Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park moves to cashless fee collection effectively immediately. Read the news release. Reducing cash collected in fee operations allows parks to better steward visitor dollars by:
When does the park plan to start cashless operations? The park started cashless operations on April 1, 2025. This includes all campgrounds and the entrance station. The Western National Parks Association (WNPA) park store in the South Rim Visitor Center is also now cashless. What if I only have cash? Visitors should arrive prepared to use credit card, debit card, or other form of cashless payment for entrance fees and campground fees. Visitors who prefer to use cash can purchase an Interagency America the Beautiful pass at the following locations prior to entering the park. Montrose Public Lands Center Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests Headquarters Can I use a personal check or cashier’s check? No. Only credit, debit, and other forms of electronic payment will be accepted at the entrance station and campgrounds. The campground will only accept payments through Recreation.gov, the Recreation.gov Call Center, or Scan & Pay with the Recreation.gov mobile app. Can I use contactless payments such as Apple Pay or my pre-paid Wallet phone app? Yes, you can use Apple Pay and other contactless payment systems at entrance stations and the bookstore. Can I buy a pass before I get to the park? Yes. Visitors can go to Recreation.gov to buy a Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Annual Pass (valid for one year), or a Private Vehicle Pass, a Motorcycle Pass, or Individual Pass – all valid for 7 days at the park. The Interagency America the Beautiful Pass (annual, senior, military, etc.) is accepted for admission to the park. View the Fees & Passes page for more information. Can I show a digital copy of my pre-paid entrance pass at park entrance stations? Yes. If choosing this method, please have it available offline or as a screenshot. Depending on your phone carrier, there may be limited or no cell service at the entrance station. What advantages does this have to the park visitor? Cashless policies decrease entrance station wait times and reduce errors around making change. The transition to cashless payments will allow the NPS to redirect substantial amounts of staff time processing cash (counting, remitting, auditing, etc.) to directly benefit park visitors. What are entrances fees and camping fees used for? Entrance, camping, and wilderness permit fees are used to improve visitor experiences in national parks. At Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, these funds are used to clean public restrooms, maintain campgrounds and trails, and more. How much does it cost to enter Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park? The cost for a one-to-seven-day vehicle entry is $30. A Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park annual pass, good for one year from the month of purchase, costs $55. An America the Beautiful Pass, good from one year from the month of purchase and accepted across agencies, costs $80. View the Fees & Passes page for more information. How are commercial tours affected? Commercial tour operators should pay for fees with a credit card. Can visitors pay cash at South Rim Campground? No. All sites are now reservable in advance at Recreation.gov. Can visitors pay cash at North Rim Campground? No. Scan & Pay through the Recreation.gov mobile app will be the only payment option. Visitors should plan to download the app before arriving at the park. The Scan & Pay option for areas without cellular service requires the download of the app, available at Mobile App - Recreation.gov. Many National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Corps of Engineers, and state park sites accept the Scan & Pay form of payment. How can visitors pay for a wilderness route permit? South Rim and Red Rock Canyon wilderness permits are only available on Recreation.gov. North Rim wilderness permits are first-come, first-served (limited availability per day, per route) at no cost, and available at the ranger station. |
Last updated: April 14, 2025