If you a re a fan of the US National Parks, chances are you will LOVE the Canadian National Parks too.
Just like the US National Parks, the Canadian parks have entry fees. Their fee structure is a little different than the US parks.
Canadian National Park Pass Fees
When you go to the Canadian National Parks you have the option of paying by the day. The Canadian National Parks offer single day passes per person and per carload. In 2022 a single day pass for one person somewhere like Banff was $10.50 and a single day family pass was $21.00. US National Parks typically sell 7-day passes good for one carload of people and do not charge per person and do not offer single day admission passes. You can buy the short terms passes for the US or Canadian parks at the entrance gate to the parks.
Canadian National Park Single Day vs. Annual Passes
If you plan to spend more than about 7 days in the Canadian National Park then chances are it will be a better value to go for the Canadian National Parks Discovery pass. In 2022, the cost for an annual Discovery Pass for one person was $72.25 and for a single vehicle with up to 7 people in it the cost was $145.25. Those are all in Canadian dollars. If you are coming from the US and paying with a US credit card your cost will be about 20% less than that in US dollars.
Limitations Of The Parks Canada Discovery Pass
Just as the US has National Parks and state parks (as well as county parks in smaller jurisdictions), Canada has National Parks, Provincial Parks and other smaller parks that may each have their own entry fees.
The Parks Canada covers a TON of amazing parks and sights all across Canada but in areas like Kananaskis just outside Banff, you’ll need to buy a $15 day pass or a $90 annual Kananaskis Conservation Pass. That is more expensive than the Canadian National Parks pass if you are solo traveler. It’s always a good idea to do some research and plan out any passes you may need wherever you are going in Canada, the US and elsewhere.
Leave a Reply