Pudgy Buffalo

America’s National Parks are one of the best features of the United States, and are a must-visit for folks visiting from overseas and from other countries. There are fees to enter National Parks in the United States, so many visitors choose to take advantage of annual passes to offset these costs. Annual passes are usually much less expensive than purchasing park entrance admission at each park visited within a 365-day window.

Vacationers to California and the Southwest should especially consider purchasing an annual park pass, which is good to use at any national park (plus other additional areas), making it a convenient way to visit favorite places like Joshua Tree, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. Annual passes are not only open to local residents, but foreign visitors as well.

Entrance Fees Explained

The National Park Service charges a fee to enter Joshua Tree National Park. Sometimes you may be asked to present your pass when exiting the park, and if you didn’t purchase a pass upon entry (or already hold one), you will need to purchase one upon exit. Check out the park’s website http://www.nps.gov/jotr for the most up-to-date fee information.

The fee to enter national parks varies by park, and may be assessed per vehicle, motorcycle, or person. Annual passes exclusively for Joshua Tree, as well as more encompassing annual passes for all national parks (plus other federally managed lands) are available, and generally include park admittance for the passholder and everyone in their non-commercial vehicle.

Foreign visitors are also invited to purchase annual passes. These passes typically pay for themselves within three or so visits, and are super helpful if combining a visit to Joshua Tree National Park with other national parks over the course of a vacation. (Say, if you’re going to be visiting Joshua Tree, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon during the same extended vacation.)

Go ahead and grab your annual parks pass, and explore what America’s National Parks have to offer.