Valles Caldera costs $25 per car
Valles Caldera National Preserve charges $25 for a private car. The pass covers everyone in the car and is good for 7 days. People on foot or bike pay $15 each, and motorcycles pay $20. A Valles Caldera annual pass costs $45. The $80 America the Beautiful pass also covers entry.
Valles Caldera National Preserve fees in 2026
| Private vehicle, everyone inside | $25, good for 7 days |
|---|---|
| Motorcycle | $20, good for 7 days |
| Per person on foot or bike | $15, good for 7 days |
| Valles Caldera annual pass | $45 |
| America the Beautiful annual pass (US residents) | $80, good at every national park |
| Family of 4 in one car, 7 days | $25 |
|---|---|
| 2 adults hiking or biking in | $30 |
America the Beautiful passes are accepted here. This park is cashless, so bring a card. The Valles Caldera annual pass has been sold since January 1, 2025. Sources: National Park Service, Valles Caldera National Preserve fees and passes; National Park Service Data API, fees and passes for every park (pulled September 26, 2026).
Other park fees in New Mexico
Planning more than one park? Here is what each one charges in 2026.
| Capulin Volcano National Monument | $20 per car |
|---|---|
| Chaco Culture National Historical Park | $25 per car |
| Bandelier National Monument | $25 per car |
| Carlsbad Caverns National Park | $15 per person |
| White Sands National Park | $25 per car |
What this price covers
About the main pass: The entrance fee for a private vehicle covers seven consecutive days of entrance to Valles Caldera National Preserve.
About the annual pass: Beginning January 1, 2025, visitors may purchase an annual park pass for Valles Caldera National Preserve.
Which pass is best for you? A single visit costs $25 for your whole car. 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.
What changes your price
- How you arrive. One car pays $25 for everyone inside. Walkers and cyclists pay $15 each.
- How often you come. The park annual pass costs $45.
Ways to pay less
- Visiting 4 or more parks that charge about $25 this year? The $80 America the Beautiful pass costs less.
- Coming back to Valles Caldera? The $45 annual pass pays off on your second visit in 12 months.
- Buy a digital pass on Recreation.gov before you go. Signal can be weak near park entrances.
- Bring a credit or debit card. Cash is not accepted.
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.
Common questions
How much does it cost to get into Valles Caldera National Preserve?
$25 per car, good for 7 days.
Does the America the Beautiful pass work at Valles Caldera?
Yes. The $80 annual pass covers the entrance fee.
Do foreign visitors pay more at Valles Caldera?
No. Valles Caldera is not one of the 11 parks with the $100 non-resident fee.
Related park fees
Photo: NPS, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain, cropped.