Entrance fee, Grand Canyon National Park

I love hiking and to me between my legs and the great shuttle bus service at the Grand Canyon, you almost don't need a car. But to get to great secluded spots for sunset and getting to the park, you need a car.

We were on a six month trip around the US so a car was really our only option. Just getting to the Grand Canyon from Sedona was a four hour trip and remember the North Rim is another five hours from there. There are shuttle to the North Rim but they run only at certain times of the year and are very infrequent. It's unfortunate that a place that should be 100% eco-friendly can't afford to be.

Speaking of money, the National Park service charges $25 for a car load of people to enter this amazing place. That sounds steep if you are coming in for a couple hours but this place deserves a lot more time than that. The pass is good for a week and that's about how long it took us to get to see all we saw. We had an America the Beautiful Pass, which is good for all Federally administered lands like National Parks and Monuments. This is good for a year and a bargain at $80.

The entrance fee to the park is $20 per vehicle and is valid up to 7 days. But if you are entering by foot, bicycle, or motorcycle, the fee is $10.

This is probably one of the national parks with a more expensive entrance fee. But the fee probably goes to maintaining and preserving the park.