Can you enter the park at night for free to hike or to just hang out and take pictures or do you need to buy a pass? I have a memory from last time I went of a sign saying that you can enter for free after hrs. Is this a true memory? HELP!
TYIA
Yes, support your parks, that is the answer.Â
Swagger in with pride!
https://www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/fees.htm
If there’s a ranger at the front gate, they’ll ask you to pay $25 per car or show a national parks pass. Usually they aren’t there at night. Take that how you will.
I'll add on, I just recently got back from a national park vacation where I did some very early morning hiking, and although the entrance station wasn't manned when I entered before dawn, it was when I left. They were doing pass checks for people on the way out. So if you stay until daylight, even if you got in for "free," you may have to pay on the way out.
Inside a national park you need to have a pass at all times. The station isn't always manned but I think you can buy them online.
If you want to park your car inside the park, you'll need to pay. There is no charge for waking in. Keep in mind that you'll be up for a long walk if you take the walk in option.
You only need a pass when the ranger station is manned, otherwise you can enter freely.
Actually , you do need a pass. Cars are $25. However, because it’s not patrolled 24/7, many people don’t buy the pass. But you are supposed to have one. Someone needs to pay for the upkeep of our national parks and preserves.
I just bury $25 in the sand whenever it's unmanned  /s
I like to imagine this guy drives all the way out to great sand dunes, gets there and realizes there is someone at the gate, then just turns around and drives home.
They sell an annual pass that covers all national parks for $80 a year. Usually that means if you go 3-4 times in a year it'll pay for itself, and it's a great way to help fund the national parks service. With that in mind, as others have said, usually there's no one there to make you pay at night. This is true for every national park I've been to late at night/early in the morning. I think if this was a "loophole" they really cared about them they'd start putting up gates or something so I personally wouldn't feel too guilty (although I do just grab the annual pass every year myself 🤷‍♂️ so it's a moot point).