Hard-to-reach national parks: what getting there costs (2026)
The ferries, floatplanes, bush planes and flights into the parks you can’t just drive to. Prices are per adult unless noted, copied from the operator or NPS page linked next to each one. If we couldn’t find a published price, it says Unknown; we never guess.
Prices last checked Oct 29, 2026. Operators change fares often, so confirm before you book.
Gates of the Arctic
Gateway: Bettles or Coldfoot (via Fairbanks) · NPS site ↗
No roads into the park. You fly from Fairbanks to Bettles or drive the Dalton Highway to Coldfoot, then take a bush plane in.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled flight | Fairbanks → Bettles (Wright Air Service) | Unknown | Fare not published online; call for a quote. Checked 2026-10-29 · Wright Air Service timetable |
| Floatplane flightsee with landing | Coldfoot → lake in the park (Coyote Air) | $605 per person, min. 2 | About 1 hour air time, ~30 min on the ground. $665 with Holmes Pass/Gates route. June 1–Sep 15. Checked 2026-10-29 · Coyote Air Service |
| Bush plane drop-off day trip | Coldfoot → Long Lake (Coyote Air) | $1,196 per person, min. 2 | Unguided full day. $1,430 with an added scenic flight. Checked 2026-10-29 · Coyote Air Service |
Kobuk Valley
Gateway: Kotzebue · NPS site ↗
Fly to Kotzebue, then charter a small plane to the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes or the river.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled flight | Anchorage → Kotzebue | Unknown | Varies by date; not checked. Checked 2026-10-29 · no published source found |
| Air charter | Kotzebue → Great Kobuk Sand Dunes | $1,000 per hour of flying (whole plane), 'or more' | NPS average; per-person cost depends on group size. No operator posts a fixed park fare. Checked 2026-10-29 · NPS Kobuk Valley: Flightseeing |
| Flightsee with landings | Coldfoot → Kobuk Valley + Gates of the Arctic (Coyote Air) | $5,840 for 2 people ($2,920 each extra) | About 4 hours of flying, lands in both parks. Checked 2026-10-29 · Coyote Air Service |
Lake Clark
Gateway: Anchorage, Homer or Kenai · NPS site ↗
Fly-in only. Most visitors do a bear-viewing day trip to the coast or fly to Port Alsworth.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled bush flight | Anchorage → Port Alsworth (Lake Clark Air) | Unknown | Seat fares by phone quote only. Checked 2026-10-29 · Lake Clark Air |
| Bear-viewing day trip by small plane | Homer → Cook Inlet coast (Cook Inlet Adventures) | $875 per person, all-in | 3-hour trip; $1,225 for the 6–7 hour trip. Operator serves Lake Clark and Katmai coasts. Checked 2026-10-29 · Cook Inlet Adventures |
Katmai
Gateway: King Salmon (via Anchorage) · NPS site ↗
Fly Anchorage → King Salmon, then a floatplane to Brooks Camp for the Brooks Falls bears.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight + floatplane day trip | Anchorage → King Salmon → Brooks Camp (Katmai Air) | $1,489 round trip per person, taxes/fees incl. | June 1–Sep 18, 2026. Checked 2026-10-29 · Katmai Air 2026 rates |
| Floatplane | King Salmon → Brooks Camp (Katmai Air) | $500 round trip per person | You get yourself to King Salmon. Checked 2026-10-29 · Katmai Air 2026 rates |
Wrangell-St. Elias
Gateway: Chitina / McCarthy · NPS site ↗
You can drive in, but the 60-mile gravel McCarthy Road is slow. Most people fly or shuttle from Chitina.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled small-plane flight | Chitina → McCarthy (Wrangell Mountain Air) | $473 round trip per person | $236.50 one way. Season mid-May–mid-Sep; closed for the rest of 2026. Checked 2026-10-29 · Wrangell Mountain Air |
| Shuttle van | Chitina → McCarthy (Kennicott Shuttle) | $139 round trip, different days | $79 one way; $99 same-day round trip. Checked 2026-10-29 · Kennicott Shuttle |
| Drive | McCarthy Road (your own car) | No fare (own vehicle) | No fee to drive; many rental companies forbid the road. Checked 2026-10-29 · NPS Wrangell-St. Elias: Directions |
Glacier Bay
Gateway: Gustavus (via Juneau) · NPS site ↗
No road. Fly Juneau → Gustavus, then take the day boat from Bartlett Cove up to the glaciers.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | Juneau → Gustavus (Alaska Airlines summer, Alaska Seaplanes) | $269 round trip, 'from' price | Fare-search site's lowest seen price; varies by date. Not an operator quote. Checked 2026-10-29 · Cheapflights (Juneau–Gustavus) |
| Day boat tour | Bartlett Cove → West Arm glaciers (M/V Baranof Wind) | $273.57 per adult, lunch incl. | Child 3–12: $142.92. Daily May 22–Sep 7, 2026. Checked 2026-10-29 · Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks (2026 rates) |
Kenai Fjords
Gateway: Seward · NPS site ↗
Exit Glacier is a drive from Seward, but the fjords and tidewater glaciers are boat-only.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train | Anchorage → Seward (Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic, Adventure Class) | $133 one way per adult | $226 round trip; GoldStar $277 one way / $470 round trip. 2026 summer fares. Checked 2026-10-29 · Alaska Railroad 2026 brochure |
| Boat tour | Seward → Kenai Fjords (5.5-hour Kenai Fjords Tours cruise) | $233 per person | Price listed with 2027 season dates (May 15–Sep 12, 2027). Checked 2026-10-29 · Alaska Railroad: Kenai Fjords cruise |
Dry Tortugas
Gateway: Key West · NPS site ↗
70 miles west of Key West. Ferry or seaplane only (or your own boat).
