Fort McHenry costs $15 per person

What this price covers

What the park says: The majority of the 43-acre park is free. However, the historic zone (location of the star fort and outer battery, designated by a wooden fence) requires an entrance fee of $15 per adult (16 and older). An annual pass is available for $45 and covers the pass holder plus 3 adults. Interagency passes are accepted in the park and can cover the pass holder plus 3 adults. All passes must be physically present with a photo ID.

About the main pass: Access to the historic zone (where the star fort is located) requires an entrance fee.

About the annual pass: The Fort McHenry Annual Pass covers the pass holder plus three adults to enter the Fort McHenry NM & HS Historic Zone for 12 months. The pass is both available at the park visitor center, or a digital version is available on recreation.gov. In order for the pass to work, it must be physically on the passholder with a valid photo ID. To purchase the pass, visit the visitor center desk which is open 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on weekdays, or 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on weekends during the summer.

Which pass is best for you? A single visit costs $15 for each person in your group. The park annual pass costs $45 and only works here. The $80 America the Beautiful pass works at every national park for 12 months, and covers everyone in one car, or the pass holder plus 3 adults where the fee is per person. US residents 62 and older can buy a $20 annual or $80 lifetime senior pass instead. US military members can get a free pass.

The entrance fee does not cover camping, tours, lodging or shuttles run by private companies.

How we got these numbers

Every fee on this page comes from the National Park Service. We pulled the fee data for every park from the official NPS Data API on September 26, 2026, and each park's own fees page shows the same numbers. Where we show a total, we only add up the park's own fees. We do not add our own guesses. Fees can change, so check the park's page before you go.