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The Discovery Pass is Parks Canada's annual admission pass. At the 2026 rates it costs a little less than seven days of daily admission at Banff or Jasper, so it pays off from the seventh park day in the 12 months it runs. That holds for one person on an adult pass and for a carload on the family or group pass. Fewer park days than that, pay by the day. Rates checked 2 October 2026, in Canadian dollars.
Is it worth it for your trip
Count two things: who is in the car, and how many days you will spend in parks that charge admission over the next 12 months. Then read across. The arithmetic uses the 2026 Banff and Jasper rates. Other parks set their own daily rates, so check the fees page for yours before you count.
| Who is going | Daily admission, Banff or Jasper | Discovery Pass | Pass is cheaper from |
|---|---|---|---|
| One adult | $12.25 a day; six days is $73.50 | Adult, $83.50 | The seventh day ($85.75 by the day) |
| One senior, 65 and over | $10.75 a day; six days is $64.50 | Senior, $71.50 | The seventh day ($75.25 by the day) |
| Two adults in one car | $24.50 a day, as two adults or as a family or group | Two adult passes, $167.00, or one family or group pass, $167.50 | The seventh day ($171.50 by the day) |
| Three to seven people 18 and over in one car | $24.50 a day on the family or group rate | Family or group, $167.50 | The seventh day ($171.50 by the day) |
| Youth 17 and under | Free | Not needed | Never: youth admission is free |
Checked 2 October 2026 against Parks Canada, in Canadian dollars, at the rates in force since 1 January 2026. The Canada Strong Pass free admission periods are over (the last ran 19 June to 7 September 2026), so this arithmetic uses regular fees. Parks Canada adjusts fees every two years, and the next change is due 1 January 2028.
Children change nothing: youth 17 and under enter free, so two parents and three kids pay what two adults pay. A car with one adult and one senior pays $23.00 a day by the person, less than the family rate, against $155.00 for an adult and a senior pass, so the passes still win from the seventh day.
Count your park days from a real plan
- Copy the Banff plan Three days in Banff. Count the park days, then compare. /t/three-days-in-banff-bfx2k7
- Copy the Canadian Rockies road trip Seven days through the mountain parks, close to where the pass starts to pay. /t/canadian-rockies-road-trip-in-7-days
- Compare every Canadian Rockies route Routes from three to ten days, with what to book first. /destinations/canadian-rockies
Individual and family passes cover different people
| Pass | Price | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $83.50 | One person, 18 to 64. |
| Senior | $71.50 | One person, 65 and over. |
| Family or group | $167.50 | Up to 7 people arriving together in one vehicle. |
| Youth | Free | Everyone 17 and under, with no pass. |
Checked 2 October 2026 against Parks Canada, in Canadian dollars, taxes included. Valid for 12 months from purchase at Parks Canada national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas. Confirm on the official fees page before you buy.
- An adult or senior pass covers its holder only. Everyone else in the car needs their own pass or day ticket, unless the car travels on a family or group pass.
- The family or group pass covers up to seven people, but only arriving together in one vehicle. Two cars means two passes.
- It runs 12 months from purchase, not to a calendar year end.
- Buy it online ahead and it arrives by post, or buy it at a park gate and use it right away.
- Passes valid in June, July or August 2026 were extended by three months automatically, so check the expiry date on yours before you buy another.
What the pass does not cover
- Camping. Campsites, oTENTiks and backcountry permits are booked and paid for on the Parks Canada reservation site, on top of admission.
- Shuttle seats. The Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttle is its own ticket. In 2026 it was $12.75 per adult, $6.00 senior and $4.00 youth, plus a $3.50 reservation fee online (checked 2 October 2026), and the shuttle ticket does not include admission either.
- Fire permits, hot springs and guided programs, which each park charges for separately.
