Grand Canyon News

Good morning Grand Canyon travelers, what’s up?  Here’s some news courtesy of a regular poster on Trip Advisor that will help you get the most out of your Grand Canyon vacation: the National Park Service at Grand Canyon South Rim has designated a second lane as a “prepaid entrance” lane. 

Not sure what that implies for your Grand Canyon vacation?  Well….which would you prefer?  A. breezing right into the park with minimal wait time at the entrance gate or b. sweating in your car up to an hour or more waiting in line to pay your entrance fee?  For those who choose option A, read and heed.  Those who chose option B….what, are you NUTS?! Just playin’

Anyway, during the peak travel months of summer, it is not uncommon to see folks waiting in line for a LONG time to pay their Grand Canyon park entrance fees, especially during the mid-day hours.  How do you avoid that?  Prepay your park entrance fee BEFORE you get to the park. 

There are several ways to accomplish this. 

If you’re going to several National Parks on your vacation, purchase a National Park Pass.  For just $50, this handy little card grants you and all passengers in your vehicle access to ALL National Parks, Monuments and Federal Fee areas in the continental US for one calendar year.  If, like many Grand Canyon visitors, you also plan to go see Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Lake Powell/Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on your trip, then you should definitely get one of these.  Why?  Because it will save you money. 

Let’s do a little math: the entrance fee to the Grand Canyon is $25/vehicle.  The entrance fee to Lake Powell is $15/vehicle; Zion National Park is $20/vehicle; Bryce Canyon is also $20/vehicle.  Those are just a few examples of some of the amazing National Parks and Monuments within easy access of the Grand Canyon.  Some others are Tuzigoot and Montezuma’s Castle, near Sedona, or Wupatki/Sunset Crater near Flagstaff.  So if you are planning to go and see at least three parks or monuments on your trip, the National Park Pass would pay for itself in short order. 

Another cool thing?  You can actually pre-purchase your park pass before you go on vacation!  Visit  https://buy.nationalparks.org/default.asp?ref=nps or call 1-888-Go-Parks.  Otherwise, simply purchase the National Park Pass at the first National Park or Monument on your itinerary.  If you are 62+, ask about the Golden Age Pass; if you are disabled, ask about the Golden Access Pass.  (Some notable exceptions where the National Park Pass would NOT grant you access are Indian Tribal Parks, such as Monument Valley and Grand Canyon West)

Now, if the Grand Canyon is going to be “it” for you on this vacation, you can also save time by prepaying your Grand Canyon park entrance fee at one of two Official Grand Canyon National Park Pay Stations: the Valle Travel Stop in Valle, Arizona, which is located about 30 miles South of the park entrance at the junction of Highway 64 & 180.  Another is located inside the IMAX Theatre in Tusayan, just one mile South of the park entrance.  (While at the IMAX Theatre, of course, don’t miss the chance to experience the spectacular film “.”)

By prepaying your Grand Canyon National Park entrance fee in one of these ways, you will save yourself time and frustration, because when YOU go to the entrance gate at the South Rim, you’ll be able to go directly to Lane 1 or Lane 4, flash your card or receipt, and go right in.  If not – it could cost you over an hour of your valuable vacation time. 

A couple of other guidelines for cutting down on your wait time: get there early or come in late.  Lines are their longest during the mid-day hours.  Carpool when you can.  And when you get inside the park, park your vehicle and use the free in-park shuttles to get to the various Grand Canyon hotels, gift shops and restaurants, and to see the viewpoints on the Hermit’s Rest/West Rim Drive. 

Want more tips on how to save time, money and hassle on YOUR Grand Canyon vacation?  Get ”The Insider’s Guide to the Grand Canyon: Summer Edition“ right now – it’s FREE!  (Visiting in fall or winter?  Call us and order your advance copy of “The Insider’s Guide” for these seasons!)