Planning guide
Yellowstone entrance fee 2026: calculator and passes
The Yellowstone entrance fee is $35 per car for 7 days in 2026. Use our calculator for your group's total, the $100 non-US fee and annual pass savings.
The Yellowstone entrance fee in 2026 is $35 per private vehicle, good for 7 consecutive days and covering everyone in the car. A motorcycle pays $30, and a visitor aged 16 or older on foot or by bicycle pays $20. Non-US residents aged 16 and older pay an extra $100 each unless they enter with an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Children under 16 enter free, and you don't need a reservation.
A Yellowstone park pass costs $70 for a year, or $80 for an America the Beautiful pass that also covers Grand Teton. All prices on this page come from the NPS Yellowstone fees page, last updated June 16, 2026.
How much does it cost to get into Yellowstone?
Pick how you're entering, who is in your group and any pass you already hold. The calculator adds the $100 nonresident fee where it applies and tells you if an annual pass would cost less.
Work out your Yellowstone entrance fee
$35 for a 7-day pass
- Turn on JavaScript to use the calculator. The fee table below lists every 2026 price.
Prices from the NPS Yellowstone fees page and the NPS nonresident fees page. This is an estimate; the entrance station has the final say.
The calculator does the math in your browser and sends nothing anywhere. It covers private visits only; commercial tours pay their own rates, listed below.
Yellowstone entrance fees and park pass prices for 2026
NPS sells three kinds of entry: a standard pass for one visit, a Yellowstone annual pass, and the America the Beautiful pass for every federal fee site. For a single visit the standard pass is valid for 7 consecutive days, starting on the day you buy it. NPS says it stays good "as long as it's the same passenger group."
| Pass | 2026 price | Who it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Private vehicle | $35 | The vehicle and all passengers, 7 days |
| Motorcycle | $30 | One motorcycle and its riders, 7 days |
| Snowmobile | $30 | Up to 2 snowmobiles with up to 4 passengers, 7 days; guided tour or permit required |
| Per person, on foot or bicycle | $20 | One person aged 16+, 7 days |
| Non-commercial group | $20 per person | Groups such as church groups or scouts in a vehicle that seats 16 or more, 7 days |
| Yellowstone annual pass | $70 | Holder plus passengers in the same vehicle for a year; NPS lists it for US citizens and residents |
| Nonresident fee | +$100 per person | Each non-US resident aged 16+, unless admitted with an annual or America the Beautiful pass |
| Commercial sedan (1-6 seats) | $20 | Tour vehicle |
| Commercial van (7-15 seats) | $125 | Tour vehicle |
| Commercial mini-bus (16-25 seats) | $200 | Tour vehicle |
| Commercial motor coach (26+ seats) | $300 | Tour vehicle |
Children under 16 never need a pass. NPS says the Yellowstone annual pass is "valid through the month of purchase" a year later. For every annual pass, NPS says "the pass holder must be present with identification." Passes are non-refundable and non-transferable.
The $100 nonresident fee for international visitors
In 2026, the national park fee for foreigners is $100 per person. Non-US residents aged 16 and older pay it at 11 national parks, on top of the standard entrance fee. The 11 parks are Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion. Our guide includes falls in two of them: St. Mary Falls in Glacier, plus Yosemite Falls and Vernal Fall in Yosemite. The NPS nonresident fees page explains the rules and was last updated July 15, 2026.
What matters most is who holds a pass. NPS says all valid America the Beautiful passes and park annual passes cover entrance fees and nonresident fees. That covers the pass holder and passengers in a private vehicle or on two motorcycles. Where fees are charged per person, a pass covers the holder and three more adults. So if a US resident who holds a pass drives relatives visiting from abroad, nobody in that car pays the $100.
NPS lists the $80 Resident pass and the $70 Yellowstone annual pass for US citizens and residents only. For non-US residents the option is the $250 Non-Resident Annual pass, which covers the whole vehicle at every national park for a year.
For a car with three or more non-US adults, the $250 pass costs less than paying the fee at Yellowstone alone: $35 plus $300 is $335. With two non-US adults, paying at the gate ($235) is cheaper for Yellowstone alone. If you also visit Grand Teton or another of the 11 parks, the pass pays off quickly.
To buy the Resident pass you need proof of US citizenship or residency. NPS accepts a US passport, a US state or territory driver's license or ID, or a green card.
Yellowstone annual pass or America the Beautiful pass?
NPS recommends a standard pass if you're visiting Yellowstone once and the Yellowstone annual pass if you'll come back several times in a year. If you'll visit more than one national park or federal site, it recommends the America the Beautiful pass.
| America the Beautiful pass | Who can get it | 2026 price |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Annual | US citizens and residents | $80 |
| Non-Resident Annual | Non-US residents | $250 |
| Senior Annual | US citizens and residents 62+ | $20 |
| Senior Lifetime | US citizens and residents 62+ | $80 |
| Military Annual | Current US military and dependents | Free |
| Military Lifetime | Gold Star Family members and veterans | Free |
| Access | US citizens and residents with a permanent disability | Free |
| 4th Grade | US 4th graders | Free |
| Volunteer | Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours | Free |
An America the Beautiful pass covers one private vehicle fee or four per-person fees. It works at National Park Service and US Forest Service sites, plus land run by four other federal agencies.