Reservations open park by park, not on one day
Camping and shuttle reservations are a separate system from admission, and they do not open on a single day. In 2026 the campground launches were staggered park by park from 20 January to 12 February, several of them postponed by IT outages, and the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttle opened on 15 April. The 2027 dates are not published yet (checked 2 October 2026). The 2027 reservations guide tracks them park by park, with each launch time and time zone.
- 1 Find your park and product in the 2027 reservations guide, and note the date and time once Parks Canada posts them.
- 2 Create your account, verify it and save a payment method well before the day. Doing this on the morning costs you the booking.
- 3 Be logged in and in the queue a few minutes before the opening time. It is a randomised queue, not first click wins.
- 4 Have a second and third choice of campground ready, because your first will very likely be gone.
- 5 Missed it? Watch for cancellations through spring, and look at provincial parks nearby.
How it differs from the American system
- Per person, not per vehicle. Canada charges admission per person, with a family or group rate for a carload. US parks charge per vehicle, and at 11 of them Canadians aged 16 and over pay a US$100 nonresident fee on top. The US park fees guide has the arithmetic.
- Shuttles instead of timed entry. Where a road is overwhelmed, Parks Canada tends to close it to private cars and run buses. Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles; from June to mid-October you arrive by Parks Canada shuttle, with a licensed operator or as a Moraine Lake Lodge guest.
- Fire permits are separate and often required per site per night.
- One agency, one account. A single login covers every national park in the country, which is a real convenience over the American split between park sites and Recreation.gov.
Book it and check it
- Parks Canada reservations One account for every national park campsite, shuttle and permit. https://reservation.pc.gc.ca
- Discovery Pass Annual entry pass. Order by post ahead or buy at the gate. https://parks.canada.ca/voyage-travel/admission
- Fees by location The official fee schedule for every park and historic site. https://parks.canada.ca/voyage-travel/tarifs-fees
- Park conditions and closures Wildfire, trail and road status across the system. https://parks.canada.ca/voyage-travel/securite-safety
Common questions
- Is the Parks Canada Discovery Pass worth it?
- Yes if you will spend seven or more days in parks that charge admission within 12 months. At the 2026 Banff and Jasper rates an adult pays $12.25 a day against $83.50 for the adult pass, so six days by the day is cheaper and the seventh tips it. A carload on the family or group rate breaks even on the same day.
- Does an adult Discovery Pass cover my family?
- No. The adult and senior passes cover one person each. The family or group pass, $167.50 in 2026, covers up to seven people arriving together in one vehicle. Youth 17 and under need no pass at all.
- How do you buy a Parks Canada Discovery Pass?
- Online from the Parks Canada shop, where it ships by mail, or in person at any park gate or participating visitor centre, where it works immediately. It runs 12 months from purchase.
- Does the Discovery Pass cover camping or the Lake Louise shuttle?
- No. It covers admission only. Campsites, backcountry permits and the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttle are booked and paid for separately on the reservation site; the 2026 shuttle fare was $12.75 per adult plus a $3.50 online reservation fee.
- Is Parks Canada admission still free this year?
- No. The Canada Strong Pass free admission periods are over: the last ran from 19 June to 7 September 2026, and regular fees apply again (checked 2 October 2026). Youth 17 and under are always free, which is standing policy rather than a promotion.
- When do Parks Canada campground reservations open?
- Each park and product opens on its own day. In 2026 the campground launches were staggered from 20 January to 12 February, and the 2027 dates are not published yet (checked 2 October 2026). The 2027 reservations guide tracks them.
- Do you need a reservation to enter a Canadian national park?
- Generally no. Entry is by pass or day fee at the gate. Moraine Lake is the well-known exception in practice: its road is closed to personal vehicles, so from June to mid-October you go by booked shuttle, with a licensed operator or as a lodge guest.
- Are Canadian national parks free for kids?
- Youth 17 and under enter national parks at no charge. Camping and other fees still apply.
Tip
The mountain parks cluster tightly: Banff, Yoho, Kootenay and Jasper all touch, so a Rockies trip racks up park days fast. Put your route in the road trip planner with the drive legs in place and count the park days before you buy.