

America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass

Covers entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees at lands managed by

• National Park Service
• US Fish & Wildlife Service
• US Forest Service
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of Reclamation
• US Army of Corps of Engineers

Depending on the type of entrance fee charged at a site, covers
One private vehicle fee
or
Four per person fees

Type	Available to	Price
Annual Pass	Everyone	$80.00
Senior Annual Pass	US citizens and permanent residents 62+ years old	$20.00
Senior Lifetime Pass	US citizens and permanent residents 62+ years old	$80.00
Military Annual Pass	Current US military and dependents	Free
Military Lifetime Pass	Gold Star Family members and veterans	Free
Access Pass	US citizens and permanent residents with permanent disability	Free
4th Grade Pass	US 4th graders	Free
Volunteer Pass	Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours	Free

America the Beautiful Passes are non-refundable, non-transferable and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen. Passholders must show valid photo identification (ID) with each pass.

How to Get an America the Beautiful Pass

In Person (Recommended)

Passes can be purchased or picked up at over 1,000 federal recreation sites.

Purchase and pickup locations

Order Online, Receive by Mail

To receive your pass by mail, order online at the USGS Online Store . Online orders are for physical passes, not digital passes, and may take up to three weeks to be processed and delivered. Order receipts may not be used in place of a physical pass. We recommend ordering at least three weeks in advance of your visit, or picking up a pass in person instead.

Close

2025 Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Come experience the national parks! All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone (other fees, including timed entry or reservation fees, may apply). Mark your calendar for these entrance fee-free dates:

• Thursday, January 9 — National Day of Mourning for President James Earl Carter Jr.
• Monday, January 20 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Saturday, April 19 — First Day of National Park Week
• Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
• Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
• Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day

 

Field Trip Requests and Academic Fee Waivers for Educational Groups

Fee waivers are available to bona fide schools which allows for free entrance for students, teachers, and a limited number of chaperones. Waivers should be completed and delivered to the park two weeks prior to your visit.
A fee waiver is not necessary for classroom visits and distance learning programs.

Academic Fee Waivers

If you have questions about fee waivers and the applicatoin, please contact our Fee Program Manager ([e-mail]) Academic Fee Waivers will automatically be submitted to our Fee Program Manager and Education Specialist (see below).
Please submit a minimum of two weeks before the date of your planned trip.

Field Trips

If you would like to coordinate a ranger-led field trip, please contact the Education Specialist at [e-mail] or [phone] for more information, to plan, or to learn more. 
 

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/30/2025

Learning Accommodations

Does anyone in your group need any accommodations?

Yes No

If yes, describe the accommodation need.

Next Step

School / Organization Contact Information

School / Organization Name (required)

Name of Requester/Contact Person (required)

Title / Position (required)

Contact Email Address (required)

Contact Phone Number (required)
123-456-7890 extension if any

Mailing Address (required)

City (required)

State (required)

Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces - Americas Armed Forces - Europe Armed Forces - Pacific California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

ZIP (required)
Five digit ZIP code [99999]

Next Step

Group Details - Park Visit/ Field Trip

Name of Primary Contact Visiting if Different Than Above (optional)

Title / Position of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Email Address of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Phone Number of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)
Format: 123-456-7890

Program Name or Subject Requested/Self-Guided

Grade Level(s) of Students (required)

Number of Staff / Chaperones (required)

Number of Students (required)

Preferred Date of Visit (required)
format mmddyyyy

My preferred date has been confirmed by the park (required)

Yes No

Preferred Program Start Time (required)

Alternative Date(s) (required)
Enter one or more dates .

Anticipated Arrival Time (required)

Anticipated Departure Time (required)

Mode of Transportation (required)

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.

Next Step

Academic Fee Waiver

Visitors 16 years of age or older (including students, chaperones, and teachers) must pay an entrance fee at this site. Academic institutions (including schools) may apply for an academic fee waiver to cover the cost of these visitors. The number of teachers/chaperones that are covered with a waiver varies depending on the size of the group.

Would you like to request an academic fee waiver for your group?

Yes. I need to complete the fee waiver application. No I do not need a fee waiver.

For this section, all of the criteria fields and the acknowledgement checkbox are required for the waiver.

Certification

Academic fee waivers are not granted automatically. Applicant groups must show they qualify for the waiver. There are three criteria the group must meet to qualify for an academic fee waiver: eligibility, relevance of park resources or facilities to academic program, and academic purpose. Details of these qualifications are listed below. If your institution and purpose meet these criteria, submit this form.

Criterion One - Eligibility

Describe and/or attach current official recognition or accreditation as an educational institution by a federal, state, or local government or other documentation attesting to educational status, such as an accreditation letter, educational tax-exempt letter.

Attach Supporting Document for Eligibility (if needed). Acceptable document types: are Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, and Google Doc

Criterion Two - Educational Purpose

Verify how this visit supports a specific curriculum for which academic credit is offered. For example, attach a course syllabus/description, course catalog, lesson plan, letter detailing the educational purpose, etc., and/or describe.

Attach Supporting Document for Educational Purpose (if needed). Acceptable document types: are Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word and Google Doc

Criterion Three - Relevance of Park Resources or Facilities

Identify the pertinent park resources and/or facilities and detail how they are relevant to support the educational purpose of the visit (attach letter or describe).

Attach Supporting Document for Relevance (if needed). Acceptable document types: are Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word and Google Doc

Authorized School / Organization Contact Name (required)

Title / Position

Acknowledgement (required)

The Recreation Fee Authority (16 USC 6802 Sections 3 a and b) allows for fee waivers only for bona fide educational and/or scientific institutions that are using the park for educational purposes. I hereby certify that the above detailed trip meets these requirements and therefore request that fees be waived.

Current official documentation of recognition of affiliation as an educational institution by a Federal, State or local government entity, or other evidence attesting to educational status is attached (e.g. accreditation letter, educational tax-exempt letter). It is insufficient to merely state or imply this on official letterhead.

By checking this box I acknowledge that I have read the Acknowledgement.

Date of Acknowledgement (required)
format mmddyyyy

Submit my Education Reservation Request

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NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.