Plan Entrance + Tours Right
Yellowstone Tickets & Passes 2026: Fees, Entrances, Tours
No timed-entry system. No lottery. Just drive up, pay the fee, and you are in. Here is exactly what Yellowstone costs in 2026, where to book tours, and the one pass that saves most visitors $40+ if they are hitting more than one national park.
Why Yellowstone Uses "Passes" Not Tickets
When people search "yellowstone tickets" they usually mean one of three things: the entrance pass (what you pay at the gate), a guided tour ticket (a product bought from a tour operator), or an event ticket (the Yellowstone Quake hockey team or the West Yellowstone Playhouse). This page covers all three, but mostly the first one, because that is what 90% of visitors need.
Passes Are Cheaper Than You Think
A 7-day private vehicle pass is $35, covering everyone in the car. If you plan to visit 3+ national parks in the same calendar year, the $80 America the Beautiful pass unlocks EVERY US national park for 12 months.
No Reservation Required (Yet)
Unlike Rocky Mountain, Arches, or Glacier, Yellowstone does NOT operate a timed-entry reservation system in 2026. Show up at the gate any time, pay your fee, drive in. The only thing that sells out is camping and in-park lodging.
International Visitors: $100 Surcharge
Starting from the 2025 policy change, non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person surcharge on top of the standard entrance fee. Factor this into your family budget before arrival.
Real 2026 Yellowstone Entrance Fees & Pass Prices
Every price below is the official NPS rate as of 2026. Fees are paid in USD at the gate by card or cash. Your pass is a paper receipt plus a hangtag for your rearview mirror. Keep it visible for rangers to verify re-entry during your 7 days.
| Pass Type | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Private Vehicle (7-day) | $35 | Covers driver + all passengers in one non-commercial vehicle |
| Motorcycle (7-day) | $30 | Per motorcycle, covers driver + passenger |
| Individual on Foot / Bike (7-day) | $20 | Per person aged 16+ |
| Yellowstone + Grand Teton Annual Pass | $70 | Unlimited entries to both parks for 12 months |
| America the Beautiful Interagency Pass | $80 | ALL US national parks for 12 months. Best value if visiting 3+ parks |
| Senior Lifetime Pass (62+, US residents) | $80 once | Lifetime access to all US federal recreation lands |
| Senior Annual Pass (62+) | $20 | One-year all-park pass for US seniors |
| Access Pass (permanent disability) | Free | Lifetime for US residents with documented permanent disability |
| 4th Grade Annual Pass | Free | Every Kid Outdoors program, US 4th-graders + family |
| Military Annual Pass | Free | US active-duty military, dependents, Gold Star Families |
| Non-US Resident Surcharge | +$100 per person 16+ | Added to any fee above (post-2025 Congressional surcharge) |
Buying online vs at the gate
You can pre-purchase your 7-day vehicle pass online via YourPassNow (the NPS-authorized digital seller) to skip the entrance booth line. Price is identical. At peak summer mornings, this can save 20-45 minutes at the West Entrance. Otherwise, paying at the gate by card is quick and easy.
Do You Need a Reservation to Enter Yellowstone?
Short answer: No.
Yellowstone does not require a timed-entry or advance-reservation to drive in. This puts it in a different category from several other popular parks that DO:
- Rocky Mountain NP: timed-entry permit required, May-Oct
- Arches NP: timed-entry reservation, Apr-Oct
- Glacier NP: vehicle reservation for Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor
- Zion: shuttle reservation to the canyon in peak
- Yosemite: reservation required some peak dates
What DOES require a reservation in Yellowstone:
- All 12 campgrounds via Recreation.gov — often booked out 6 months ahead for summer
- In-park lodges (Old Faithful Inn, Lake Yellowstone Hotel, Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel) via Yellowstone National Park Lodges — some book 13 months in advance
- Guided fishing tours, backcountry permits, boating permits
5 Yellowstone Entrances Compared
Yellowstone has five entrances. Four are seasonal. Only the North entrance at Gardiner stays open to cars year-round. Here is how they stack up, including the West Yellowstone gate which is by far the busiest.
