Fees & Passes

Fees for this Park

The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is a partnership park and encompasses federal, state, regional, and local public lands. While we do not charge admission fees some partner parks, museums, and historical sites within our park do have admission fees. These include, among others, Historic Fort Snelling, Mill City Museum, and Fort Snelling State Park. Others, such as Minnehaha Regional Park, charge parking fees. Some parks require reservations and fees for reserving picnic shelters and for events. Please contact those parks and facilities for more information.

The Mississippi River Visitor Center (MRVC), located in the lobby of the Science Museum of Minnesota, has free admission. Paid parking is available in the Science Musuem ramp and on-street metered parking.

The St. Anthony Falls Visitor Center (SAFVC) is open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend seven days a week. The season may be extended in some years. Admission is free and there are free tours available at 11:00 am, 1:00 and 3:00 pm on days when the visitor center is open. There is paid parking just north of the Lock and Dam with limited free parking to its south.

 

National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass

While the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area does not collect admission fees, we do sell the America the Beautiful-National Parks and Federal Lands Pass cards at our park for use at various U.S. fee areas. These include the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 lifetime; $20 annual), Access Pass (free to those with permanent disabilities), the annual pass for active duty service men and women (free), and the Every Kid in a Park (free) program.

• All passes are available at the Mississippi River Visitor Center.
• The Military, Every Kid in the Park, and Access passes are available at the St. Anthony Falls Visitor Center.
• Passes may not always be available. Please call 651-293-0200 for availability at the Mississippi River Visitor Center (Saint Paul) or 952-303-2706 for the Saint Anthony Visitor Center (Minneapolis).
• Please note that we only accept payment by credit card.
• Lost cards must be re-purchased. Replacements are not offered.
• The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (Bloomington, MN) also has these passes available. Contact them at 952-854-5900.

The America the Beautiful pass series was created by the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act and authorized by Congress in 2004. Participating agencies include the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Reclamation. The pass series permits admission to fee areas managed by these agencies and replaces the Golden Eagle, Golden Age, and Golden Access Passport series. They are not valid for admissions to state or locally managed properties such as state parks, historical sites, etc., including those that have admission fees within the borders of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.

Find out more about the America the Beautiful passes by contacting your local agency, such as a national park, or go to the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass website.