Entry Information For Visiting The Canada Rocky Mountain National Parks
The park passses associated with the Canada Rocky Mountain National Parks are a source of confusion for many people. The term entry fee gets used, but it’s not a fixed fee to enter the parks. It’s an amount that is charged on a per day basis for the total number of days you will be spending in the parks. These passes are known as daily park passes. The Discovery Pass is another option, it is valid for a year and allows entry into all of the national parks in Canada.
As you read further you’ll have a better understanding of how these passes work, when they are required and what they include.
Table Of Contents For The Parks Canada Entry Fees
- Is A Separate Pass Required For Each Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks?
- When Are You Required To Purchase A Park Pass?
- What Are Park Pass Fees For?
- Misunderstandings With Park Passes And Accommodation In The Parks
- Do I Need A Park Pass To Visit Or Stay In Canmore?
- Is A Park Pass Required To Drive Through The Rocky Mountain National Parks?
- Is A Park Pass Required For The Icefields Parkway?
- Do I Need To Purchase A Park Pass When Entering A Park With A Tour or Bus?
- What Are The Types Passes And How Long Are They Valid?
- What Is The Cost Of A Park Pass?
- When Is It Economical To Purchase A Family/Group Park Pass Or An Annual Discovery Park Pass?
- Are The Canada National Park Passes Transferable?
- What Fees Are Not Covered By The Canada National Park Pass?
- Do The Canada Park Passes Provide Entry Into Provincial Or Other Types Of Parks?
- Where Can I Buy A Park Pass For The Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks?
- Is There An Advantage To Purchasing Canada Park Passes Online Before My Trip?
- What If I Drove Through A Park Gate And It Was Closed Or Unattended?
- Are There Any Discounts Or Coupon Codes For The Discovery Park Pass?
- Do I Need To Purchase More Than One Park Pass For A Family Or Group Traveling In More Than One Vehicle?
- What If You Are Traveling With A Recreational Vehicle Towing A Car?
- What Do I Do With A National Park Pass When Traveling On A Motorcycle?
- What If I Want To Extend My Time In The National Parks?
- Are There Any Free Access To The Canada Rocky Mountain National Parks?
- Do Park Official Check For Park Passes?
Is A Separate Park Pass Required For Each Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks?
You do not need a separate park pass for each park. When you purchase a pass it is not designated to a park. There is not a specific Banff Park Pass or Jasper Park Pass. You can visit the following mountain parks with the same pass.
- Banff National Park
- Jasper National Park
- Yoho National Park
- Kootenay National Park
- Waterton Lakes National Park
- Revelstoke National Park
- Glacier National Park
- Elk Island National Park
Your daily passes will allow you to visit any of the above parks as many times as you like for the number of days that your park pass is valid. For example if you purchased daily park passes on July 10th for a total of 4 days, they would be valid to July 14th until 4pm.
In the case of the Discovery Pass it allows you to visit all National Parks in Canada for one year from the date of purchase. A search for the different National parks can be done here: Canada National Park Search
As a side note, not all eight of the aforementioned parks are in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Range. Revelstoke National Park and Glacier National Park are in the Columbia Mountain Range that sits west of the Canadian Rockies. It is made up of mountains called the Purcells, Selkirks, Cariboos and Monashees. Mount Revelstoke National Park is entirely within the Selkirk Range. Elk Island National Park is close to the city of Edmonton. It is in the Southern Boreal Plains and Plateaux Natural Region. All eight parks are in the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta.
When Are You Required To Purchase A Park Pass?
Drivers and passengers entering into the parks in their own vehicle or a rented vehicle that will be stopping or using the parks in any way are required to have a park pass.
If you arrive to a park by another mode of transportation such as a bus or shuttle and then rent a vehicle you will need to purchase a park pass for yourself and the passengers for each day you will be spending in the parks.
If you are coming into the parks with a tour operator you will need to inquire if a park pass has been purchased on your behalf.
Some Examples Of When A Park Pass Is Required
Many visitors have a misunderstanding and think a pass is not required if they are making a brief stop. A park pass is required for any use of the parks. Some example are below.