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferry | Key West → Garden Key (Yankee Freedom) | $260 round trip per adult | 'From' price; includes park entrance fee, breakfast, lunch and snorkel gear. Camping trips sell out 9–12 months ahead. Checked 2026-10-29 · Yankee Freedom |
| Seaplane, half day | Key West → Garden Key (Key West Seaplane Adventures) | $527 per adult | ~2.5 hours on the island. Plus $15 NPS entrance fee. Full day: $910. Checked 2026-10-29 · Key West Seaplane Adventures |
| Park entrance fee | Per person 16+ | $15 per person, 7 days | Included in ferry ticket. Checked 2026-10-29 · NPS Dry Tortugas: Fees |
Isle Royale
Gateway: Houghton or Copper Harbor, MI (or Grand Portage, MN) · NPS site ↗
Island in Lake Superior. Ferry or seaplane only; park closed Nov 1–mid April.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferry | Copper Harbor → Rock Harbor (Isle Royale Queen IV) | $175 round trip per adult | About 3 h 45 min each way. Child $125. 2026 season May 11–Sep 30. Checked 2026-10-29 · Isle Royale Line |
| Ferry | Houghton → Rock Harbor (NPS Ranger III) | $160 round trip per adult ($80 one way) | About 6 hours; sails Tue/Fri out, Wed/Sat back. Checked 2026-10-29 · NPS: Ranger III fares (2026) |
| Seaplane | Hubbell → Windigo or Rock Harbor (Isle Royale Seaplanes) | $420 round trip per person | Operator page shows both $396 and $420 round-trip fares (two seasons listed); one way $289. About 45 minutes. Checked 2026-10-29 · Isle Royale Seaplanes |
| Park user fee | Per person 16+ | $7 per day | Paid in advance on pay.gov; America the Beautiful passes accepted. Checked 2026-10-29 · Isle Royale Line (fee note) |
National Park of American Samoa
Gateway: Pago Pago (via Honolulu) · NPS site ↗
The only U.S. national park south of the equator. Hawaiian Airlines flies Honolulu–Pago Pago about twice a week.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | Honolulu → Pago Pago (Hawaiian Airlines) | $987 round trip, 'from' price | Fare-search site's lowest seen price; varies by date. About twice weekly as of Oct 2026. Checked 2026-10-29 · momondo (Hawaii–Pago Pago) |
Channel Islands
Gateway: Ventura or Oxnard, CA · NPS site ↗
Island park off the California coast; boat (or small plane) only.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boat, day trip | Ventura → Santa Cruz Island / Anacapa (Island Packers) | $72 round trip per adult | Campers: $96. Senior $67. Checked 2026-10-29 · Island Packers |
| Boat, day trip | Ventura → Santa Rosa Island (Island Packers) | $99 round trip per adult | Campers: $138. Checked 2026-10-29 · Island Packers |
| Boat, day trip | Ventura → San Miguel Island (Island Packers) | $127 round trip per adult | Campers: $187. Checked 2026-10-29 · Island Packers |
North Cascades (Stehekin)
Gateway: Chelan, WA · NPS site ↗
Highway 20 crosses the park complex, but the village of Stehekin has no road in: boat, floatplane or hike.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger boat | Chelan → Stehekin (Lady of the Lake, 4 hours) | $25 one way per adult | Runs mid-May–Sep on Sundays only. Checked 2026-10-29 · Lady of the Lake |
| Passenger boat | Chelan → Stehekin (Lady Express, 2.5 hours) | $43 one way per adult | Daily runner. Checked 2026-10-29 · Lady of the Lake |
| Passenger boat | Chelan → Stehekin (Lady Liberty, 70–90 min) | $49 one way per adult | Fastest boat. Checked 2026-10-29 · Lady of the Lake |
| Floatplane | Chelan → Stehekin | Unknown | Not checked. Checked 2026-10-29 · no published source found |
Virgin Islands
Gateway: St. Thomas → St. John · NPS site ↗
Fly into St. Thomas, then a 20-minute ferry to Cruz Bay on St. John.
| How | Route | Price | Notes & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | U.S. mainland → St. Thomas (STT) | Unknown | Varies widely by city and date; not checked. Checked 2026-10-29 · no published source found |
| Passenger ferry | Red Hook → Cruz Bay | $8.15 one way per adult (non-resident) | Child 2–11 $1. Luggage fee may apply. Checked 2026-10-29 · St. John Ferry Ticketing |
We are not paid by any operator listed here. If a price is wrong or out of date, tell us via Ask David & Keri.