Fees & Passes

Southwest Entrance Station.

 

Learn and Explore

An entry fee or valid pass is required to enter Lassen Volcanic National Park except on fee free entrance days. Vehicle entrance passes are good for 7 days from date of purchase. Passes may be purchased only at staffed entrance stations (at the Southwest and Northwest Entrances on the park highway) or online. Entrance fees can be paid at a staffed entrance station or at a self-pay station. Only self-pay stations are available in Butte Lake, Juniper Lake, and Warner Valley Areas.

• Entrance Fees
• Free Entrance Days
• Interagency Passes
• Special Fees

 

Purchasing Entrance or Annual Pass

Annual passes may only be purchased at staffed entrance fee stations or online. Passes and entrance fees cannot be purchased at park visitor centers. If an entrance station is closed, a park entrance fee is still required via a self-pay.

Staffed Entrance Stations

There are two entrance stations on either end of the 30-mile park highway. For security reasons, we do not list exact operating dates or hours.

• Southwest Entrance (near Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center)
• Northwest Entrance (in the Manzanita Lake Area, near Loomis Plaza)

Staffing: Entrance stations are staffed daily from mid-May to mid-October. During the winter the entrance stations are generally staffed Wednesday-Sunday, with intermittent closures due to staffing shortage, weather, or training.

Remote Area Self-Pay Stations

For Butte Lake, Warner Valley, and Juniper Lake, please pay the entry fee at the self-pay stations. Annual passes are not available in these locations.

 

Entrance Fees

Vehicle Entrance Fee $30
Valid for up to 7 consecutive days from the day of purchase at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Payable in-person at park entrances. Self-registration when not staffed.

Vehicle Entrance Fee - Winter $10
Valid for up to 7 consecutive days at Lassen Volcanic National Park between December 1 and April 15. Payable in-person at park entrances. Self-registration when not staffed.

Motorcycle Entrance Fee $25
Valid for one motorcycle regardless of the amount of passengers. Valid for up to 7 consecutive days at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Payable in-person at park entrances. Self-registration when not staffed.

Individual Entrance Fee $15
Per person entrance fee for one entry on foot, bicycle, or for individuals traveling together in a vehicle as a non-commercial, organized group. Valid for 7 consecutive days at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Payable in-person at park entrances. Self-registration when not staffed.

Lassen Annual Pass $55
Valid for one year from month of purchase at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Honored at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Passes must be purchased at park entrance stations, or you may purchase a Lassen Annual Pass online at pay.gov or by mail. To order by mail, call [phone] or write to Lassen Volcanic National Park, Fee Program, PO Box 100, Mineral, CA 96063. Please include a phone number or email address, shipping address, and the number of passes requested with a check or money order made payable to the National Park Service. Please allow up to several weeks for processing.

• The Lassen Annual Pass admits passholder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle where per-vehicle fees are charged or the passholder + 3 adults for per-person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free)
• The pass waives the standard entrance fee
• The pass does not cover recreation fees such as camping

 

Fee Free Entrance Days

On six days in 2021, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in 2021:

• Monday, January 18: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Saturday, April 17: First Day of National Park Week/National Junior Ranger Day
• Wednesday, August 4: One year anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• Wednesday, August 25: National Park Service Anniversary
• Saturday, September 25: National Public Lands Day
• Thursday, November 11: Veterans Day

 

2021 Annual and Lifetime Passes

 

Nationwide/Interagency Passes

Valid at Lassen and all other Federal Lands charging entrance and recreation fees. Not valid for State Parks. Passes may be purchased at the Southwest and Northwest Entrance Stations. Most passes may also be purchased on-line at any time. See below.

America the Beautiful Pass Series

Starting January 1, 2007 the old Golden Age, Golden Eagle, and Golden Access Passes were replaced with a new series of interagency passes called the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass. All Golden Access and Golden Age Passports will continue to be honored according to the provisions of the pass. Only paper Golden Age and Access Passports may be exchanged free of charge for new plastic passes. Please visit the America the Beautiful Pass website for more information or to purchase online.

Annual Pass - $80

The Annual Pass is available to the general public and provides access to, and use of federal recreation sites that charge an entrance or standard amenity fee for one year, beginning from the month of purchase.

• The pass admits the passholder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle where per-vehicle fees are charged or the passholder + 3 adults for per-person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free).
• The pass does not cover other recreation fees such as campground fees
• The pass waives the standard entrance fee
• The Annual pass can be obtained in person at the park, by calling 1-888-ASK USGS, Ext. 1, or online.

