7 Easy Ways to Save Money Visiting the U.S. National Parks

Want to go camping in the glacially-carved granite of Yosemite Valley or motor your vehicle around the rust-tinted stone bridges at Arches? Start planning your national park vacation roughly five to six months in advance. These days, many of the most popular parks require timed-entry reservations during busy summer and fall months, and once those slots are filled, it can be hard to gain entry without a paid tour. Be sure to start researching the specifics of your planned summer park hopping at least 6 months in advance so that you can save big on subsidized in-park campgrounds, instead of much pricier private options in neighboring towns.

Miss your chosen national park’s campsite window? Smart campers can often score affordable (and secluded) options on HipCamp, which is lauded as the Airbnb of camping.

If you’re the type of traveler who gets giddy over Teton vistas, Joshua Tree sunsets, or stumbling across a prairie dog town, the America the Beautiful Pass is pretty much your golden ticket. For $80 a year, you gain unlimited access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, including every Congress-designated national park.

Do the math: most parks charge around $30 to $35 per vehicle, so the pass pays for itself if you visit a mere three. The rest of the year is all gravy. Whether you’re road-tripping through Utah’s “Mighty Five,” chasing waterfalls in Yosemite, or just sneaking in a quick day hike at your nearest national forest, you’ll roll right past the entry station with a smug little grin.

Sure, camping inside a national park is a magical experience, but those nightly fees can add up quickly. Money-savvy campers often practice the art of boondocking, camping for free (or almost free) on public lands outside of developed campgrounds. Instead of jockeying for a $30 campsite months before your trip, you can put in a little extra legwork on websites like FreeCampsites and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and score sweet digs just a few miles outside of the entrance station. Sure, you won’t find hookups, running water, or even pit toilets at most of these dispersed sites, but they often provide more of a secluded backcountry experience than developed areas.

The most important consideration when boondocking, though, is safety. Scout legal spots in advance, have a plan B in case your site is occupied, arrive before dark, and always follow the Leave No Trace Principles. Bring plenty of food and water, pack out your trash, bury human waste, and keep your entire rig self-sufficient. When it’s done right, boondocking slashes your camping expenditures while giving you a wilder, quieter experience that’s tough to beat.

One of the best-kept secrets when it comes to free national park entry is volunteering. Through the government’s Volunteer Pass program, anyone who completes 250 hours of service with federal land agencies (like the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, or Bureau of Land Management) earns a free America the Beautiful Pass. Projects might include maintaining trails, volunteering as a camp host, or assisting with wildlife projects. The best part? These hours do not need to be accrued during a single calendar year. Just be sure that a Volunteer Coordinator signs off on your hours.

Who else is eligible for a free America the Beautiful Pass? Current U.S. military and their dependents, Gold Star families, U.S. citizens and permanent residents with a disability or aged 62+, and all U.S. 4th graders.

Instead of blowing your hard-earned cash on a pricey day tour or guided hiking trip, check in at the nearest ranger station or NPS website for a list of free, ranger-led talks and events. Considering that most privately guided day tours cost hundreds of dollars, this is a quick and easy way to shave a big sum off your vacation costs.

Visiting Sequoia & Kings Canyon? Hear a trained naturalist speak about the largest tree (by volume) on the planet or embark on a guided waterfall walk. In Yellowstone, guests can learn about the area’s otherworldly geysers and bubbling mudpots. Desert parks, like White Sands and Joshua Tree, often offer sunset ranger strolls that are perfect for photographers.

Budget obsessives often follow one simple rule: skip restaurants entirely. Instead, look for a quirky little grocery store in the nearest mountain town and pop in for a deli sandwich and a bag of chips or stock up on instant oatmeal and dehydrated fruit for a filling and simple breakfast. Food inside the parks, whether it’s a lodge restaurant, an ice cream stand, or a tiny general store, is almost always pricier and will boast fewer options. By grabbing trail snacks and a few easy camp meals in advance, you’ll avoid paying $5 for a single granola bar or $25 for a burger. Once you load up your cooler, you’ll have healthier choices and more flexibility for spontaneous meals at scenic picnic areas.

Yes, national park gateway towns often offer adorable cabins and quaint adventure motels that are surrounded by hip restaurants and artisan ice creameries, but they’re also significantly more expensive than towns a bit further away. Pull up your favorite online mapping app and do a quick scan of towns that are just a few miles of extra driving away from whatever trendy gateway community is populating your social media feeds. It’ll often provide a bevy of clean and affordable hotels and campgrounds.

A few years ago, my friends and I chose to stay in Hurricane instead of Springfield on a long weekend away to Zion National Park. We were able to secure a motel for $50 per night (with a free breakfast, to boot), instead of splurging on $200+ hotels closer to the entrance gate. At the end of the day, we were still able to patronize adorable local breweries after hiking all day, and the extra drive time was a scant 20 minutes each way.