FORMS - Park Permits

Make sure to familiarize yourself with all park permits, rules/regulations, and restrictions before starting your tour.

 

• Every van must have a permit book that stays in the van.
• DO NOT LEAVE THE ARRIVAL CITY WITHOUT THE PERMIT BOOK as you will be denied access to some parks.
• ADDITIONAL PERMITS that did not make it into the book at time of printing can be downloaded below.
• Make sure all the permits pertaining to your tour are in the book (that none were removed).
• Consult permit restrictions concerning group size on trails, they vary from park to park.
• IF YOU VIOLATE THE PERMITS, ATW may lose its permit. 

If there is a discrepancy between what your program says and what the permit allows, please contact the office for clarification.

 

Park Permits
Park related information

Grand Canyon National Park

✓ Fill out a Commercial Tour Pass Certification form, and pay at the entry station. Copies of this form are located in your permit book, or you can download it here. Both sides have to be filled out with the same information.
✓ In order to conduct guided hikes you must be 80 medically trained-certified, and be registered thru our office with the Grand Canyon NP. WFO is no longer sufficient.
✓ South Rim Parking is restricted to commercial parking lots only (make sure DOT # is visible): Desert View on East Rim drive and Information Plaza at Visitor Center. You are allowed to idle for 15 minutes to load/unload passengers in other areas (such as Bright Angel). DO NOT PULL INTO THE PARKING at the East Rim view points to avoid being ticketed. They are closed to commercial vehicles regardless of size.
✓ If you plan to take a Maverick helicoptor excursion, please download, and use this updated form. ATW Maverick Helicoptor passenger list form (Excel file)
✓ South Kaibab Trail is accessible by shuttle only. Get park maps for each pax so they have an idea of the complex shuttle system accessing the trails.
✓ Toroweap (Tuweap) on North Rim: max camping group size is 11 including guide. NO EXCEPTIONS! Groups are only allowed to stay in the group campground.
✓ AS OF 2011 TOUR DIRECTORS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CONDUCT ANY HIKES IN GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK UNLESS YOU HAVE THE FULL MEDICAL TRAINING THEY REQUIRE AND OUR OFFICE HAS SIGNED YOU UP WITH THE PARK AS AN OFFICIAL GUIDE.



Zion National Park

✓ Complete entrance form before arrival (Attachment E)- Level 2 for groups up to 50, Level 3 for groups up to 15.
✓ Copies of the form are found in your permit book, or you can download it here if you run out.
✓ Level 3: you are limited to guide ONLY the following trails: Parus, Weeping, 3 Emerald Pools, Grotto, Riverside, Sand Bench, Narrows (but not into Orderville), Court of Patriachs, Watchman, Kayenta, Canyon Overlook (on Bryce Road), West Rim Trail to Angles Landing.
✓ Level 2: you are limited to guide ONLY the following trails: Pa’rus, Court of the Patriarchs, Weeping Rock, Lower and Middle Emerald Pools (not Upper), Kayenta, Grotto, Riverside Walk, Angel’s Landing (excluding top / cables).
✓ ATTENTION: THESE TRAILS ARE OFF LIMITS for guided hikes: Angel’s Landing above Scouts Lookout (cables part), Hidden Canyon, East Rim.
✓ Parking at Zion can be a daunting task. We suggest parking at the hotel and taking the Springdale shuttle to the park. If you prefer driving into the park, you are more likely to find parking at the RV spaces so keep the trailer attached. The IMAX parking as a two-hour limit and ATW will not be responsible for your parking ticket.
✓ Whichever way you enter the park (by foot or car), request individual passes for each member of your group so that they are free to go in and out of the park as they wish using the park and town shuttles.



Hawaii

Big Island: City of Refuge, Volcanoes, Mauna Kea ✓ City of Refuge and Volcano NP allow for hiking and we are permitted, if you rent a 4x4 to go to the top of Mauna Kea, Pax have to drive as we are not permitted up here. Call Harper Car Rental in Hilo to resever a van. DO NOT DRIVE. DO NOT IDENTIFY yourself as a guide, to avoid a fine.
Kauai: Waimaea Canyon/Kokee State Park, North Shore Kalalau Trail ✓ Kokee allows guided walks without a permit but not on the Alakai Swamp Trail. Kalalau Trail / North Shore guided walks are not permitted.
Maui: Haleakela NP ✓ There is only one company permitted to guide walks in Haleakela NP (on the volcano and at Hana) Hike Maui, we are NOT permitted to enter the park with our vehicles.
Molokai: Halawa Valley, Kalaupapa Trail/Father Damien ✓ Kalaupapa Trail and Halaaa are guided by local companies / guides and therefore permitted with them.



Other National Park Areas

Death Valley National Park ✓ Any hike more than 500 m from the center of any paved park road is considered a wilderness hike and requires a WFO certification (40 hours medical training). DO NOT guide hikes here unless the office has signed you up with the national park as an authorized guide. Have pax walk down hill from Zabriskie Point and you can pick them up at the other end during the hot months.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area ✓ Wear badge at all times while guiding. Badges get issued by the park and mailed to you from the office. It takes about 1 month to get a badge issued.
Grand Teton National Park ✓ Guides need to be added to an authorized guides list for Grand Teton National Park. If you need to be added, please contact us.
Kings Canyon ✓ West side of National Park: Trailers and buses not permitted on access road from Visalia.
Mono Lake ✓ You are not allowed to guide hikes in the park, but you can walk with your group, do all commentary before you enter the park.
Mount Rainier National Park ✓ In order to conduct guided hikes you must be WFA-certified, and be registered thru our office with the Mount Rainier NP. If you go on any hike with your group you cannot lead a hike.
Muir Woods, California ✓ you are not allowed to guide hikes or groups in this park.
✓ Very small parking lot.
✓ Arrive early in order to even find parking.
✓ No large buses or trailers allowed. Check their website before going.
Rocky Mountain National Park ✓ Guide cards will be sent from office. ✓ You can download a wildlife guide for the park here.
Saguaro National Park ✓ Guided hikes restricted to trails in permit book only, read carefully.
San Francisco ✓ Restricted commercial driving route - pay attention to signs restricting vehicles with more than 8 passengers to enter certain streets, check out the San Francisco Section of Vans/Trailers/Gear.
✓ Please consult the motor coach regulations in your TD manual.
✓ Golden Gate Bridge walk: park on city side and let pax walk over bridge, pick them up on the Sausalito side.
Yellowstone National Park ✓ Guide card will be sent from office.
✓ We are allowed to do driving tours in the parks. ✓ You can download a wildlife guide for the park here.
Yosemite National Park ✓ No more guided Half Dome hikes as permits for these hikes are now required
✓ The permits have to be obtained by pax, therefore we can no longer guide these hikes as not all pax will have permits.
✓ For safety reasons, NEVER guide the top of Half Dome.



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