When you visit a national park or national monument that charges admission, you have a choice: pay the weekly entrance fee for the park, buy an annual pass for the park, or buy an annual pass for all parks.
At $80, the “America the Beautiful” annual pass is good for one calendar year, and it’s a great deal if you’re going to be visiting three or more parks. It’s an even greater deal if you’re going to be visiting dozens of them!
Here are all of the places I visited with the pass I bought in August 2021! (The links on the dates will take you to my longer notes about most visits.)
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Aug. 2, 2021
Purchased annual pass. Visited sites along the south rim and hiked Warner Point.
Mesa Verde National Park
Aug. 2-4, 2021
Stayed at Morefield Campground. Visited ruins along Mesa Top Loop and hiked to Step House. (Several key sites were closed due to rockfalls, construction, and COVID.)
Natural Bridges National Monument
Aug. 4, 2021
Very few people in the park. Drove loop road and had a spectacular moment of solitude at Owachomo Bridge.
Arches National Park
Aug. 5-6, 2021
Stayed in a national forest campground nearby and visited this park in tandem with Canyonlands. Hiked to Delicate Arch one day and visited several other sites the next.
Canyonlands National Park
Aug. 5-6, 2021
Stayed in a national forest campground nearby and visited this park in tandem with Arches. Visited the Island in the Sky District one day and the Needles district the next, but heat prevented long hikes.
Grand Canyon National Park
Aug. 7-8, 2021
Stayed at Mather Campground, where it was surprisingly easy to reserve a campsite on a Saturday night. Visited sites along the south rim and enjoyed a spectacular (but crowded) sunset from Mather Point.
Zion National Park
Aug. 8-10, 2021
Drive Mt. Carmel-Zion Scenic Highway three times! Took the shuttle into the valley and enjoyed a short part of the Kayenta Trail. Left campground one day early due to heat; stayed in a hotel and visited the Kolob Canyon area the next day.
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Aug. 10, 2021
Quick stops at overlooks on a packed day.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Aug. 10, 2021
Spectacular hike on Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail. Drove scenic road to the Rainbow Point.
Capitol Reef National Park
Aug. 11, 2021
Stayed in a national forest campground nearby the night before. Hiked Grand Wash. Picked fruit in orchards.
Colorado National Monument
Aug. 11, 2021
Was planning to camp here but canceled due to I-70 detour changing the trip plan. Quickly drove scenic road. Will return!
Rocky Mountain National Park
Aug. 12, 2021
Planned entire trip around the only timed entry reservation available during my two-week vacation. Drove Trail Ridge Road with stops at the Alpine Ridge Trail, Tundra Communities, and other overlooks. Will return!
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
May 17-19, 2022
Camped at Leo Carillo State Park. Hiked the Grotto Trail. Drove part of Mulholland Highway but got lost and then stuck in traffic. Enjoyed excellent sunsets on the beach.
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument (Angeles National Forest)
May 19, 2022
Visited Mount Wilson Observatory. Gazed at Mount Wilson transmitter site. Visited overlooks along Angeles Crest Highway; had to double back due to road closure.
Joshua Tree National Park
May 19-21, 2022
Camped at Cottonwood Spring Campground. Hiked Ryan Mountain and enjoyed seeing many desert wildflowers. Visited Keys View, Skull Rock, Jumbo Rocks, Cholla Cactus Garden, and other sites.
Death Valley National Park
May 21-22, 2022
Drove in from the west and visited “Star Wars Canyon.” Stayed at Stovepipe Wells Motel. Sunrise at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Quick hikes at Badwater Basin and Golden Canyon before it got hot. Drove Artists Drive. Visited Zabriski Point.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
May 23-24, 2022
Saw cacti of many kinds on Ajo Mountain Drive scenic loop. Stayed in campground, couldn’t see any other campers around. Tried to visit Quitobaquito Springs but it was closed for construction.
Saguaro National Park
May 24-25, 2022
Started with west unit for a drive on Hohokam Road and a quick hike up Signal Hill. Checked into a hotel (no campgrounds in the park). Then visited east unit’s Cactus Forest Drive and Desert Ecology Trail. Hiked another west unit trail in the morning.
