Fees & Passes

 

Overview of entrance requirements

All visitors MUST have

Entrance Passes

Standard Entrance Pass

$15.00–$25.00

Thank you for supporting Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore by buying an entrance pass or America the Beautiful Pass! Fees collected through entry passes are used to support visitor services and improvements around the park, like creating new waysides, maintaining campsites and public use areas, and incorporating accessibility features into the park. All park visitors aged 16 and older are required to hold a park pass. Please be prepared to show your hard copy pass or digital pass on your mobile device. Areas of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore have limited or no connectivity so if purchasing online, please download your pass to your mobile device and print a hard copy before arriving at the park. All vehicles must display their pass clearly through the windshield. Be sure your signature and the expiration date are visible! You may also purchase your pass at the Munising Falls Visitor Contact Station (debit/credit transactions only) and the Grand Sable Visitor Center (debit/credit transactions only).

This pass admits the driver and all passengers in a private-use vehicle for seven consecutive days to all areas of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This fee does not cover additional fees associated with camping, lighthouse tours, or commercial tours.

This pass admits a motorcyclist and passenger (if applicable) to all areas of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for 7 consecutive days. This fee does not cover additional fees associated with camping, lighthouse tours, or commercial tours.

This pass admits a snowmobile to all parts of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for 7 consecutive days. This pass does not cover any additional fees associated with camping, lighthouse tours, or commercial tours.

This pass admits one walk-in, bicycle-in, or boat-in person to all parts of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This pass does not cover additional fees associated with camping, lighthouse tours, or commercial tours.

For Organizations & Businesses

This admits a commercial sedan to all areas of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The flat rate for this pass is $25, plus an additional $5 per person age 16+. This pass does not cover additional fees associated with camping, lighthouse tours, or commercial tours. These passes are required to be purchased in-person at either Munising Falls Visitor Contact Station or the Grand Sable Visitor Center as a debit/credit transaction only.

This pass admits a commercial van with a capacity of 7-16 persons, regardless of capacity, to all parts of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This pass does not cover costs associated with camping, lighthouse tours, or commercial tours.

In-person Purchase Locations

  • Grand Sable Visitor Center

    Credit/Debit Only

  • Munising Falls Visitor Contact Station

    Credit/Debit Only

This fee admits a commercial mini-bus to all parts of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. A mini-bus is defined as a vehicle with a 16-25 person capacity. The fee is charged regardless of occupancy of the vehicle. This fee does not cover fees associated with camping, lighthouse tours, or commercial tours.

In-person Purchase Locations

  • Grand Sable Visitor Center

    Credit/Debit Only

  • Munising Falls Visitor Contact Station

    Credit/Debit Only

This fee applies to commercial vehicles with a 26+ person vehicle capacity, regardless of occupancy. This fee does not cover fees associated with camping, lighthouse tours, or additional commercial tours.

In-person Purchase Locations

  • Grand Sable Visitor Center

    Credit/Debit Only

  • Munising Falls Visitor Contact Station

    Credit/Debit Only

Annual Entrance - Park

Annual Entrance - Park

$45.00
This pass admits a driver and passengers in a private vehicle, a single person walk-in, bicycle-in, or boat-in, or a motorcyclist and passenger (if applicable) for 12 months from the purchase month. This pass does not cover fees associated with camping, lighthouse tours, or commercial tours.

2024 Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Come experience the national parks! All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone (other fees may apply). Mark your calendar for these entrance fee-free dates:

 
People dressed in grey and blue shirts working on a boardwalk.
A trail crew creates a boardwalk. Initiatives to improve visitor resources are supported by fees raised by visitors like you!

What do I need to access Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore?

To access Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, you must possess and display:

OR

Unless you are purchasing per person walk, bicycle, snowmobile, or boat-in entrance passes, one pass admits the purchaser and passengers in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle. Passes do not cover tour or camping fees. See fees for commercial tour vehicles.

 

Where can I buy my pass?