- stopping at a viewpoint or pullout to enjoy the scenery or to take photos
- a stop to see Lake Louise regardless of how long
- using a picnic area
- attending an event, festival or conference within a park regardless if it’s for personal or business purposes
- stopping in a town or village such as the Banff town site, even if it is just to grab a quick bite to eat
- camping, hiking or using any park facility requires a park pass in addition to any applicable camping fees
- if you are a driver or a passenger of a vehicle brought into a park to ski for the day
- if you are staying at accommodation in one of the national parks
What Do The Park Pass Fees Get Used For?
The park pass fees stay in the area where they were purchased. In the Rocky Mountains they are used for wildlife protection such as the fencing that runs through Banff National Park on the Trans Canada Highway. It also pays for the building and maintenance of wildlife underpasses and overpasses that cross the highway. Maintenance to picnic areas, trails, parking areas, viewpoint pullouts, scenic parkways, interpretive signs, day use areas, public washrooms, safety education and information services are all part of what the fees cover.
Misunderstandings With Park Passes And Accommodation In The Parks
If you are paying for accommodation in one of the national parks it does not exclude you from needing a park pass. If your hotel has a parking fee for your vehicle that does not exclude you from needing to purchase a park pass. Neither of these assumptions is correct. Purchasing a park pass is required for each day spent in the parks above and beyond the cost of your accommodation in the parks or any parking fees.
Do I Need A Park Pass To Visit Or Stay In Canmore?
A park pass is not required for Canmore. The town of Canmore is not in a National park, it is located outside the eastern boundary of Banff National Park.
However, some people mistakenly think because they spend time in Banff National Park in the day they don’t need a pass because they return to their Canmore accommodation at night. Going into Banff for lunch, a walk or to visit a tourist attraction requires a park pass, even you leave at night to go sleep outside of the park.
To recap, you’ll need a pass that is valid for every day that you go back and forth between Canmore and Banff or any of the Rocky Mountain National Parks. You will not need a pass for a day that you spend entirely in Canmore or if you travel to other areas of Alberta that are not in a National Park.
You will however need a Kananaskis Conservation Pass if you plan on traveling to Kananaskis Country or the Bow Valley Corridor. These are provincial run parks that include the Nordic Center Provincial Park near Canmore, with the Grassi Lakes Trail being one of the most popular hikes in that area.
Is A Park Pass Required To Drive Through The Rocky Mountain National Parks?
The Trans Canada Highway #1 is Canada’s main highway and it happens to pass right through Banff and Yoho National Parks. If you are using the highway strictly as a route of travel and making no stops in the parks you are not required to purchase a park pass. The same applies for driving straight through Jasper National Park on the Yellowhead Hwy #16. However a park pass is required for the Icefields Parkway, see below.
A Park Pass Is Always Required For The Icefields Parkway #93N And For The Bow Valley Parkway #1A
If you are driving on the Icefields Parkway #93N that runs between Lake Louise to Jasper you will need a park pass even if you are not stopping. This is considered a scenic roadway and not an essential transportation route.
The same applies if you travel on the Bow Valley Parkway #1A, an alternative route to the Trans Canada Hwy #1 that runs between Banff and Lake Louise.
Do I Need To Purchase A Park Pass When Entering A Park With A Tour or By Bus or Shuttle?
If you are entering a park as part of a tour, shuttle or bus your park fee has probably been included in the cost of your tour or ticket. However if you rent a vehicle for use in the parks after your arrival you will need to have a valid park pass to display in the vehicle for the days it is in the parks.
What Are The Types Of Canada National Park Passes And How Long Are They Valid?
There are daily park passes available and an annual Discovery Park pass. Each is available for a single person or as a family/group.
Daily Park Pass
When you purchase a daily park pass it is valid until 4pm the day after it was purchased. If you are visiting for several days you would buy a pass for the total number of days you will be spending in the parks. An example is if you enter a park on August 17th and pay for daily passes for 3 days, they would be valid to August 20th until 4pm. Note: the daily passes do not include entry into national historic sites.
The daily park passes can be purchased for an individual adult or individual senior or as a family/group pass that covers up to seven people traveling in the same vehicle. Youths 17 years of age and under are free.
