We are planning on visiting several national parks this summer on the same trip (Canyonlands and Arches in Utah, Teton in Wyoming and Glacier in Montana). I know for Teton and Arches you need a reservation which I'm in the process of doing but the websites are a little confusing as far as additional entrance tickets I need to purchase for our family of 4. What would be the best passes to buy for this trip?

We drove into Arches daily from Moab and never had a line... got there super early 5:30-6 AM to beat the heat & crowds.

That year we had a fourth grader & utilized the Every Kid Outdoors program for free entry to all the mighty five in Utah. Look into it if you've a 4th a grader! Great deal.

The entrance fee (or national park card) will get your car into the park. If doing more than two parks that require the fee, go ahead and get the annual pass. It'll probably save you in the long run and it's good at all NPS sites, not just the parks.

The reservations are totally different and you'll need those to get into the park during crowded times, even if you have a card. Plan ahead. Or, as mentioned above, go early and late. The parks are much better about 45 minutes before sunrise and around sunset, anyways.

Is that pass $80 per person? Just clarifying. Thanks.

ReloadAg said:

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Is that pass $80 per person? Just clarifying. Thanks.

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Nope, it's good for one vehicle with up to 6 or so inside.

edit: good for one vehicle with up to 4 adults inside and no limit on children.

1. Get a NP annual pass. It's $80 well spent.
2. Go to as many parks as you can in that trip.
3. Plan ahead for next year and use it then before it expires.
4. Profit like crazy

In 2 years I get to pay $80 for my lifetime senior pass

Thanks. My daughter has Type 1 Diabetes which we hear lets her qualify for a free disabled person's pass. Would that then cover all of us in the car?

ReloadAg said:

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Thanks. My daughter has Type 1 Diabetes which we hear lets her qualify for a free disabled person's pass. Would that then cover all of us in the car?

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The FAQ portion of the website states:

The Access Pass admits the pass owner and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas and pass owner + 3 adults, not to exceed 4 adults, where per-person fees are charged. (Children under 16 are always admitted free.)

As mentioned above, the entrance reservation is different from the actual entrance fee. The reservations are usually a couple dollars (a handling fee) and are used to control the number of visitors that the parks can handle.

You will need a reservation to drive Going to the Sun Road in Glacier for summer.....cant imagine going to Glacier and not doing that. Also, most times of the day for Arches.

Find out when the reservations go on sale on Recreation.gov (each park is different) and buy them the minute they become available....they often sell out insanely fast.

I just found out no reservation is needed for GTSR if going east to west. We'll be in Many Glacier this summer and are going that route so didn't need to worry about it.

Generally, if you have an activity or hotel booked in the park, that is your reservation and you don't need to worry about getting that when they go on sale. So if you don't get a reservation on the day you want, book a horseback ride, or boat tour, or something that counts to get in. Or go super early before the "reservation times."

That's great to know! Enjoy Many Glacier....the hiking there is bonkers

BSD said:

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I just found out no reservation is needed for GTSR if going east to west. We'll be in Many Glacier this summer and are going that route so didn't need to worry about it.

Generally, if you have an activity or hotel booked in the park, that is your reservation and you don't need to worry about getting that when they go on sale. So if you don't get a reservation on the day you want, book a horseback ride, or boat tour, or something that counts to get in. Or go super early before the "reservation times."

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Off topic, but check out Two Sisters Cafe on East side, did dinner there and they have a stand for breakfast and coffee.

Will do. Thanks.

AgRyan04 said:

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That's great to know! Enjoy Many Glacier....the hiking there is bonkers

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Oh yeah. It looks beautiful. We'll probably do two big hikes and then some horseback riding, rafting, and lake stuff. I wish we had more time there but only three days. We still have North Cascades and Gates this summer (and a scuba trip) so we don't gave many days to allocate. My wife and I already talking about going back.

Now you've got me looking at my schedule to see how I can make it work to get up there!

Some horseback rides at Glacier start at Many Glaciers Lodge and some are really neat. Can be a nice way to see some of the park and take a break from hiking.

Also, many bears around Many Glaciers, so stay aware. Saw one in the parking lot while I was going to our car. It's a great place to stay!