What it costs to get into Zion
Thirty five dollars a car, seven days, and then a set of extras that catch people out. One of them is brand new for 2026 and can add several hundred dollars to a family's trip.
- Private vehicle
- $35 for 7 days
- Non US resident, 16+
- +$100 each
- Under 16
- Free
- Zion annual pass
- $70
The standard fees, which are the easy part
All of these last seven days from the day you buy them, and all of them cover re entry, so you pay once for a whole trip rather than once a day.
| How you arrive | Cost | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Private vehicle | $35 | Everyone in the car, whatever the number, for seven days. This is what almost everyone pays. |
| Motorcycle | $30 | Per motorcycle, seven days. |
| On foot or by bicycle | $20 | Per person aged 16 and over, seven days. |
| Zion annual pass | $70 | A year at Zion only. Pays for itself on the third visit. |
| Anyone aged 15 or under | Free | No entrance fee at all, and no surcharge either. |
The pedestrian fee is the one worth checking
If you are staying in Springdale and walking in through the pedestrian entrance rather than driving, you are paying per person, not per vehicle. Two adults walking in twice in a week still pay once, because the pass lasts seven days, but a group of four adults pays $80 rather than $35. Buy the vehicle pass at the gate on the way through even if you then park the car for the rest of the trip.
Kolob Canyons, the quieter northern section reached from its own entrance at Interstate 15 exit 40, is covered by the same pass. If you have not already paid you stop at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center to do it. Wilderness permits are a separate matter and are only issued at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center.
The $100 surcharge for non US residents
From 1 January 2026, every visitor who is not a United States resident pays an extra $100 per person aged 16 and over.
It applies at eleven parks: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, Acadia, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Teton, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon. It is charged on top of the ordinary entrance fee, not instead of it.
Two things about it are easy to get wrong and both cost money.
| Party | Pays | Why |
|---|---|---|
| US resident, any number in one car | $35 | The vehicle fee covers everyone. No per person charge. |
| One non resident adult | $135 | $35 for the car plus $100 for them. |
| Two non resident adults | $235 | The point at which the annual pass is worth doing the sum on. |
| Two non resident adults, two children under 16 | $235 | The children are exempt from both charges. |
| Three non resident adults | $335 | Now more expensive than a year long pass covering every park. |
| Any of the above with the non resident annual pass | $250 | One pass, one vehicle, every national park, a whole year. |
The two things that catch people
You cannot pay the surcharge online. It is collected in person at the entrance, so it is not part of a recreation.gov booking and will not appear on any itinerary you were sent. And the pass has to be with you. The holder must be present whenever it is used, so one person cannot buy it and send the family through in a second car.
If Zion is your only park and you are travelling as a couple, the $250 pass costs fifteen dollars more than paying at the gate. If you are three adults, or you are also going to Bryce Canyon or the Grand Canyon, the pass is simply cheaper, and it is the obvious buy for anyone doing a southern Utah loop.
Which pass pays for itself
All of these are America the Beautiful passes and all of them work at every federal recreation site, not just Zion. The Zion annual pass is the one exception and only works here.
| Pass | Cost | Who it is for, and what it admits |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | $80 | US citizens and residents. One private vehicle, or four per person admissions. Worth it at three parks in a year. |
| Non resident annual | $250 | Visitors who are not US residents. Covers the whole vehicle, two motorcycles, or the holder plus three adults, and exempts them from the $100 surcharge. |
| Senior annual | $20 | US citizens and residents aged 62 and over. |
| Senior lifetime | $80 | US citizens and residents aged 62 and over. Four annual passes and it never expires. |
| Access | Free | US citizens and residents with a permanent disability. |
| Military annual and lifetime | Free | Current US military and dependents, veterans, and Gold Star families. |
| Fourth grade | Free | US fourth graders and their vehicle, for the school year. |
| Volunteer | Free | Anyone with 250 volunteer hours at federal recreation sites. |
| Zion annual | $70 | Zion only. Only worth it over the $80 national pass if Zion really is the only park you will visit. |
One thing the park has not spelled out
The park service says the surcharge applies unless a visitor holds an annual or America the Beautiful pass, but it does not spell out how the free and discounted passes interact with it for a non resident. If you hold an Access, military or volunteer pass and are not a US resident, ask at the entrance station rather than assuming either way. We would rather flag the gap than guess at it.
What is genuinely free
Once you are through the gate, most of Zion costs nothing, which is worth knowing before you buy anything.