The Yellowstone annual pass works only at Yellowstone, so the $80 pass costs just $10 more and also covers Grand Teton. If anyone in your car is a US citizen or resident aged 62 or older, the $20 Senior Annual pass costs less than a single 7-day car pass.
Grand Teton charges a second fee
Yellowstone and Grand Teton are separate parks with separate fees. NPS says that entering through Yellowstone's South Entrance, including trips to Jackson, takes you through Grand Teton, and "each park charges its own entrance fee!" Grand Teton's 2026 prices match Yellowstone's for private visitors: $35 per vehicle, $30 per motorcycle and $20 per person, plus the same $100 nonresident fee.
Two differences matter. Grand Teton's annual pass, also $70, covers only Grand Teton. And Grand Teton "does not accept cash," while Yellowstone's fees page lists cash or card. An America the Beautiful pass covers both parks, so it's the simple choice for a trip that includes both.
2026 fee-free days
US citizens and residents enter free on the 2026 fee-free days: February 16, May 25, June 14, July 3-5, August 25, September 17, October 27 and November 11. From 2026, NPS says, these days are only for US residents. Non-US residents pay "the entrance fee and nonresident fee as normal."
NPS doesn't say how it charges a vehicle carrying both US and non-US adults on a free day, so our calculator shows a range and flags it.
The last 2026 free day is November 11. A November visit is limited, though. NPS says most park roads close to regular vehicles from early November to late April. The only road generally open all year runs from the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, to Cooke City. For each fall's 2026 dates, see Tower Fall road dates, Gibbon Falls closure dates and Fairy Falls trail access.
Where to buy a Yellowstone park pass
NPS encourages you to buy a pass before you arrive "to save time," but you can also buy one at any entrance station. For an America the Beautiful pass you have three choices:
- Digital pass on Recreation.gov: save it to your phone and use it right away.
- Physical pass from the USGS Online Store: delivery can take up to three weeks, so NPS recommends ordering at least three weeks ahead. An order receipt doesn't count as a pass.
- In person at more than 1,000 federal recreation sites.
Bring photo ID: NPS asks every pass holder to show it at the gate. NPS also says it can't look up a lost or stolen pass, and it won't accept receipts or photos of one.
Waterfalls you can see on one Yellowstone pass
One 7-day pass covers every stop inside the park. Our guide includes three Yellowstone waterfalls:
- Tower Fall, 132 feet, seen from an overlook a short walk from the road.
- Gibbon Falls, 84 feet, seen from a roadside viewpoint.
- Fairy Falls, 200 feet, at the end of a longer day hike near Midway Geyser Basin.
Our Wyoming waterfalls page compares the three, and the waterfall permits calendar covers the falls elsewhere that need a booking on top of a park pass.
Yellowstone entrance fee FAQ
How much is the Yellowstone entrance fee in 2026?
$35 per private vehicle, $30 per motorcycle or $20 per person aged 16+ on foot or by bicycle. Each pass is valid for 7 consecutive days. Non-US residents aged 16+ pay $100 more each unless they enter with an annual or America the Beautiful pass.
Do foreigners pay more to enter Yellowstone?
Yes. In 2026, each non-US resident aged 16 or older pays a $100 nonresident fee on top of the standard fee. A car of four non-US adults pays $435 for 7 days, unless the group buys the $250 Non-Resident Annual pass.
Does my US pass cover my foreign relatives?
Yes, if they ride in your private vehicle and you're there with your pass and photo ID. NPS says all valid America the Beautiful passes and park annual passes cover the entrance and nonresident fees. That applies to the holder and passengers in a private vehicle.
Is the Yellowstone annual pass worth it?
At $70 it costs the same as two $35 visits, so it saves money from a third visit in the year. It also covers the $100 nonresident fee for passengers in your vehicle, so with non-US adults on board it pays off on the first visit. For $80, the America the Beautiful Resident pass also covers Grand Teton and every other national park. US residents 62+ can get the $20 Senior Annual pass instead.
Do I need a reservation to enter Yellowstone?
No. NPS says an entrance pass is required, but vehicle reservations are not needed.
Can I pay the Yellowstone entrance fee in cash?
Yellowstone's fees page lists cash or credit/debit for its passes. Grand Teton, next door, does not accept cash.
Sources
- NPS Yellowstone: Fees and passes (updated June 16, 2026)
- NPS: Nonresident fees (updated July 15, 2026)
- NPS Grand Teton: Fees and passes (read October 26, 2026)
- NPS Yellowstone: Park roads (updated October 13, 2026)
- Recreation.gov: Digital America the Beautiful pass
- USGS Online Store: physical America the Beautiful passes