National Park Camping Fees Add Up Fast And Here Is The Real Total

People have different reasons for choosing to camp rather than stay in a hotel or Airbnb. One of the main reasons is that they're trying to save money. That's not why everyone camps, but if you're traveling on a tight budget, especially when you're planning a multi-day stay.

If you're planning to head to one of the National Parks, between fuel prices, pass fees, food, drinks, souvenirs, and other odd costs, it would be a great idea to save wherever you can.

If you're heading to our parks, Grand Teton or Yellowstone, you may want to think about finding a campground outside of the parks, cause it's not cheap. Data collected by Casino.org shows the price of a weekend camping trip staying inside the parks. According to the research, Grand Teton National Park is more expensive than Yellowstone, but both are pricey.

The six categories are Nightly Camping Fees, Access + Permit Fees, Average meal + drink costs, purchasing Firewood, buying Ice, and Fuel Costs (Full tank at local prices).

Here are the top 5 most expensive parks and the costs of an average weekend trip.

1. Grand Teton National Park - Total: $439
   1. Camping = $59/night
   2. Access+Permit=$35
   3. Drink/Meal = $22.50
   4. Firewood = $9
   5. Ice = $5
   6. Fuel = $75.20
2. Olympic National Park (Washington) - Total: $369
   1. Camping = $40  /night
   2.  Access+Permit= $30
   3. Drink/Meal = $15
   4. Firewood = $5
   5. Ice = $5
   6. Fuel = $104.48
3. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming) - Total: $368
   1. Camping = $42/night
   2. Access + Permit = $35
   3. Drink/Meal = $18.25
   4. Firewood = $11
   5. Ice = $3.69
   6. Fuel = $67.20
4. Zion National Park (Utah) - Total: $363
   1. Camping = $35/night
   2. Access + Permit = $35
   3. Drink/Meal = $22
   4. Firewood = $10
   5. Ice = $4
   6. Fuel = $72.20
5. Joshua Tree National Park (California) - Total: $362
   1. Camping = $35 /night
   2. Access+Permit = $30
   3. Drink/Meal = $18.90
   4. Firewood = $9
   5. Ice = $5
   6. Fuel = $96

There are many BLM and National Forests near each of the parks where you can disperse camp or stay in a campsite for minimal costs.