Petrified Forest National Park
May 26, 2022
Drove in from the south since I’d camped at Lyman Lake State Park (no camping in the national park). Hiked Long Logs/Agate House, Blue Mesa, and Puerco Pueblo trails and visited several other sites. Got sunburned!
Dinosaur National Monument
June 5-7, 2022
Camped at Green River Campground. Hiked Sound of Silence Trail. Marveled at Dinosaur Fossil Wall. Hiked the spectacular Harpers Corner Trail. Visited several petroglyph sites.
Great Basin National Park
June 7-8, 2022
Spectacular campsite at Upper Lehman Campground! Got a last-minute pass for the quick Gothic Palace cave tour. Hiked the excellent Alpine Lakes Loop because I didn’t bring the winter equipment needed for the Bristlecone Grove trail.
Yosemite National Park
June 9-11, 2022
Hiked Gaylor Lakes trail. Visited sites along Tioga Pass Road. Camped at Hogdon Meadow Campground. Saw Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, and Half Dome from the valley. Lost a side mirror on the road to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Visited Mariposa Grove a month before wildfire closures.
Kings Canyon National Park
June 12-14, 2022
Spectacular site at Crystal Springs Campground! Blown away by the drive into the canyon. Spectacular hikes to Mist Falls and the Buena Vista overlook, with many wildflowers in bloom. Visited Grant Grove and Panoramic Point.
Sequoia National Park
June 13, 2022
Visited while camping at neighboring Kings Canyon. Took shuttle busses to the General Sherman Tree, the Big Trees Trail, Moro Rock, and Crescent Meadow. Other visitors didn’t seem to be aware of the danger of bears hanging out near the trails.
Pinnacles National Park
June 14, 2022
Basically a failed visit. Nearing 100 degrees, I deemed it too hot to go on any of the hikes (all listed as strenuous in my reference book) and decided to cancel my camping reservation.
Craters of the Moon National Monument
July 7, 2022
Walked Devils Orchard Trail. Had an out-of-this-world feeling while hiking up the Inferno Cone. Visited the Spatter Cones and hiked from there to one of the Big Craters. Hiked the Tree Molds Trail.
Crater Lake National Park
July 8-11, 2022
Entered from the north and got my first view from North Junction. Spent a lot of time over several days gazing at the wondrous lake. Hiked a few trails on the rim. Camped at Union Creek Campground in Rogue River National Forest.
Lava Beds National Monument
July 11, 2022
Hiked to Kintpuash’s Stronghold and the Black Crater. Didn’t hike up the observation hill due to heat. Learned about the various forms of volcanoes.
Lassen Volcanic National Park
July 11-13, 2022
Camped at Manzanita Lake Campground. Saw rocks from the 1915 eruption at the “Devastated Area.” Spectacular hike through heavenly scenes to the Bumpass Hell volcanic area! Visited Sulphur Works. Many areas closed due to 2021 wildfires.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
July 13, 2022
Not in my plans, but made a quick stop between parks. Visited the John F. Kennedy memorial at the site where he delivered a speech on his last California visit.
Redwoods National and State Parks
July 13-15, 2022
Camped at Sue-meg State Park. Cool eerie hike through the fog at Lady Bird Johnson Grove. Saw Elk at Elk Meadow. Hiked Stout Grove. Visited the beach. Enjoyed sunsets. Probably got COVID in the shower at Sue-meg.
Yaquina Head Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area
July 16, 2022
Didn’t yet know I had COVID. Walked around the lighthouse area and hiked uphill. Then visited the quarry area. Camped nearby at Beverly Beach State Park.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Aug. 2-4, 2022
Spent one night in each of the campgrounds in the park due to availability. Drenched by rain! Clouds cleared a bit for a drive on the loop road and a hike at Pyramid Point.
Honorable mentions: I also visited several other parks and monuments without needing to show my pass, either because they do not charge admission or because the part of the parks I visited was free:
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park (rest area)
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (overlook)
- Vermillion Cliffs National Monument
- Grand Portage National Monument
- North Cascades National Park/Ross Lake National Recreation Area