![]() Applying for a fee waiverNational Park Service regulations allow school groups and other approved national and international academic institutions to apply so that they do not have to pay the park entrance fee. The National Park Service considers applications and may approve a request if the visit is for educational or scientific purposes and the resources or facilities that the group intends to use support those purposes.The National Park Service does not grant academic fee waivers automatically. Applicants must show that they qualify for a fee waiver. There are three requirements (listed below) to qualify for an academic fee waiver:Criteria #1 - Eligibility
Criteria #2 - Educational purpose
Criteria #3 - Relevance of park resources or facilities
Read These Requirements Before You Apply for an Academic Fee Waiver If we issue a fee waiver, the person who submitted the application and every driver in your group needs to have a copy before you get to Zion. If any driver or a part of your group does not have a copy of the fee waiver, they wil have to pay the non-commercial fee of $20 per person for each person who is 15 years or older.
You can make and pay for a reservation at a group camp site from April to October.
Learn more about camping elsewhere on the park's website. Academic fee waivers allow for two chaperones. If you need to bring more chaperones, they must meet the following ratios:
If you plan to bring a different number of chaperones than is laid out in this table, you need to explain why. The National Park Service will consider these requests on a case by case basis. Include your justification with your application emailed to e-mail us. Get the form below after you read the rest of the requirements on this page. Many areas in Zion have a limit on the number of people a single group may have on trails at any given time. If your group is too large, you will need to split the group up and visit different trails with each sub-group. You can move these sub-groups and rotate who can use which trails when. Group size limits
Structured and/or formally guided activities facilitated by educational, commercial, or other service providing organizations are only authorized on frontcountry trails.
Zion does not allow guided activities, including educational activities, in designated Wilderness or backcountry areas. This is to protect the fragile landscapes, plants, animals, and history that make the park special. If you want to do academic research in these areas, apply for a research permit. Home school students may be granted fee waivers based on the course of study following the procedures above, as long as they meet your state requirements for home schools. If you are from a state other than Utah, please share a copy of your state's department of education requirements when you apply for the fee waiver. Visit logisticsHaving a fee waiver does not guarantee parking in Zion. In order to limit the number of people from a single school group on park trails at any given time, at each parking area, one bus per school may park at a time. This means that if your group is traveling in two or more buses, you need to park each bus in different places at different times. School groups are not allowed to park multiple buses from a single school in one parking area at the same time.
All other parking locations in Zion Canyon Scenic Drive are inaccessible to buses. All vehicles at or above 94" wide (7'10"), and/or 136" high (11'4") require one-way traffic control for passage through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. The fee for this service is $15.00. Submitting an Academic Fee Waiver Request for a Field TripBefore you send the form, read the requirements above so that:
At least 30 days before your trip, fill out our fee waiver form and email it to zion_fee_waivers@nps.gov with the appropriate supporting documentation. Apply at least 30 days before tripAcademic fee waiver applicationForm GuidanceZion is required to use this Department of the Interior standard form for field trip academic fee waivers as well as for other purposes. Learn which parts of the form you need to fill out if you are applying for us to waive the park entrance fee for a field trip. Section 1: Contact Information
Section 2: Group Details
Sections 3 and 4
Section 5: Academic Fee Waiver
Email us completed formsWe will send you an email when we receive your form and after we review it to confirm group details. ![]() Self-Guided Field TripsFind out what you need to know about bringing your class to Zion. ![]() Distance Learning ProgramsJoin a Zion National Park ranger in real time to learn about the National Park Service and what makes Zion National Park unique. ![]() Curriculum MaterialsBring Zion into your classroom with our on-site curriculum-based activities. |
Last updated: March 21, 2023