There’s no need to carry cash, checks or credit cards to pay for parking at Meyers Beach or to pay docking fees at one of the islands, if you have the recreation.gov mobile app on your phone.
This free app, offered in partnership by the National Park Service and other federal agencies, includes a feature called “Scan and Pay.” You simply download the app to your phone and set up your account. Best advice: do this before you arrive, as cell service may not be available everywhere in the park.
When you need to pay a fee in the park, scan the appropriate onsite QR Code located at the payment area. For example, you will find one QR Code for Meyers Beach parking for vehicles under 20 feet and another QR Code for vehicles 20 feet and longer. If you’re in an area where you don’t have a cell phone signal, the app will complete the transaction when you’ve returned to a location where you have a signal.
When you use the Scan & Pay app to pay for your fees, you must fill out the envelope or slip with the date, amount, and their confirmation number. Place the envelope on your boat in area where staff/volunteers can see or on the dash of your vehicle. Staff/volunteers will ask to see the confirmation number if they don’t see that envelope on your boat or vehicle.
Fees payable through Scan and Pay in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Daily parking fees at Meyers Beach, a popular launch point for kayaking the mainland sea caves:
$5 a day for vehicle length under 20 feet (including trailer)
$8 a day for vehicles 20 feet or longer
Overnight docking fees in the National Lakeshore:
$15 for boats under 40 feet in length
$30 for boats 40 feet and longer.
Annual Meyers Beach parking passes are also available, but not through Scan & Pay. You can buy those at park headquarters in Bayfield. Until mid-May, visitors wanting to purchase annual passes can call 715-779-3398 extension 2 to schedule an appointment to purchase. After mid-May you can buy the permits during regular visitor center hours.
$25 annual parking pass for vehicle under 20 feet *
$40 annual parking pass for vehicles longer than 20 feet *
These passes are good for the calendar year and will pay for themselves on your 5th visit. For more information about fees in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, visit the Park Service website.
Campsite reservations within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore can also be made on the Recreation.gov website and in the App. Search for “Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Camping Permits” to get started.
recreation.gov app icon
Scan and Pay is just one of the features of the Recreation.gov app. You can also use it to explore the National Lakeshore and many other destinations at our National Parks. And you can use it to include your trip details, favorite locations and more.
The Recreation.gov app and associated website are a partnership that includes the National Park Service, US Forest Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management and other agencies. Their goal is to help you “find your next adventure.” at more than 4,200 facilities and 113,000 individual sites across the country. The app is free and available on the Google Play Android and Apple iOS App stores.
Image: Screenshots from recreation.gov app, featuring Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