Annual Discovery Pass
The annual Discovery Pass is valid for a full year until the end of the calendar month from the date purchased. Example: an Annual Discovery Pass purchased on August 5th 2024 would be valid until August 30th, 2025
The Annual Discovery Pass provides entry into over 100 National Parks, National Marine Conservation Areas and National Historic Sites. Historic sites you may want to visit in Banff are the Banff Park Museum and the Cave and Basin.
Daily park passes can be purchased for an individual adult or individual senior or as a family/group pass that covers up to seven people traveling in the same vehicle. Youth that are 17 years of age and under are free.
What Is The Cost Of A Canada National Daily Park Pass And A Discovery Pass?
Price Per Day For Daily Passes
- Adult $ 10.50 (age 18 to 64)
- Senior $ 9.00 (age 65 and up)
- Youth 17 and under is free
- Family/Group $ 21.00 (up to seven people arriving together in a single vehicle)
- Commercial group $9.00 (per person)
- valid to 4pm the day after the pass was issued
- can be used for Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Yoho National Park, Kootenay National Park, Revelstoke National Park, Glacier National Park, Waterton Lake National Park and Elk Island National Park for the number of days you have purchased
Annual Discovery Pass Prices
- Adult $ 72.25 (age 18 to 64)
- Senior $ 61.75 (age 65 and up)
- Youth 17 and under is free
- Family/Group $ 145.25 (up to seven people arriving together in a single vehicle)
- valid for one year from the date of issue to the last day of the calendar month
- can be used for all Canada National Parks, national historic sites managed by Parks Canada and national marine conservation areas.
When Is It Economical To Purchase A Daily Family/Group Park Pass Or An Annual Discovery Park Pass?
Once you have more than 2 adults entering the park for a day or for a couple of days it’s cheaper to buy the daily Family/Group Pass at $21.00 a day for the number of days you need.
For example 3 adults for 1 day is $10.50 x3 = $31.50, the group/family pass is cheaper at $21.00
If you’re going to be visiting any of the Rocky Mountain Parks for 7 days or more or visit again within a year or visit any other Canada National Parks within a year then it’s worth buying the Annual Discovery Pass.
For example an Adult daily pass at $10.50 per day x 7 days = $73.50 The Annual Discovery Pass for one adult is cheaper at $72.25
If you have two adults at $10.50 x 2 for 7 days = 147.00. The family/group Annual Discovery pass is cheaper at $145.25
The savings in the above scenarios is minimal, but once you have three or more adults the savings is substantially more.
Are The Canada National Park Passes Transferable?
No, the park Discovery Pass is not transferable or able to be sold after your use. They need to be signed on the back by the pass holder. In the case of a family/group Discovery Pass one person needs to be designated as the person to sign the pass. That person needs to be present when using the pass. The other people (up to six more) traveling with that passholder do not need to be the same people each time, nor do they need to be related to the passholder.
What Admissions Or Fees Are Not Covered By The Canada National Park Pass?
The Canada National Park Passes do not include the following cost and fees:
- camping fees and campground firewood
- reservation fees
- backcountry permits
- parking fees such as the Lake Louise shoreline or paid parking areas in the National Parks
- fishing permits
- guided hikes or special heritage or interpretive programs
- attractions such as the Banff Gondolas or Maligne Lake Boat Cruise
- shuttles to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise
- public transportation
- ski hill passes
- parks not managed by Parks Canada
- hot springs such as Banff Upper Hot Springs, Jasper Miette Hot Springs and Radium Hot Springs in Kootenay National Park
- In the case of the daily park passes they do not cover entry into to national historic sites within the parks, the Discovery Passes do include these.
Do The Canada Park Passes Provide Entry Into Provincial Or Other Types Of Parks?
The Canada Park passes only cover Canada’s National parks. They do not cover the entry into Provincial Parks, territorial parks, municipal parks, regional parks, private parks or historic sites not managed by Parks Canada. Some of these parks are free, but others have a fee system similar to the national parks.
Another area that visitors to the Rocky Mountains like to enjoy is Kananaskis Country and the Bow Valley Corridor. To visit these areas with a vehicle it requires the purchase of a Kananaskis Conservation Pass.
