Fees & Passes

Overview of entrance requirements

All visitors MUST have

* May not apply in some cases. See details below.

Entrance Passes

Standard Entrance Pass

$30.00

Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River is administered by Big Bend National Park. All park visitors are required to purchase a recreational use pass upon entering Big Bend National Park. No cash is accepted; credit/debit card only. No refunds are given due to inclement weather. For more information on entrance fees and passes for Big Bend National Park, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/fees.htm Big Bend participates in the congressionally authorized Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. Under this program, parks keep 80% of all fees collected; the remaining 20% will be deposited in a special account to be used in parks where fees are not collected. Funds generated by these fees are used to accomplish projects that parks have been unable to fund through yearly congressional allocations.

Entrance Fee to Big Bend National Park. This fee includes all occupants of a private, non-commercial vehicle and is valid for 7 days

In-person Purchase Locations

  • Maverick Entrance Station

    Credit/Debit Only

  • Persimmon Gap Entrance Station

    Credit/Debit Only

  • Panther Junction Visitor Center

    Credit/Debit Only

  • Chisos Basin Visitor Center

    Credit/Debit Only

More information

2023 Fee-free Days

No entrance pass required on these days:

 
Lower Canyons Campsite
Lower Canyons Campsite

NPS Photo / T. VandenBerg

 

The Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River does not have an entry fee, however, if you float the portions of the Wild & Scenic River inside Big Bend National Park, you will be charged for entry into the National Park. A backcountry use permit is required for all river use. Day-use river permits are free, while overnight or multi-day river trips have a permit fee of $10 per night.

For additional information about entrance fees or park passes, please visit Big Bend National Park's Fees & Passes.

Last updated: May 18, 2023

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River
c/o Big Bend National Park
PO Box 129

Big Bend National Park, TX 79834

Phone:

(432) 477-2251

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