Families and groups
Leans DIY on entry cost
One $30 vehicle fee covers everyone in the car, so a party of five pays $6 each to enter. A per-seat tour price has no such discount, so compare it with your whole-car cost.
Source: NPS fees, Oct 26, 2026
California · Nevada · National Park
Death Valley: tour or DIY?
Checked Oct 26, 2026 · Source: NPS
Death Valley charges $30 per private vehicle, according to the National Park Service (checked Oct 26, 2026). The $80 America the Beautiful pass beats paying at the gate after 3 visits. One fee covers the whole car, so a party of four pays $7.50 each to enter, which favors driving yourself. April is busiest, with 11% of 2025 recreation visits.
Our verdict, from the fee data
DIY wins on entry cost for groups
The $30 vehicle fee is paid once for everyone in the car. A tour only beats driving yourself if it saves you real money or time on fuel, parking, shuttles and planning.
We do not print tour prices here because we do not have a live, licensed feed for them. Enter a real quote in the calculator and we prefill this park’s fee.
| Party | Entrance total | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $30 | $30 |
| 2 people | $30 | $15 |
| 4 people | $30 | $7.50 |
| 6 people | $30 | $5 |
Arithmetic on the NPS fee of $30. The vehicle fee covers all passengers, so cost per person falls as the group grows.
Entrance fees
| Fee | Cost | Notes from NPS |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $30 | All visitors, including Non-US residents, may purchase and utilize this entrance fee. Purchasing this entrance fee allows all persons traveling in one single private, non-commercial vehicle (car/truck/van/RV/aircraft) to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish… |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $25 | All visitors, including Non-US residents, may purchase and utilize this entrance fee. Purchasing this entrance fee allows all persons traveling on 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the 7-day period from the… |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15 | All visitors, including Non-US residents, may purchase and utilize this entrance fee. Purchasing this entrance fee allows a single individual traveling on foot or individuals traveling on one bicycle to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the 7-day… |
| Commercial Entrance - Per Person | $15 | 1 - 15 Passenger Vehicle: $15 per person. In addition to the entrance fees listed below, additional permits are required for commercial groups, special park uses (weddings, memorialization, group events, etc.), commercial film and photography, research, and more. |
| Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus | $100 | 16 - 25 Passenger Vehicle: $100 In addition to the entrance fees listed below, additional permits are required for commercial groups, special park uses (weddings, memorialization, group events, etc.), commercial film and photography, research, and more. |
| Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach | $200 | 26 + Passenger Vehicle: $200 In addition to the entrance fees listed below, additional permits are required for commercial groups, special park uses (weddings, memorialization, group events, etc.), commercial film and photography, research, and more. |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $15 | Non-commercial Groups (e.g., Scout groups, church groups, etc.) entering in a vehicle with a capacity of 16 persons or more are charged per-person for each person on board, not to exceed $200. |
| Entrance - Education/Academic Groups | $0 | National Park Service regulations allow school groups and other approved national and international academic institutions to obtain a waiver of Park entrance fees, provided that visit is for educational or scientific purposes, and the resources or facilities that the group… |
Source: nps.gov fees and passes for Death Valley via the NPS API, checked Oct 26, 2026. Fees change; confirm before you go.
Pass math
- The $80 America the Beautiful Resident Annual Pass equals 3 visits at $30 per vehicle, here or at any other fee site.
- Seniors 62+ pay $20 for an annual pass or $80 for lifetime.
- Death Valley also sells its own pass: Annual Entrance - Park, $55.
When it is busiest
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025. April had 11% of the year; June was the quietest month, with about 52% of the busiest month’s visits.
BusierQuietest month
Show the numbers
| Month | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 123,593 |
| February | 119,257 |
| March | 144,755 |
| April | 146,003 |
| May | 105,278 |
| June | 76,156 |
| July | 89,276 |
| August | 97,214 |
| September | 91,865 |
| October | 110,294 |
| November | 91,122 |
| December | 125,321 |
Source: NPS IRMA Stats, recreation visitors, 2025, pulled Oct 26, 2026.