| Entrance | Open | Closest Feature | Why Pick It |
|---|---|---|---|
| North (Gardiner, MT) | Year-round | Mammoth Hot Springs | Historic Roosevelt Arch entrance, the only year-round road access |
| West (West Yellowstone, MT) | Apr-Nov | Old Faithful (35 min) | Busiest gate, most tour operators, closest hotels and restaurants |
| South (from Grand Teton) | May-Oct | Grant Village | Perfect for a Yellowstone + Grand Teton combo trip |
| East (Cody, WY) | May-Oct | Fishing Bridge / Lake | Most remote entrance, dramatic Sylvan Pass drive |
| Northeast (Cooke City, MT) | May-Oct | Lamar Valley | Beartooth Highway scenic drive, best wildlife viewing in the park |
West Entrance specifics (West Yellowstone, MT)
This is the gateway most visitors pick on their first trip. West Yellowstone is a full-service tourist town with 30+ hotels, dozens of restaurants, tour operators lining Canyon Street, and its own airport (WYS) with summer flights from Salt Lake City. From the gate it is about 35 minutes to Old Faithful and 50 minutes to Norris Geyser Basin. Expect 20-45 minute gate queues on July and August mornings between 9am and noon.
Where to Book Tours + Transport
Your entrance pass gets you into the park. It does NOT include tours, shuttles, or guided experiences. For those, you have four solid booking channels. We pick all four based on reliability, free-cancellation policy, and coverage of English- and Chinese-speaking guides.
NPS.gov (Recreation.gov)
Official, Required for CampingThe official National Park Service site. Entrance passes are purchased at the gate, but campgrounds and in-park lodging MUST be booked through Recreation.gov. No fees, no markup, no affiliate involved.
Check NPS.gov (Recreation.gov) →Viator
Guided Tours + TransportOver 100 Yellowstone tour listings: wolf-watching in Lamar Valley, Old Faithful day tours from West Yellowstone, Bozeman, and Jackson, and multi-day camping trips with guides and gear included.
Check Viator →GetYourGuide
Free Cancel 24hStrong range of shuttle plus tour combos, full-day geyser basin tours, and small-group guided experiences. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before start time on most listings.
Check GetYourGuide →Klook
Popular Asian Market BookingTour packages popular with Asian-market travelers: multi-park bundles, flight plus ground tour combos from Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, and Chinese-language guide options.
Check Klook →Best Time to Visit Yellowstone
Late May to Early June
Thaw, wildflowers, bison calves. Some roads still snowbound. Cooler weather, fewer crowds.
Mid-June to August
Peak season. Full road access, all geyser basins open, but Old Faithful parking fills by 10am and traffic jams (bison on road) are daily.
September
The sweet spot. Elk rut in bugle season, 60-70F days, half the crowds of July. Best overall month.
October
Quiet, crisp, cold nights. Some roads and services begin closing. Snow possible at higher elevations.
November to April
Winter. Most interior roads closed to cars. Access via snowcoach, snowmobile, or cross-country ski. Geothermal steam against snow is spectacular.
America the Beautiful Pass — the $80 Hack
The $80 America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass is the single biggest money-saver for multi-park road trips. Here is the break-even math.
- Yellowstone 7-day pass: $35
- Grand Teton 7-day pass: $35 (or $0 if you buy the $70 combo pass)
- Glacier 7-day pass: $35
- Mount Rushmore: $10 parking fee (not covered by Am the Beautiful, technically a memorial not a park)
- Arches / Bryce / Zion / Grand Canyon: $35 each per visit
If your trip covers 3+ units among Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, Bryce, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Sequoia, Olympic, Crater Lake, Denali, Rocky Mountain, Acadia, Everglades, Great Smoky Mountains, or any BLM / National Monument / National Forest entrance-fee site, the $80 pays itself back and you skip entrance-fee lines at the rest.