Where Can I Buy A Park Pass For The Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks?
The most common place where passes are purchased is at the park entrance gates. They can also be purchased at visitor information centers, at a number of the staffed campgrounds and at select local retailers. There are online options as well.
Parks Canada Rocky Mountain Entry Gates
There are some areas of the parks with entry gates where you can purchase park passes upon entry. They are generally open from 9am to 5pm, but hours may be reduced during winter or extended in the summer months.
Traveling Westbound Towards Banff National Park Or Jasper National Park
East Banff Park Gate – This is the gate on the Trans Canada Highway #1 that is approached when driving west from Calgary or Canmore. If you have already purchased a park pass you don’t have to stop at this gate each time. Obey the reduced speed limit and use the pass-through lane.
Jasper East Park Gate- This is the gate you will approach when driving west from Hinton or Edmonton on the Yellowhead Highway #16
David Thompson Park Gate – (Only open in the summer months) This is the gate you will approach when heading west from Red Deer or Rocky Mountain House on the David Thompson Highway #11.
Traveling Eastbound To Jasper National Park Or Kootenay National Park
Kootenay West Park Gate – This is the gate you will approach when driving east from Radium Hot Springs or Cranbrook on the Banff-Windermere Highway #93
Jasper West Park Gate – This is the gate you will approach when driving east from Kamloops, Prince Rupert or Prince George on the Yellowhead Highway #16
There is no park gate when driving eastbound on the Trans Canada Highway #1 to Yoho or Banff National Parks. You can stop at the Tourism BC visitor center in Golden or at the Field Visitor Center in Yoho National Park. Or depending on your destination there is the Lake Louise visitor center or Banff visitor center.
Traveling Northbound Or Southbound To The Icefields Parkway
If you have not already purchased a pass there are park gates located at each end of the Icefields Parkway at the Lake Louise end and the Jasper end.
Niblock Park Gate – (only open in the summer months) This gate is located at the end of the Icefields Parkway #93N that is near the Lake Louise village.
Icefields Parkway Park Gate – This gate is located at the end of the Icefields Parkway 7 kms south of the Jasper townsite.
National Park Visitor Center Locations
- Banff Visitor Center – in the town of Banff at 224 Banff Avenue
- Lake Louise Visitor Center – in the village of Lake Louise next to the Sampson Mall
- Jasper Visitor Center – in the town of Jasper at 500 Connaught Drive
- Kootenay Visitor Center – (May to September only) in Radium Hot Springs village main street
- Yoho National Park Visitor Center – (May to September only) at the town of Field Visitor center on the Trans Canada Highway #1
Where To Purchase Passes At Campgrounds
Park passes are available at staffed Parks Canada campgrounds including those that are part of the Parks Canada Campground Reservation Service and the Kicking Horse campground in Yoho National park and the Johnston Canyon campground in Banff National Park.
Where To Purchase Passes At Retail Locations?
There are select retail locations and RV/Camper rental locations where you can buy Discovery Passes in person.
- Cabela’s Retail Canada – they also sell daily park passes
- Calgary Airport Authority
- Campers Village
- CanaDream
- CrossIron Mills – they also sell daily park passes
- Guarantee RV – Calgary
- Mountain Equipment Company (MEC)
- Wilson Mountain Sports Lake Louise Village
Other Tourism Centers Where You Can Purchase Park Passes in person
- DMF Travel Centre (Dean Man’s Flat)
- Tourism Canmore Kananaskis
- Tourism Golden
- Hinton Visitor Information Centre
- Valemount Visitor Centre
How To Purchase Park Passes Online Or By Phone
An Annual Discovery Pass can be purchased prior to your trip online or by phone through Parks Canada. Call 403-760-1343 or 1-888-773-8888 between 8am and 4pm M.S.T. (Mountain Standard Time) or online at: Parks Canada Discovery Pass
Daily Park Passes and Discovery Park Passes can be purchased online at Banff/Lake Louise Tourism and at Tourism Jasper. Day passes or temporary Discovery passes must be printed out and displayed in your vehicle while visiting in the parks.
Online purchases have nominal shipping charges based on your location and can take 2-4 weeks for regular shipping to the U.S.A. or longer for international destinations. Express shipping is available for an increased charge.
