Fees are going up this weekend at Death Valley National Park/Patrick Cone

Entrance and camping fees in Death Valley National Park will increase this coming Saturday, October 15. These visitor fees are used to fund services and maintenance that directly benefit park visitors. Most park fees have been unchanged since January 2006.  

In the next few years, park fees will be used to pay for services like education programs, emergency medical services, and campground custodial work. Park fees will also be used to reopen Scotty’s Castle, which has been closed to the public for the past year. On October 18, 2015, the surrounding Grapevine Canyon received its average annual rainfall in just five hours. The resulting flash flood destroyed water, sewer, and electrical utilities, washed away the paved road, and damaged several historic structures.  Repairs are being funded by the National Park Service, Federal Highway Administration, and Death Valley National Park’s visitor fees. The park is planning to reopen Scotty’s Castle to the public in 2019.

Entrance fees for most park visitors will rise from $20 to $25, the fee for a vehicle for up to seven days. The park waives entrance fees several days each year; the next date is Veterans Day, November 11. Some park visitors are eligible for passes that cover the entrance fee, including fourth-grade students (free Every Kid in a Park Pass), active duty US military members and dependents (free Military Pass), US citizens or permanent residents with a permanent disability (free Access Pass), and US citizens or permanent residents aged 62 or older ($10 for lifetime Senior Pass).

Entrance Fees....................................Current Fee.......................................Starting October 15, 2016

Entrance fee  (per vehicle)....................$20.............................................................$25

Entrance fee (per person).....................$10.............................................................$12

Entrance fee (per motorcycle)...............$10/one person, $20/two people................$20

Death Valley Annual Pass.....................$40..............................................................$50

Fees for most campsites in the park are rising by $2 to $4 per night. Four campgrounds in the park will continue to be free: Emigrant, Wildrose, Thorndike, and Mahogany Flat.

Camping Fees.............................Current Fee..........................................Starting October 15, 2016

Furnace Creek Campground.............$12 (summer) $18 (winter)................$16 (summer)  $22 (winter)

(Sites without electricity)

Furnace Creek Campground..............$30.....................................................$36

(Sites with electric hookups)

Furnace Creek Campground..............$25....................................................$35

(Group sites – small)

Furnace Creek Campground..............$50....................................................$60

(Group sites – small)

Texas Spring Campground..............$14......................................................$16

Sunset Campground........................$12......................................................$14

Mesquite Spring Campground

Stovepipe Wells Campground

Emigrant Campground.....................Free.....................................................Free

Wildrose Campground

Thorndike Campground

Mahogany Flat Campground

Death Valley National Park reached out to the public this summer for input on the fee changes. The park distributed a news release about potential fee increases and posted key information on social media. Forty-eight public comments were received and analyzed. Most respondents were in favor of increased fees to support the park, although some respondents cited concerns that increased fees might be too expensive for some park visitors. 

“I would love for all services in parks to be free. However, visitor fees provide revenue that helps us enhance visitors’ experiences in the park," said Death Valley Superintendent Mike Reynolds.

Death Valley National Park receives an annual tax-funded budget of less than $9 million per year. It receives more than $3 million additionally in funding each year from entrance and campground fees.