Is the New York Empire Pass Worth it?

Contents

NOTE: The 2023 Empire Pass is now available for purchase on the official website.

Do you enjoy the New York state parks? Then the New York Empire Pass may be just the thing for you.

Many state parks charge a per-vehicle entry fee for all or part of the year. With one of these state park passes, you get unlimited entries.

For a while, I’d waver every year about whether I should get the pass because I wasn’t sure we’d use it enough to justify the cost. In the meantime, I know we get plenty of value out of it, so it’s a clear yes for us, but it wasn’t always that way.

So I wrote this guide to help you decide whether investing the $80 (as of 2023) for the state park annual pass is worth it to you.

Let me know if it’s helpful!

(Or, if you’re thinking even longer term, I wrote a guide to the Lifetime Empire Pass.)

New York Empire Pass card — Empire Pass card (Image: provided)

About the New York Empire Pass

First, let’s cover some basics:

What is the NY Empire Pass?

The New York Empire Pass is an annual entry pass that gives you unlimited day-use vehicle access to most facilities operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

That includes lots of forests, beaches, trails, boat launch sites, arboretums, and park preserves.

Here’s a list of all the facilities that are included.

Where do I get an Empire Pass?

You can buy the state park annual pass online, at some parks, by mail, and by phone.

If you go the online route, it can take a few days to arrive by mail, so plan accordingly. (You can use the Parks Explorer App for digital access, but you can’t upload your card into it until it’s physically in your hands.)

How much does the Empire Pass cost?

The price of the New York state park pass changes every few years. As of 2022, it’s $80. Check for the most recent price here.

There are also three-year and five-year options, which bring the cost per year down a bit.

What to consider when buying an Empire Pass

Here are some things to consider:

1. Number of visits

Typical entrance fees range from $6 to $10 per car, so the pass pays for itself in 8 to 13 visits. That doesn’t seem too hard to accomplish. You could visit, say, once a week during the summer, especially if you live near a state park. (Do you? Check the list here.)

Note that the fee is often only charged for the main season, though that’s probably when you’ll want to visit anyway. One example: Buttermilk Falls currently charges from April 1 until November 30, and some main trails are closed in the winter.

Buttermilk Falls Ithaca — Buttermilk Falls state park (Photo: Guthrie Kuckes)

2. Validity

The pass is good until the end of the calendar year in which you purchase it — and it’s not prorated. If you buy it in mid-July, it’s still going to cost you the same as if you’d bought it earlier in the year. So think about whether you’ll use it enough in the remaining calendar months.

3. Convenience

The Empire passport has come a long way in the past years. Instead of a decal that was good for only a specific car (and a huge pain to get off your window!), it’s now a wallet-sized card that you can share within your household.

You can even upload it to the Parks Explorer App on your phone (one phone only, though) and scan the QR code at the entrance or self-serve station.

4. Flexibility

The Empire Pass makes it easy to pop into a park for a short time. You don’t feel like you need to stay all day to get your money’s worth. So we’ll often head for an hour to one of the great playgrounds in our nearby parks.

Or you can break up a long drive with a picnic, nap, or playground time in a state park along the way.

5. Exploration

Having your Empire Pass card may motivate you to go explore! Why not venture out to some new parks this year? We sometimes swing by a park as we’re driving somewhere, just because we can.

And access includes some oft the country’s top-rated parks, such as Letchworth (“the Grand Canyon of the East”), Watkins Glen, and Niagara Falls (the nation’s oldest state park).

Letchworth state park — Letchworth State Park (Photo: Clay Banks)

6. Doing more

Or just enjoy your nearby parks more and in new ways. I sometimes have my lunch or read at the foot of a waterfall (there may be picnic tables, or I bring a lawn chair). This summer I’m hoping to get some friends together for regular BBQs and games in the park. I have plenty more tips on how to get the most out of your pass here.

7. Special activities

You’ll still need to pay an camping, golf, museum or historic site admissions and special activity fees.

8. Special events

The pass doesn’t guarantee free entry if there are special events going on operated by other organizations. You’ll find those dates on parks’ websites, though. First Day hikes are included, though.

9. Free uses of the Empire Pass

There are ways to get or use the Empire Pass for free, so check out this post before you decide to purchase an Empire Pass.

Is the Empire Pass worth it?

It all depends on your personal situation, of course, but I’d say yes in many cases!

It’s likely worth buying the Empire Pass if you visit 8 to 13 times during the season and if you value flexibility and convenience in accessing state parks.