Is There A Discount Or Advantage To Purchasing Canada Park Passes Online Before My Trip?
No, there is no discounted price for online park pass purchases. As noted above there is a shipping charge on top of the park pass cost. The only advantage to having a park pass ahead of time is to avoid having to be in a line up to purchase a pass at a park gate. The Banff East Park Gate is the busiest in the parks. This is the gate that is used when traveling west from Calgary or Canmore. The lines are generally not an issue outside of the summer months or peak skiing weekends and even then they move fairly quickly.
What If I Drove Through A Park Gate And It Was Closed Or Unattended?
Head to one of the Parks Canada Visitor Centers mentioned above. If you were traveling outside of normal operating hours or at night then attend a visitor center the next morning.
Are There Any Discounts Or Coupon Codes For The Discovery Park Pass?
CAA/AMA members can receive a slight discount on an annual Family/Group or individual Discovery Pass. See more info here: AMA Travel Parks Canada-Discovery Pass. The passes through AMA are valid for one year, but they must be purchased for the current month of travel. There are no other discounts available for park passes.
Do I Need To Purchase More Than One Park Pass For A Family Or Group Traveling In More Than One Vehicle?
The answer is yes, regardless of whether you are buying day passes or have or will be purchasing an annual Discovery pass. You will need a pass for each separate vehicle stopping or spending time in the parks. You can’t share a park pass with two or more vehicles.
What If You Are Traveling With A Recreational Vehicle That Is Towing A Car?
If you have an RV (Recreational Vehicle) that will be in the parks along with a car that you will use to travel around then technically both the RV and the car will need to have a park pass displayed on the dash or hanging from the rear view mirror.
What Do I Do With A National Park Pass When Traveling On A Motorcycle?
You need to purchase a parks pass like anyone else. Parks Canada realizes that if you display an annual pass or any pass on a motorcycle in the parks that there’s a chance it could be stolen, blow away or get wet. Keep it on your person so that it’s available if a parks officer asks to see it when parking or returning to your motorcycle.
What If I Want To Extend My Time In The National Parks?
Visit one of the Parks Canada offices. If you initially paid for a few days inquire if you can upgrade to an annual park pass. Show your original pass receipt and they will apply the amount to the cost of the annual pass. (As long as the initial receipt was within the last 30 days)
Are There Any Free Access To The Canada Rocky Mountain National Parks?
There are options for Indigenous to access Banff National Park that can be found here: Parks Canada Banff Indigenous Connections
Park access options are available for new comers to Canada and new Canadian citizens through to Canada’s National Parks through the Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s canoo mobile app. Information can be found here: Parks Canada Newcomers National Park Admission. This may be a limited time offer.
Canada Day, July 1st for the last couple of years has been free admission to all of Parks Canada National Parks and Parks Canada managed National Historic Sites. Admission is free, but a park pass is still required. This may be a limited offer so check that it is still available before making plans.
Free admission for support persons for those traveling with a visitor who has a disability and depends on the support person to experience the National Parks. Visitors with disabilities who are independent and may make use of assistance from travelling companions but are not dependent upon it would not qualify. Contact Parks Canada for more details.
Do Park Officials Check For National Park Passes?
Yes, pass checks are done on vehicles throughout the parks, at public parking areas, trailhead parking areas, parking lots for ski hills, accommodations and camp sites. In recent years checkpoints have been set up by Parks Canada on the roads leading up to the ski hills. Basically your vehicle is subject to inspection anywhere it is parked within a National Park.
DF
Great summary!
Audrey
Thanks very much!
Audrey
Michelle
Makes the most sense to me to get an annual pass!
Thanks
Audrey
You’re welcome. In many cases the annual pass does become more cost effective.
Seanne
Thanks for the great info! Just curious if overnight parking is allowed? If I am wanting to do multiday hikes, do I have to pay to camp? And where would I have to park my car?