Senior Pass - $80 (lifetime) or $20 (annual)

The Senior Pass is available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over. This pass provides access to, and use of federal recreation sites that charge an entrance or standard amenity fee.

• The pass admits the passholder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle where per-vehicle fees are charged or the passholder +3 adults for per-person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free).
• The Senior Pass provides a 50 percent discount on some expanded amenity fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launch, and specialized interpretive services. In some cases where expanded amenity fees are charged, only the pass holder will be given the 50 percent price reduction.
• The pass is non-transferable and generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessionaires
• The pass waives the standard entrance fee
• The pass can be obtained in person at the park, online, or by mail for an additional $10 fee. To purchase by mail, submit a paper application by mail to the USGS using the paper application and $90 fee

Access Pass - Free (in person) or $10 (by mail)

The Access Pass is a lifetime pass for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities; documentation is required to obtain it. Acceptable documentation includes: statement by a licensed physician; document issued by Federal agency such as the Veteran's Administration, Social Security Disability Income or Supplemental Security Income; or a document issued by a State agency such as a vocational rehabilitation agency.

• The pass provides access to, and use of, Federal recreation sites that charge an Entrance or Standard Amenity Fee for a lifetime
• The pass admits the passholder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle where per-vehicle fees are charged or the pass holder +3 adults for per-person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free). The pass can be obtained in person at the park or by mailing a completed application form.
• The Access Pass provides a 50 percent discount on some expanded amenity fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launch, and specialized interpretive services. The pass is non-transferable and generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessionaires
• The pass waives the standard entrance fee

Military Annual Pass - Free (in-person only)

To show our appreciation for those who serve in the U.S. Military, the National Park Service is now issuing a free annual pass to active duty military members and their dependents. Passes may be obtained by active duty military members and their dependents at park entrance stations with proper identification (CAC Card or DD Form 1173).

• The Military Annual Pass provides access to, and use of, Federal recreation sites that charge an Entrance or Standard Amenity Fee for one year, beginning from the month of purchase.
• The pass admits the passholder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle where per-vehicle fees are charged or the passholder + 3 adults for per-person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free).
• The pass does not cover other recreation fees such as campground fees
• The pass waives the standard entrance fee

Annual 4th Grade Pass - Free

Available to US 4th graders (including home-schooled and free-choice learners 10 years of age) with a valid Every Kid in a Park paper pass. Valid for the duration of the 4th grade school year through the following summer (September-August).

• The pass admits the passholder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle where per-vehicle fees are charged or the pass holder +3 adults for per-person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free).
• The pass does not cover other recreation fees such as campground fees
• The pass waives the standard entrance fee

How to get your pass

• Paper passes can be obtained by visiting the Every Kid in a Park website and printing a temporary paper pass.
• Bring the paper pass to Lassen or Federal recreation sites that charge Entrance or Standard Amenity fees (Day Use Fee) and exchange in-person for a 4th grade pass. The 4th grader needs to be present. Digital version of the paper pass (such as on smart phones or tablets) will not be accepted to exchange for an Annual 4th Grade Pass.The pass is non-transferable.

2020-2021 5th Grade Pass - Free

Many 4th graders missed out on using their Every Kid Outdoors Annual 4th Grade Pass during the 2019-2020 school year. A new voucher is now available for 5th grade students for the rest of the school year! With this voucher, 5th graders and their families will have free access to national parks and other federal lands managed by the Department of the Interior from October 28, 2020 through August 31, 2021.

 

Special Fee Types and Permits

School Groups

School groups are eligible for a fee waiver.

Commercial Tour Fee

Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. The entry fees of commercial tours are based upon the total seating capacity of vehicles regardless of the actual number of passengers. Annual or lifetime passes are not accepted for commercial groups.

Capacity Fees (based on passenger capacity):
1-6 - $25 plus $15 per person (no charge for driver)
7-15 - $50
16-25 - $60
26+ - $150

Special Use Permits

Learn more about special park use permits, commercial filming permits, and commercial use authorizations here.

 

Your Fee Dollars at Work

Managing public lands requires a major financial investment. General tax revenues provide most of that investment for Lassen Volcanic National Park. Entrance fees from those who directly use the park for recreation provide additional support for maintaining park services and facilities. Eighty percent of the fees collected at Lassen are returned to the park for specific projects. Each time you pay a park entrance fee, you are making a direct investment in your park. Learn more about projects funded by your fee dollars.

General Questions

If you have questions about fees or passes, please email us at [e-mail] or call the fees office at 530-595-6121. Please read this entire page before contacting us, as many of your questions may already be answered.