All parks › Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: fees, hours, camping and when to visit
- Private vehicle, 7 days
- $25[1]
- Busiest month (2025)
- August[2]
- Recreation visits, 2025
- 933,966[3]
- Campgrounds
- 25[4]
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a National Park System unit in Michigan[5]. NPS lists a private vehicle entrance fee of $25[1], and the park takes cards or mobile payment only[6].
Entrance fees and passes
Fees as listed by the National Park Service. Fees change, so confirm on the park's official fees page before you go.
| Fee or pass | Price |
|---|---|
| Private Vehicle[1] | $25 |
| Motorcycle[7] | $20 |
| Snowmobile[8] | $15 |
| Per Person[9] | $15 |
| Annual Entrance - Park[10] | $45 |
The America the Beautiful pass is accepted here[11].
Entrance fee payment is cashless (card or mobile payment)[6].
America the Beautiful passes cover entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreation sites.
| Pass | Who can get it | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Annual Pass[12] | US citizens and residents | $80 |
| Non-Resident Annual Pass[12] | Non-US residents | $250 |
| Senior Annual Pass[12] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $20 |
| Senior Lifetime Pass[12] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $80 |
| Military Annual Pass[12] | Current US military and dependents | Free |
| Military Lifetime Pass[12] | Gold Star Family members and veterans | Free |
| Access Pass[12] | US citizens and residents with permanent disability | Free |
| 4th Grade Pass[12] | US 4th graders | Free |
| Volunteer Pass[12] | Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours | Free |
When to visit and hours
NPS says the park is open year-round, day and night, but snow closes most roads in winter and only Sand Point Road gets plowed[13]. In 2025 the busiest month was August with 241,189 recreation visits[2]. December was the quietest month that year with 1,972 visits[2]. NPS describes summer highs in the 70s°F in June, July and August[14]. The coldest months run December through March, and ground snow cover generally lasts from late November into late April[14]. NPS counts three visitor centers or contact stations: Munising Falls, Grand Sable and Miners Castle[15].
Show visits by month
| Month, 2025 | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 12,479 |
| February | 19,961 |
| March | 19,376 |
| April | 17,717 |
| May | 64,873 |
| June | 129,800 |
| July | 205,857 |
| August | 241,189 |
| September | 114,323 |
| October | 98,555 |
| November | 7,864 |
| December | 1,972 |
Camping
NPS and Recreation.gov list 25 campgrounds here[4]. The listed names include Twelvemile Beach Campground and Cabin with 37 sites, Hurricane River Campground with 22 sites, and Little Beaver Campground with 9 sites[4]. Many other listings are individual backpacking sites, and NPS lists nightly individual-site fees from $5 to $25[4].
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Backcountry Camping Permit, 72 sites[4]
- Twelvemile Beach Campground and Cabin, 37 sites
- Hurricane River Campground, 22 sites
- Little Beaver Campground, 9 sites
- Au Sable East Individual Backpacking Sites, 6 sites
- Benchmark Individual Backpacking Sites, 6 sites
- Chapel Individual Backpacking Sites, 6 sites
- Beaver Creek Individual Backpacking Sites, 6 sites
- Sevenmile Creek Individual Backpacking Sites, 5 sites
- Trappers Lake Individual Backpacking Sites, 5 sites
- Pine Bluff Individual Backpacking Sites, 5 sites
- Coves Individual Backpacking Sites, 5 sites
- Mosquito River Individual Backpacking Sites, 5 sites
- Lowney Creek Individual Backpacking Sites, 4 sites
- Masse Homestead Individual Backpacking Sites, 3 sites
- Potato Patch Individual Backpacking Sites, 3 sites
- Cliffs Individual Backpacking Sites, 3 sites
- Masse Homestead Group Backpacking Site, 1 sites
- Au Sable East Group Backpacking Site, 1 sites
- Sevenmile Creek Group Backpacking Site, 1 sites
- Trappers Lake Group Backpacking Site, 1 sites
- Lowney Creek Group Backpacking Site, 1 sites
- Coves Group Backpacking Site, 1 sites
- Mosquito River Group Backpacking Site, 1 sites
- Cliffs Group Backpacking Site, 1 sites
Pets and dogs
Under the national NPS pet rule, pets must be kept in a crate or cage or on a leash of six feet or less where they are allowed[16]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings or on designated swimming beaches, with service animals excepted[16]. NPS marks pets as permitted on 8 of its 11 listed things to do, including hikes and drive-in camping[17]. A park may restrict pets in additional areas, so check with the park[16].
Before you go
- Entrance fees are cashless, so bring a card or use mobile payment[6].
- The park accepts the America the Beautiful pass for entrance[11]. NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass at $80 and the Senior Annual Pass at $20[12].
- A Pictured Rocks Annual Entrance pass costs $45[10].
- NPS says the entrance fee does not cover camping or commercial tours[1].
- NPS notes that reservations are required for 4 of its listed things to do[17].
- Fees and hours change, so confirm them on the official NPS park page before you go.
Questions people ask
- How much is the entrance fee at Pictured Rocks?
- NPS lists $25 for a private vehicle[1], $20 for a motorcycle[7] and $15 per person on foot, bike or boat[9]. Confirm current rates on the NPS page.
- When is the busiest time at Pictured Rocks?
- In 2025 the busiest month was August with 241,189 recreation visits, and the quietest was December with 1,972[2].
- Are dogs allowed at Pictured Rocks?
- Where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or leashed, with a leash of six feet or less[16]. NPS lists pets as permitted on 8 of its 11 things to do, so check the park for specific areas[17].
- Is Pictured Rocks open in winter?
- NPS says the park is open year-round, but snow closes most roads in winter[13]. Only Sand Point Road gets plowed[13].
- Can I pay cash at the entrance?
- NPS says entrance fees here are cashless, so use a card or mobile payment[6].
Facts and sources
- Entrance fee, Private Vehicle: $25. National Park Service
- NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 1,313,179, 2022: 925,685, 2023: 910,939, 2024: 953,052, 2025: 933,966. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- Campgrounds in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (list on this page). National Park Service
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Lakeshore) in Michigan. National Park Service
- Entrance fees at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore are cashless (cards or mobile payment, no cash) according to NPS. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Motorcycle: $20. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Snowmobile: $15. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Per Person: $15. National Park Service
- Annual Entrance - Park: $45. National Park Service
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore accepts the America the Beautiful (interagency) pass for entrance. National Park Service
- America the Beautiful pass prices (table on this page). NPS Passes
- Operating hours, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is open year-round, 24 hours a day, though most roads are closed by snow in the winter. Sand Point Road is the only park road plowed in winter. National Park Service
- NPS weather and seasons overview for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. National Park Service
- Visitor centers listed by NPS: 3 (Munising Falls Visitor Center, Grand Sable Visitor Center, Miners Castle Visitor Contact Station). National Park Service
- National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
- NPS lists 11 things to do at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Commercial Tours, Walks and Hikes Over a Mile, Walks and Hikes of One Mile or Less, Kayaking and Kayak Safety, Drive-In Camping at Pictured Rocks, Snowshoeing at Pictured Rocks, Places To See... National Park Service