Last week we tackled the National Park Pass Series so this week let’s talk about state park passes. This topic is slightly more challenging simply for the fact that there are 50 different states and every state park system handles the passes differently. You will want to read all the details of the pass on whatever state you are looking to visit. However, I have a few tips that might help.

State Park Passes

Before I got on the road, I remember seeing an interview with a woman who would buy a different state’s park pass each year and then spend the year going from one park to another within that state. It proved to be a great way to explore one state, stay in beautiful places and save money.

With over 10,000 state parks in the US, you can image the vast spectrum those parks run. From size to amenities, from beauty to popularity. And you don’t have to spend a year exploring a state to get value from the pass. In some cases, an annual pass purchase might be more cost-effective than paying several multiple day-use passes, even if your plans only include a week or a month’s stay.

The time-consuming thing about state park passes is you’ll need to go to each state’s park page to read about what they offer, what is and isn’t included with the pass, etc. But to give you an idea of a few (and how different they can be), I chose four states and looked into their annual park passes. I hope this will offer a glimpse into what to expect.

Examples of Four State’s Annual Park Passes

Arizona

Day-use passes in Arizona range between $2 and $30, depending on the park you visit. But for annual passes, Arizona has two. The Standard Annual Pass costs $70 and the Premium Pass costs $200. The Standard Annual Pass is somewhat limited. It doesn’t include entry on state holidays from April through October, nor does it include what I assume must be their four most popular parks on the weekends. In the case of Arizona, you’d have to plan ahead to decide where you wanted to go before deciding which pass better suited your needs. Neither pass covers the entrance fee to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum.

Washington

A one-day Discovery Pass costs you $10 while an annual one costs $30 in that state of Washington. Disabled veterans and people with a permanent disability permit are not charged for day usage. If you are camping overnight at a Washington state park, the fee you pay for camping covers you for day-use as well. You don’t need to purchase both.

Colorado

Colorado has a big variety of annual park passes, including some that are only available to Colorado residents. I won’t talk about the Colorado residents’ options here. A day-pass costs $9 to $11 depending on what area you are visiting. An annual pass is $80 per vehicle though you can also get a family pass for $120 which is a pass you move between vehicles that are registered to the same address. The trick with the latter is to remember to take the pass when you go for an adventure.

Florida

It costs $60 to buy an annual pass in Florida but it only covers one person in the vehicle. Everyone else pays $2. A family pass costs $120 and covers up to eight people who enter together. There are a couple of parks where the pass is not valid and you must pay the standard admission fee to visit those parks.

Florida also offers free and discounted passes to those who fit into a variety of categories including licensed foster homes and families who adopted a special needs child. I thought those were pretty cool and unique. Additionally, they offer annual park passes to spouses and parents of law enforcement and fire fighters who died in the line of duty as well as spouses and parents of military personnel who died while in service.

The Best Deal

If your plans include a visit to Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Pennsylvania or Tennessee, you are in for the best deal of all. Admission to state parks in those six states costs you nothing. Yep, there is no annual park passes in those states because admission is free.

(I had reservations for a week in a Tennessee State Park last May but COVID resulted in a cancelation notice. Please note, however, that just because Tennessee doesn’t have a state park pass, I still would have paid a camping fee. I hope to get back there someday.)

One Caution

Most annual state park passes are good for one year from the day of purchase. However, you want to pay attention to the fine print because that is certainly not true for all of them. Some passes operate on a calendar year. So regardless of when you make the purchase—whether it’s the first of January or the first of December—it expires December 31.

That’s not to say it still wouldn’t be a good deal to purchase one on the first of December but you want to go into it knowing that.  Do the math.

Other Tips and Things to Keep in Mind with State Park Passes

Tip #1

The prices provided above, obviously, are accurate at the time I’m writing this. However, I noticed that most of the state park passes charge a processing fee when you make the purchase online. Fees range from $5 to $7.

If you already have plans to visit a park, you could save the fee by purchasing the pass in person. Though, it might be worth a phone call to verify with the particular park you plan to visit that, indeed, a state park passes can be purchased at their location. Some of the smaller places merely have a self-serve fee station for day-use. In other words, if it’s not staffed by a person, purchasing an annual pass, likely, is not an option.

Tip #2

Watch for free days. Both the national parks system as well as many state parks systems offer a handful of days each year where entrance fees are waived. It’s free to everyone. Find the dates (because they will be different for each state park system) at the beginning of the year for the full year.

If you are on a particularly tight budget, you might plan your travel plans around the free days. Though, keep in mind, you won’t be the only one with this idea. On the free days, expect crowds. More so than on an average day.

Tip #3

Look for discounts on multiple purchases of annual park passes. This tip might be harder if you travel frequently or are a full-time RVer since it means finds others to make the purchase with. Still, I thought it worth mentioning.

For example, in Colorado discounts on multiple annual park passes start at 20 passes. That’s a lot of friends to find but the result is a 20% savings. When I lived in Alaska, the pass I bought every year was normally $40 but if you bought two it was $60 (or $30 each) so I always found a friend to go in on it with and, together, we saved 25%. (Please note, in reviewing Alaska State Parks website, I no longer see this deal. Now, an annual pass is $60.)

Tip #4

This tip is particularly relevant to RVers. Not all state parks offer camping facilities. Some are solely for recreating during the day.

Of those that offer camping, some will have hook ups, many will not. Camping fees are sometimes in addition to day-use fees. Other times, day-use fees are waived if you pay the camping fee. Be sure to know which is applicable to your adventure.

Tip #5

Read the fine print. Read all the print. In researching this article, I was amazed by all the little tidbits applicable to the various state park passes. For example, there are exceptions, meaning some parks aren’t covered with the annual pass. There are also amenities not covered by a pass. For example, I found one where swimming pools within the state parks are an additional charge.

If you are a budgeter and a planner, you want to walk into an annual park purchase with all the facts so you aren’t surprised by what could feel like hidden fees when you thought it was all-inclusive or a December 31 expiration date when you assumed it was valid for a year. I don’t think state parks try to deceive their visitors but if you fail to read all the details of your pass, you could be left feeling that way.

Last Thoughts and Your Experience

So far in my RV life, I’ve only purchased day-use passes. I did the math and it worked out best that way even when my plans included multiple trips to nearby state parks. In New Mexico, I visited three but the day-use fee tripled was still less than an annual pass.

As much as I love state parks, it kind of surprising I have yet to purchase an annual pass. However, I have received two annual passes from the State of Oregon as a perk for workamping with their state parks system. Oregon park passes expire on December 31.

Have you purchased any state annual park passes? If so, did you feel like it was a good deal? Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Links to Relevant Posts:

• RV Memberships: National Park Passes
• 5 Things I Love About State Parks
• 5 Free Things to Do in Branson
• Long Beach, Washington on the Long Beach Peninsula
• RV Memberships: Solo Travel
• Tips for Making RV Park Reservations
• RV Memberships: Solo Women Travelers
• RV Memberships: Escapees

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