The shuttle
Both lines, the canyon line and the Springdale town line. Free, no reservation, no permit, and during shuttle season the canyon line is the only way up the scenic drive. Any tour selling you transport into the canyon is selling you something free. Timetable and stops.
The Narrows from the bottom
Walking up the river from the end of the Riverside Walk needs no permit and no guide. The park lists the full round trip at 9.4 miles. Only the top down route through the wilderness needs a permit. Conditions and flow.
Almost every trail
Emerald Pools, Riverside Walk, Pa’rus, Watchman, Canyon Overlook, Kayenta, the West Rim as far as Scout Lookout. Angels Landing beyond Scout Lookout is the one hike in the canyon that needs a permit.
There are also ten fee free days in 2026, when entrance fees are waived across the park service: 16 February, 25 May, 14 June, 3 to 5 July, 25 August, 17 September, 27 October and 11 November.
Fee free days changed in 2026, and not in your favour if you are visiting from abroad
From 2026 the waiver applies to US citizens and residents only. Non residents still pay the ordinary entrance fee and the $100 surcharge on those days. Timed entry and reservation fees are also unaffected, and an Angels Landing permit still costs what it costs. A fee free day at Zion mainly buys you a crowd.
The costs the entrance fee does not cover
None of these are large on their own. Together they are the difference between the budget you planned and the one you spent.
| Cost | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Angels Landing application | $6 | Per application, non refundable whether or not you win. How the lottery works. |
| Angels Landing permit | $3 | Per person, only if a permit is issued to you. |
| Tunnel traffic control | $15 | Vehicles over 7 ft 10 in wide or 11 ft 4 in tall. Covers two pass throughs within seven days. Rented motorhomes very often need it. |
| Parking in Springdale | Paid, privately run | The park lot is free but fills early and stays full. The town shuttle exists precisely so you do not have to fight for it. |
| Gear rental | $31 to $85 | Narrows boots and stick packages, by tier. What each package includes. |
| Guided trips | $60 to $558 | An hour on horseback at the low end, a one on one Narrows day at the high end. Compare categories. |
Check your vehicle before you rely on the tunnel
Beyond the $15 permit there is a hard limit. Anything over 35 ft 9 in long, 50 ft combined, a trailer over 26 ft, or 50,000 lb is not permitted between Canyon Junction and the East Entrance at all, at any price. Escort hours are limited and change by season.
Common questions about Zion entrance fees
How much does it cost to get into Zion National Park?
$35 per private vehicle for seven days, $30 per motorcycle, or $20 per person arriving on foot or by bicycle. A Zion annual pass is $70 and the national America the Beautiful annual pass is $80. Anyone aged 15 or under enters free.
What is the $100 fee for international visitors at Zion?
From 1 January 2026 visitors who are not US residents pay an extra $100 per person aged 16 and over, on top of the entrance fee, at Zion and ten other national parks. It is collected in person at the entrance, not online, and children 15 and under are exempt.
How do I avoid the $100 non resident fee?
Buy the $250 America the Beautiful non resident annual pass, which exempts the holder and the passengers in one non commercial vehicle for a year at every national park. For two adults it costs $15 more than a single Zion visit, and for three or more it is cheaper outright.
How long is a Zion entrance pass valid?
Seven days from the day you buy it, with unlimited re entry. You pay once for a whole trip rather than once per day.
Is the Zion shuttle free?
Yes. Both the canyon line and the Springdale town line are free, take no reservation and need no permit. During shuttle season the canyon line is the only way up the scenic drive.
Are there free entrance days at Zion in 2026?
Yes, ten of them: 16 February, 25 May, 14 June, 3 to 5 July, 25 August, 17 September, 27 October and 11 November. From 2026 the waiver applies to US citizens and residents only, so non residents still pay the entrance fee and the surcharge.
Do I need to pay to hike The Narrows or Angels Landing?
The Narrows from the bottom is free and needs no permit. Angels Landing beyond Scout Lookout needs a permit won in a lottery, which costs a $6 non refundable application fee plus $3 per person if you are issued one.
Is the Zion annual pass worth it?
Only if Zion really is the only park you will visit in a year. It costs $70 against $80 for the America the Beautiful annual pass, which covers every national park and federal recreation site.
Now spend the money on something worth it
Most of Zion is free once you are through the gate. The things worth paying for are the ones you could not do alone.
Also useful: the shuttle, the permit lottery and when to visit.
$35 a car for seven days, and one new charge for 2026.
Read the planning guide