Buy it at your first park gate, online via USGS store, or at REI stores. Covers the holder plus all passengers in one non-commercial vehicle.
Yellowstone Tours from Nearby Towns (Including Flight Combos)
If you want a local pickup plus a guide who knows where the wolves were spotted yesterday, these are the four most common tour gateways. Expect $100-$300 per person for a full-day tour including transport, guide, and lunch. Flight + tour combos from Las Vegas or Salt Lake City run $400-$800 per person.
West Yellowstone, MT
Most tour operators. Closest to Old Faithful. Lower Geyser Basin tours, wolf-watching day trips to Lamar Valley.
$120-$250 full-day
Gardiner, MT
North entrance town. Mammoth Hot Springs tours, Lamar Valley wildlife safaris at dawn.
$140-$280 full-day
Jackson, WY
Combo Grand Teton + Yellowstone trips. Longer days (often 12-14 hours) because Jackson is 1 hour south of the park.
$180-$350 full-day
Bozeman, MT
Gateway via the MSP flights. Some tours start at 6am and include hotel pickup.
$200-$400 full-day
Cell Service, WiFi, and Maps in Yellowstone
Cell coverage inside Yellowstone is patchy at best. You will get signal in the following developed areas on Verizon and AT&T, weaker on T-Mobile:
- Mammoth Hot Springs village
- Old Faithful village and lodge area
- Canyon Village
- Grant Village (partial)
- Gate towns (West Yellowstone, Gardiner, Cooke City, Cody)
You will NOT get reliable signal in Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, most of the Grand Loop between villages, any trailhead, or anywhere in the backcountry. Park WiFi exists at some lodges but is slow and guest-only.
Before you enter the park: download offline Google Maps covering the entire park boundary (go to Google Maps, search Yellowstone, tap the three-dot menu, tap Download offline map). Also consider downloading the free NPS Yellowstone app which works offline.
Can Dogs Visit Old Faithful? (Yellowstone Pet Policy)
Short and direct: you can bring your dog to Yellowstone, but you will mostly be leaving it in the car. Here is exactly where pets ARE and ARE NOT allowed.
Where pets are allowed:
- Inside your vehicle or RV
- Paved roads and paved road shoulders
- Parking lots
- Campgrounds (leashed, max 6 feet)
- Within 100 feet of roads and parking areas
Where pets are strictly PROHIBITED:
- All hiking trails
- All boardwalks (including the Old Faithful boardwalk and every geyser basin)
- All backcountry areas
- Thermal features (dangerous for pets, lethal for dogs)
- Visitor centers (service animals excepted)
Yes, this means you cannot physically walk your dog out to see Old Faithful erupt. You can stand in the parking lot with your leashed dog and hear it, but the viewing boardwalk is off-limits. Most gate towns (Gardiner, West Yellowstone) have daycare kennels if you plan a full-day hike.
Entrance Pass vs Tour Ticket vs Event Ticket (Disambiguation)
Yellowstone Entrance Pass
What most visitors mean by "yellowstone tickets." $35 per vehicle for 7 days at any of the 5 gates. Paid directly to NPS. No affiliate markup.
Yellowstone Quake Tickets
The Yellowstone Quake is a junior hockey team based in Cody, WY. Their tickets go through the team's own website, typically $10-$20 per game. Nothing to do with park entry.
Yellowstone Playhouse Tickets
The Playmill Theatre in West Yellowstone (sometimes called Yellowstone Playhouse) is a summer community theater performing Broadway-style shows. Tickets $25-$35 via their own box office.
6 Common Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make
- 1Buying a $35 entrance pass when visiting 3+ parks this year. The $80 America the Beautiful pass pays for itself at 3 parks.
- 2Arriving without a lodging reservation. In-park lodges (Old Faithful Inn, Lake Yellowstone Hotel) book up 13 months in advance.
- 3Not knowing Old Faithful area parking fills by 10am in summer. Arrive before 9am or after 5pm, or use the shuttle.
