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Applying for a Fee WaiverNational Park Service regulations allow school groups and other approved national and international academic institutions to apply so that they do not have to pay the park entrance fee. The National Park Service considers applications and may approve a request if the visit is for educational or scientific purposes and the resources or facilities that the group intends to use support those purposes.The National Park Service does not grant academic fee waivers automatically. Applicants must show that they qualify for a fee waiver. There are three requirements (listed below) to qualify for an academic fee waiver: Criteria #1 - Eligibility
Criteria #2 - Educational purpose
Criteria #3 - Relevance of park resources or facilities
If your group does not meet the three requirements your group may be considered as a Non-Commercial Organized Group. Youth 15 years of age and younger would be exempt from fees. See the fees and passes page for more information. Read These Requirements Before You Apply for an Academic Fee WaiverIf we issue a fee waiver, the person who submitted the application and every driver in your group needs to have a copy before you get to Big Bend. If any driver or a part of your group does not have a copy of the fee waiver, they will pay the non-commercial fee of $15 per person for each person who is 16 years or older.
Big Bend National Park has a variety of campgrounds, including group campsites. Reservations are required. Academic Fee Waivers do not cover the cost of camping. Maximum Group SizeThe maximum group size is limited to 50 participants in the park on one (specified) day, with a maximum of one bus per day. Hiking Group SizeTrails in Big Bend have a limit on the number of people a single group may have on trails at any given time. If your group is too large, you will need to split the group up and visit different trails with each sub-group. Breaking the group up and hiking in smaller sub-groups on the same trail is not permitted Day HikingTo protect the solitude and serenity of Big Bend's trails, groups larger than 30 persons must split up and hike different trails.
In the Chisos Mountains: There is only one Chisos backpacking campsite that can accommodate a group this size: it may be necessary to split the group to other campsites. Groups may split into separate campsites - however the 15 person size limit per group cannot be In the desert: Groups over 15 people will also need to split up and backpack into separate, non-adjacent zones.
BackpackingAn organized group or individual party may not exceed a 15 person limit. Home school students may be granted fee waivers based on the course of study following the procedures above, as long as they meet your state requirements for home schools. Please share a copy of your state's department of education requirements when you apply for the fee waiver. In addition, all organized groups, including educational and non-profit organizations, may need a Special Use Permit for conducting activities in the park. This is not included in the academic fee waiver. Submitting an Academic Fee Waiver Request for a Field TripBefore you send the form, read the requirements above so that:
At least 30 days before your trip, fill out our fee waiver form and email submit with the appropriate supporting documentation.to tom_vandenberg@nps.gov Form GuidanceBig Bend uses a Department of the Interior standard form for field trip academic fee waivers as well as for other purposes. Learn which parts of the form you need to fill out if you are applying for us to waive the park entrance fee for a field trip. Section 1: Contact Information
Section 2: Group Details
Sections 3 and 4
Section 5: Academic Fee Waiver
Academic Fee Waiver FormOfficial standard form to be used for NPS Academic Fee Waiver Requests Email Us Completed FormsSubmit 30 days before your planned visit. |
Last updated: November 21, 2023