Arizona has some seriously stunning state parks. And if you plan on hitting many of these parks up over the course of a year, you will definitely want to look into purchasing an annual pass. There are two different types of annual passes and in this article I will tell you everything you need to know about Arizona State park passes including things like the fees and frequently asked questions.
Arizona state park passes
There are two different types of state park passes that you can purchase for Arizona.
One will get you access to all the state parks but will come with certain types of restrictions. The other will grant you unlimited access to all state parks across the state.
Don’t get these confused with a national park pass which is good for federal lands such as national parks and national monuments along with national forests and others.
Standard Annual Pass
The Standard Annual Pass allows day-use access at Arizona State Parks for the pass holder and up to three additional adults in the same vehicle.
You don’t get access for daily entry to Boyce Thompson Arboretum; and at Lake Havasu, Cattail Cove, Buckskin Mountain and River Island State Parks on weekends (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) and state holidays from April 1st to October 31st.
The cost for the pass is $75.00 plus a $7.00 handling fee.
Premium Annual Pass
The Arizona State Parks Premium Annual Pass provides day-use access to all Arizona State Parks for the pass holder, and up to three additional adults in the same vehicle; with the exception of the Boyce Thompson Arboretum.
Unlike the Standard pass, the Arizona State Parks Premium Annual Pass includes access to Lake Havasu, Cattail Cove, Buckskin Mountain, and River Island State Parks on weekends and State holidays from April 1st to October 31st.
The cost for the pass is $200.00 plus a $7.00 handling fee.
Do you need state park pass?
The first question you need to answer is whether or not you need a state park pass. The fees for a day pass at Arizona State parks can range from $2 to $20. So I would suggest to review some of the prices at the different parks to estimate how much you will be spending in a year.
As a rule of thumb, if you plan on making over 10 visits in a year I think the pass will be worth it in many cases.
Which pass is better for you?
It’s pretty easy to decide which pass is better for you.
If you visit or plan to visit Lake Havasu, Cattail Cove, Buckskin Mountain, and River Island State Parks on weekends or plan to visit them on state holidays from April through October then you may want to go with the Premium pass.
But only if you have plans to visit them multiple times.
The park entrance fee for a place like Lake Havasu is $20 on weekends.
So you would need to have plans to visit a park like that at least six times in a year on weekends or holidays in order to justify the higher price.
Keep in mind that both passes do not grant access to Boyce Thompson Arboretum, which has a $15 admission fee for adults.
Arizona state park pass FAQ
How do you purchase a pass?
To purchase your Arizona state park pass simply click here.
Then, select the type of pass that you want to purchase and the quantity and then click continue. You will see the total price on the next page which includes the $7 handling fee. You will then need to enter in your contact and billing information to purchase the pass.
You will instantly receive an email with a printable temporary pass. Your official pass, which consists of a card you can fit inside of a wallet and a pass you will hang on your rearview mirror, will be sent out immediately in many cases. We live in the Tucson area and received our paper pass in just about four business days.
When does my pass expire?
Annual passes expire 12 months from the date of purchase.
Does the pass cover other park fees?
Your pass does not include the use of camping facilities, including showers or dump station, or for stowage of water of more than 5 gallons from the park.
Can I get a refund for my pass?
Pass sales are non-refundable.
Am I guaranteed admission?
Your pass does not guarantee admission to a park that has been closed, restricted or has reached capacity.
Can I transfer my past to somebody else?
Passes are non-transferrable and cannot be replaced.
Do I need to display my annual pass?
Yes, when entering in a state park, you should hang your state pass on your rearview mirror.
Do I need to use the wallet card?
A wallet card is provided only for access to parks without a controlled vehicle access point.
So if you are entering a park without a park ranger or some other attendant tending to your vehicle at a station then you can rely on the wallet card to show that you have valid entry into the park.
Are there discounts for military or veterans?
The Arizona State Parks website does not show any discounts for the annual pass when it comes to military members or veterans.
However, when purchasing day passes at state parks active military members and partially disabled veterans are offered 50% discounts at many parks. Also, if you are a veteran and Arizona resident you can get the 50% discount.
Fully disabled military veterans maybe offered a 100% discount.
Be sure to show your military ID, VA-Certified proof of service, DD214, etc. as needed.
You can read more about these discounts here.
Final word
Overall, purchasing in Arizona state park pass is a very easy process. You just need to make the decision of which type of pass you would like to purchase and then follow the steps online. A hard copy of your pass will likely be sent to you in the mail much quicker than you anticipated and before you know it you’ll be exploring Arizona State parks like nobody’s business.