Audrey
We have never done overnight back country hiking, so I don’t have a lot of knowledge about it. I know there are fees involved, I believe you have to have a wilderness permit and be registered with Parks Canada letting them know how many tents and number of people in your hiking party as well as booking the actual back country campsite. There’s no random camping or overnight parking allowed within the parks. There are some campgrounds that would act as a base for overnight hiking where you would leave your car or you may be able to leave your car at a designated parking spot at the trail head you are using, but I would check into that. Here is a link with more info on backcountry camping and hiking in Banff National Park.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/randonee-backpacking.aspx#permits
If you have any questions send Parks Canada an email, they are usually quick to respond. (during business hours) You can find the contact email in this link.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/contact.aspx
Cheers
Hardy Sunderwald
My wife and I are seniors (both over mid-70s) and just bought a Canada Parks Pass at the entrance to Jasper Park (14 April 2016). The lady charged us CAD136.40 and kept our old pass which had expired in March. Somehow, we feel she overcharged us, since we are seniors. What should we do? We still have the receipt.
Audrey
Will you ever be traveling into the parks in the future with more than just yourself and your wife in the vehicle? The pass you just purchased is good for two years this time, instead of just one year. With the group/family pass you have it will allow you to travel with up to 5 additional people into any Canadian National Park over the next two years. If you do travel with other family members or friends it could be quite a substantial savings to keep that pass for the extra $20.60 that it cost above two senior passes. If you do the individual passes and a refund I have a feeling they will do that next time you go through a pay gate by presenting your receipt, but I couldn’t say for sure. You can email and inquire at information@pc.gc.ca or call the toll free number at 1-888-773-8888.
Peter Kelly
This is an excellent website!!
I’m travelling with a friend on one motorcycle. I want to buy the seasonal pass (good for this year and next) Do we need one pass per person, or only one pass for the vehicle? We’re staying at various places within the parks.
Thanks very much
Audrey
If you will be traveling into the parks in the future in a vehicle you might want to buy the family annual pass. It will cover both of you on the motorcycle for this trip. Then you can use it for this year and next for up to 7 people in one vehicle. Otherwise you can buy one adult annual pass for yourself and another pass for your friend. (whatever they would like, an annual pass as well or just for the number of days if it’s only a few and they won’t be returning). I had not thought about traveling into the parks on a motorcycle and displaying the pass. I made a quick call to the Banff visitor center and they said you can take it with you instead of displaying it on the motorcycle since someone could steal it.
Peter Kelly
Thank you so much for clarifying this for us! I really appreciate your information and this entire website.
Audrey
You’re welcome, glad our site was helpful to you 🙂
Mark
My wife and I will be staying in the park for several days. We will be driving down from Jasper (to leave through Banff on the way to Calgary) and I would imagine that we will end up exiting the park at 7-8pm that evening. The pass is noted to be good until 4pm – do we need to buy the extra day’s pass to cover those extra 3-4 hours we may spend driving out of the park?
Audrey
From the description of your travels and timing, yes you will need to have a valid pass for the last day for those 3 to 4 hours. They give the extra time to 4pm the next day as a courtesy. You’re essentially spending another day in the parks, but there’s more to it than that. It’s only 45 minutes from the south end of the Icefields Parkway to the end of Banff National Park where you will continue on to Calgary. So if you plan to be exiting Banff National Park at 7 or 8pm that tells me you will still be on the Icefields Parkway past 4pm, or spending time in Banff National Park doing something other than just driving out of it? The Icefields Parkway requires a valid park pass just for the simple act of driving on it whether you are stopping or not. Banff National Park differs in that if you are not stopping at all, ( which means no stopping to take a photo, not stopping at a viewpoint to admire the view, not stopping in the town of Banff for any reason, not going to Lake Louise, etc. etc. ) and are just utlizing the Trans Canada Hwy to get through the park, then you don’t need a park pass. The Icefields Parkway is considered a scenic roadway, not an essential transportation route and requires a pass at all times. Hope that makes sense.
Cheers,
Audrey
Robin
My husband and I will be arriving in the Banff area on Wednesday (in 2 days) from Calgary…around 3 pm. Do we have to pay for the whole day to cover that hour between 3 and 4 on our way straight to Lake Louise?
Thank you for any info.
Robin from Montreal
Audrey
Not sure what you mean to cover the hour between between 3 and 4 to Lake Louise? Lake Louise is in Banff National Park. You need a park pass to go to Lake Louise and it needs to be valid for the entire time you are at Lake Louise or any other area of the park.