- 4Assuming cell service works throughout the park. It largely does not. Download offline Google Maps for Yellowstone before you arrive.
- 5Bringing pets expecting to hike with them. Pets are prohibited on all trails and boardwalks. They can only be in cars, RVs, and parking areas.
- 6Driving in June with non-summer tires. Snowstorms can hit through mid-June at elevation. Check road conditions daily.
The Non-US Resident $100 Surcharge Explained
Following the 2025 budget legislation, non-US residents aged 16 and older pay an additional $100 per person on top of the standard Yellowstone entrance fee. This fee applies at every US national park in the system, not just Yellowstone.
Who qualifies for the surcharge:
- Any visitor aged 16+ who is not a US resident
- Tourist visa holders, ESTA Visa Waiver Program visitors, international students on short-term visas
Who is exempt:
- Children under 16 (regardless of nationality)
- US citizens living abroad (bring a passport to prove US citizenship)
- US green card holders (legal permanent residents)
- Holders of valid US driver licenses or military IDs
How to pay: The surcharge is collected at the entrance gate at the same time as your standard fee, by card or cash in USD. Purchasing an America the Beautiful pass does NOT waive the non-resident surcharge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to enter Yellowstone in 2026?↓
$35 for a private vehicle 7-day pass, $30 for motorcycle, $20 per individual on foot or bicycle. Non-US residents aged 16+ pay an additional $100 per person. A Yellowstone + Grand Teton annual pass is $70, and the America the Beautiful pass covering all US national parks for a year is $80.
Do you need a reservation to visit Yellowstone?↓
No. Yellowstone does NOT use a timed-entry reservation system like Rocky Mountain, Arches, or Glacier. You can arrive at any entrance during operating hours, pay your fee, and drive in. However, in-park camping and lodging absolutely require advance reservations through Recreation.gov, often 13 months ahead for summer dates.
Is there cell service in Yellowstone?↓
Limited and patchy. You will get signal near developed areas like Mammoth, Old Faithful, Canyon Village, and Grant Village (mostly Verizon and AT&T). There is NO cell service in Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, most of the interior, or at any trailhead more than a few miles from a developed area. Download offline maps before your trip.
Can dogs visit Old Faithful?↓
Dogs are allowed in the parking lot and on paved roads, but NOT on the boardwalk around Old Faithful itself, and NOT on any trail or backcountry area in the park. Pets must be on a leash under 6 feet at all times. If you are hiking, you will need to leave your dog in the car (with safe temperatures) or use a kennel in Gardiner or West Yellowstone.
Is the America the Beautiful Pass worth it for Yellowstone?↓
If Yellowstone is your only park, no. A single $35 pass covers your visit. But if you combine Yellowstone with Grand Teton, Glacier, Mount Rushmore, or any other federal site in the same 12 months, the $80 America the Beautiful pass pays for itself fast. It also covers BLM lands, national monuments, and many state-adjacent federal recreation areas.
What is the best entrance to Yellowstone?↓
For most first-time visitors: West Yellowstone (Montana). It is closest to Old Faithful (35 minutes), has the most tour operators, hotels, and restaurants, and is served by Yellowstone Airport (WYS). For wildlife, the Northeast entrance via Cooke City gives fastest access to Lamar Valley. For a combo trip with the Tetons, use the South entrance.
When is the best time to visit Yellowstone?↓
September. Daytime temperatures are 60-70F, nights are cool but not freezing, elk are rutting and bugling, crowds are half what they are in July, and all major roads are still open. Mid-June through August is peak season with full access but heavy traffic. Winter (Dec-Mar) offers a completely different park experience via snowcoach and snowmobile.
Do non-US residents pay extra for Yellowstone in 2026?↓
Yes. Following the 2025 Congressional budget action, non-US residents aged 16 and older pay an additional $100 per person surcharge on top of the standard entrance fee. This applies at all national parks in the system, not just Yellowstone. Children under 16 are exempt. Proof of US residency (driver license, military ID) avoids the surcharge at the gate.