In-Person:

  • Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Pass: Entrance passes are available at the Munising Falls Visitor Contact Station (debit/credit only) and the Grand Sable Visitor Center (debit/credit only). Local affiliate merchants contracted to sell Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore entrance passes are:
    • South Bay Outfitters - 120 E Superior St, Munising, MI 49862 (906) 387-4004

    • Grand Marais Outfitters - N14277 Lake Ave, Grand Marais, MI 49839 (906) 494-3333

    • Explore Munising Visitor Center - 501 E State Highway M28 Munising, MI 49862 (906) 387-5710

    • Down Wind Sports Munising - 114 Elm Ave, Munising, MI 49862 (906) 387-8020

      Please contact these vendors directly for specific operating hours and pass availability.

  • America the Beautiful Pass: Passes are also available at the Munising Falls Visitor Contact Station and the Grand Sable Visitor Center (locations open by June 2024 for summer season). There are many federal recreation sites that sell America the Beautiful Passes. Check for a location here. Please note that not all facilities are open year-round. Call the site before you travel to purchase your pass.

Online:

  • Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Digital Pass: Buy your Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore pass on Recreation.gov and print it out. Can’t print? No worries! Keep the digital pass handy on your mobile device or tablet. When you visit the park, stop by the Munising Falls or Grand Sable Visitor Contact Stations (locations open by June 2024 for summer season) to exchange it for a plastic pass if desired.
  • America the Beautiful Pass: America the Beautiful Passes are available to purchase on the USGS online store: Buy your America the Beautiful Pass here. Allow 2-3 weeks for processing and shipping.
 

America the Beautiful Passes

The America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites spread out across more than 400 million acres of public lands.

Passes cover entrance fees at National Park Service sites that charge them, (including Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore) and National Wildlife Refuges, as well as standard amenity fees (day-use fees) at lands managed by the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Army Corps of Engineers.

In general, one pass covers the fees listed above for a driver and passengers in a personal vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas or up to four adults at sites that charge per person. Children age 15 or under are admitted free. Some passes provide additional benefits. Check with individual sites for details.

  • Photo identification will be required to verify ownership.
  • Passes are non-refundable, non-transferable and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen

The program has passes that range in cost from free to $80. There are passes for current US Military and their dependents; US Military Veterans and Gold Star Families; US citizens 62 and older; US 4th Grade Students; US citizens with a permanent disability, as well as annual passes for anyone to purchase.

Which America the Beautiful Pass is right for me?

Pass Who is Eligible? Price & Duration
Annual Everyone! $80, 12 months from purchase.
Annual Military Current U.S. Military and their dependents. Free, 12 months from issuance.
Lifetime Military U.S. Military Veterans and Gold Star Family members. Free, lifetime.
Annual 4th Grade U.S. Students in 4th grade. Free, duration of student's 4th grade year through the following summer.
Annual Senior U.S. Citizens age 62 and older. $20, 12 months from purchase.
Lifetime Senior U.S. Citizens age 62 and older. $80, lifetime.
Lifetime Access U.S. Citizens with a permanent disability. Free, lifetime.
Annual Volunteer Individuals having contributed 250 hours of eligible federal volunteering. Free, 12 months from issuance.

Read more about America the Beautiful Passes.

 
Tent in backcountry
A backcountry campsite set into dense, green foliage.

Camping Fees & Lighthouse Tours

Drive-In Camping: $25 per night

Reservations are required for all drive in campsites in the park! There is no drop-in camping. Reservations are available on Recreation.gov. Have an America the Beautiful Senior Pass or America the Beautiful Access Pass? Holders of these passes get a 50% discount on camping!

Learn more about Camping in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Golden Age and Golden Access Pass holders (prior to 2006) are also eligible for a 50% camping discount.

Backcountry Camping: $15 permit fee + $5 per person per night

Staying in the backcountry overnight? A permit is required for all overnight stays in the backcountry year-round.

Learn more about backcountry camping at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Au Sable Light Station Guided Tours: No fee

Visitors may enjoy the Au Sable Light Station grounds year-round, however, ranger-led tours are available from mid-June to the end of September.

Meet at the lighthouse east porch for tours at scheduled times.

Light station visitors are reminded that the area includes very sandy soils, narrow sidewalks, and steps to access the buildings.

Last updated: March 27, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 40
Munising, MI 49862

Phone:

906-387-3700
Munising Falls Visitor Center

Contact Us