Cheers
Pegi DeRosa
How do you suggest displaying our annual pass while touring the parks on our motorcycle? We don’t want to run the risk of someone lifting our pass. Would it be valid to leave a photocopy of the pass with the bike as we hike and sightsee?
Audrey
I did have someone ask this question not along ago. I was stumped for an answer, it’s not something I had thought of. I made a call to Parks Canada. They said they understand the pass would likely be stolen if you left it on your motorcycle and suggested you take it with you when you leave the bike parked. You could leave a photo copy and write on it, original with owner. Keep in mind you could be approached by a parks officer at anytime while parking or getting back on the bike so make sure you do have your valid pass on you.
Lynda Geiger
We are travelling into the parks with a motor home and car on a car hauler. Do we have to buy two passes, one for each vehicle?
Audrey
I’ve recently inquired with Parks Canada for someone else about having two vehicles (one family) and the answer was two passes were required. I am going to assume you plan to use the car in the parks as well? There’s no question you would require two passes, one for the RV and one for the car. Otherwise one of them can be ticketed when a parks officer sees there is not a valid park pass displayed. This is a requirement at all times while a vehicle is parked anywhere in the parks, whether it be a campsite, etc. I don’t know if there would be any difference if you were not using the car and leaving it on the trailer at all times attached to the RV, but I’m pretty sure that would not be your intent.
Glen
We have an annual pass for 2016, my family is staying in the park for several days on holiday, while I attend to other business. I plan on joining them part way through the holiday, which means we will have two vehicles.
Do I have to purchase an additional pass because we have two vehicles for a couple of days, even though we are just a family of four and we’ve already purchased an annual pass?
Audrey
We have received a couple of inquiries with situations like this recently. I wanted to be 100% sure of the answer before responding so I inquired with the Banff Parks office. As expected you will have to purchase another pass for the second vehicle. The annual pass covers one car with a maximum of 7 people. Therefore a second vehicle requires another pass regardless if it’s the same family members. If the second vehicle will be in the parks less than 7 days the cheapest option would be to buy an individual pass which covers 1 person in 1 car for 9.80$/day.
Glen
Thanks! All I needed to know.
On another note – do you know if there are there considerations made for holders of first nations status, as far as:
Park passes?
Sport fishing (in park)?
I had heard at onetime there was some considerations, but am unable to find the information again.
Thanks again.
Audrey
I don’t believe there is any pricing difference for First Nation status for parks passes. As for the fishing I know very little about that. Your best bet would be to ask when you are entering the parks at the ticket kiosk or send them off an email. They are quite quick to respond during business hours.
Cheers
Bev
I am taking my granddaughter to Banff in a few days and buying a day pass. Does the 4 pm mean you leave Banff at 4 pm or have to pass through gate by 4 pm.
Audrey
The pass is for Banff National Park, it doesn’t have anything specific to do with the town of Banff. So you have until 4 pm to spend in the park regardless of where you are.
Kate
This is great, thanks. My husband and I were just discussing a situation we may have in may – we have an annual pass for our family and will have 4 visitors. If we manage to get a vehicle to suit we may have 8 people although one will be 3yo and another 1yo. Would they not be counted given they are under the minimum 6yo youth ticket or do we need to count them and get a pass for an extra person? Within the group there will be these 2 and 2 seniors. Thanks!
Audrey
The entry to the parks is free for all of 2017 so regardless of your situation you wouldn’t have to pay for anything extra even if you had 8 adults in one vehicle. In normal circumstances when the entry is not free there would be no payment required for the two children under the age of six. If you already have your annual pass for your vehicle you are all set.
Sarah
Hello. I’m trying to get the daily pass online from the banff/Lake Louise tourism website. Do you know how it works? Am I supposed to wait for a physical pass to be mailed to me (I live in halfway round the world in Singapore) or I could just print from some online confirmation sent to my email?
Also, I’’m not sure what details are written inside the pass but we do not have our vehicle number until we arrive since it’s a rented car. Either way- my pass (since I’m intending to buy online) would not have the vehicle number, would this be an issue?