Alerts right now
2 active NPS alerts when we checked on Oct 26, 2026, including 1 closure. Showing the most serious first.
Park Closure Some Roads Closed due to Flood Damage
A storm on 10/22 caused flooding in several areas of the park, which washed debris across roads. Details on nps.gov
Information Gas Pumps at Panamint Springs Resort are Closed at Night
Gasoline is available at Panamint Springs Resort from 7am-9:30pm, daily. Gas is available at Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells 24hrs. Details on nps.gov
Source: NPS API alerts, checked Oct 26, 2026. Conditions change by the hour; check the park page before you drive.
Hours and access
The park is open daily all year.
Source: NPS API operating hours, checked Oct 26, 2026.
What NPS lists to do here
- Astronomy
- Backcountry Camping
- Backcountry Hiking
- Biking
- Birdwatching
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Camping
- Canyoneering
- Car or Front Country Camping
- First Person Interpretation
- Flying
- Food
- Front-Country Hiking
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
- Golf
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Living History
- Mountain Biking
- Museum Exhibits
- Park Film
- Road Biking
- +3 more
Source: NPS API activity tags, checked Oct 26, 2026.
Got a tour quote for Death Valley?
Put it next to your own costs and see the break-even.
Open the calculator for Death ValleyWho fits what at Death Valley
Built from NPS and NOAA data, not opinion. “Leans” is a plain reading of the fee model, not a recommendation.
Seniors (62+)
A senior pass cuts DIY cost
US residents aged 62 and over can buy an annual pass for $20 or a lifetime pass for $80. The NPS API we use has no per-park accessibility data, so check the park page for trail and shuttle accessibility before choosing.
Source: nps.gov passes, Oct 26, 2026
Visitors without a car
Check transit first
The NPS data we pulled lists no shuttle or transit service for Death Valley. It does tag Guided Tours, Horse Trekking and Junior Ranger Program. If you will not have a car, confirm how to get around before assuming DIY works.
Source: NPS activities, Oct 26, 2026
First-timers
Start at a visitor center
The NPS lists 2 visitor centers, 1 with passport stamps. It also publishes 3 self-guided tours, taking 1 h to 7 h, which cost nothing beyond entry.
Source: NPS visitor centers and tours, Oct 26, 2026
Short visits
Entry validity not listed
NPS self-guided tours here run up to 7 h. June was the quietest month in 2025, which helps if you only have a day.
Source: NPS fees and IRMA Stats, Oct 26, 2026
What to book ahead
Check reservations early
The NPS campground listings (12) tag 136 sites as reservable and 639 as first-come; those tags can lag, so confirm on the park page.
Source: NPS alerts and campgrounds, Oct 26, 2026
Season
April is busiest
April drew 11% of 2025 recreation visits; its average high is 88°F at the nearest NOAA station. June was quietest, with an average high of 109°F. Mild months below the average crowd: November.
Source: NPS IRMA Stats; NOAA normals 1991–2020 (STOVEPIPE WELLS 1 SW, 13 km away)
Parking and shuttles
No related alerts
No active NPS alert mentioned parking, shuttles or timed entry on Oct 26, 2026. Parking can still be scarce at peak times; see the park page.
Source: NPS alerts, Oct 26, 2026
Questions
How much does it cost to enter Death Valley by car?
The NPS lists $30 per private vehicle (checked Oct 26, 2026). The fee covers every passenger in the vehicle.
When is Death Valley busiest?
April had the most recreation visits in 2025 (11% of the year). June had the fewest, so April drew about 1.9 times as many visits. Source: NPS IRMA Stats.
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TourOrDIY is independent and not affiliated with the National Park Service. Numbers are copied from NPS public data on Oct 26, 2026 and may have changed. See the accuracy disclaimer and our method.