Fees and the loop

How much is the entry fee for the Pinnacles?

A$17 per vehicle with up to 12 occupants, or A$10 with a concession. One day fee covers other WA parks visited the same day.

The fee is per vehicle, not per person, so a full car splits A$17 four or five ways. A car that visits Yanchep National Park on the way up pays once for both. The exception is a private vehicle with 13 or more people, which pays at each park.

Is the Pinnacles fee still A$15?

No. A$15 was the day fee in 2021. It is A$17 in 2026, and the motorcycle fee rose from A$8 to A$10.

The old figure survives on many travel blogs and on the Coral Coast FAQ, which also lists the 2021 pass prices. The DBCA fee page, updated in August 2026, is the one to trust. Read more in our 2026 park fees post.

Which park pass should you buy?

For one visit, none: pay A$17 on the day. For a trip with several WA parks, the Holiday Pass from A$30 for 5 days pays for itself after two park days.

Passes are sold on the DBCA shop and at the Discovery Centre. Each covers one vehicle with up to 12 legally seated people. They are digital, non-transferable and must be printed and displayed on the dashboard. For a hire car, DBCA says to enter HIRE VEHICLE as the registration. RAC members get a discount.

How do you pay, and do you have to book?

Pay at the gate house when you arrive. No booking is needed for day entry and there is no timed-entry system.

DBCA's fee page describes three ways parks take payment: a staffed entry station (card or cash, some cash only), an automated card pay station, or self-registration with cash in an envelope and no change. At Nambung, day passes are sold at the gate house into Pinnacles Desert Discovery. Arriving outside centre hours, carry some cash, or buy a Holiday Pass online first.

Tours pay for you: entry is part of the listed price on seven of the eight tours here. Driving yourself, the day trip plan is in the day trip guide.

Can you just drive through the Pinnacles?

Yes. The Pinnacles Desert Drive is a one-way loop of about 4 km through the pillars, with parking bays to stop and walk in. It takes about half an hour without stops.

Official figures for its length range from 4 km to 4.5 km; Trails WA lists 4.3 km plus an optional 750 m spur. It is an unsealed, firm sandy track that Coral Coast and Trails WA both say suits 2WD vehicles. Most visitors take one to two hours with stops; Trails WA allows up to three.

• Not allowed on the loop: caravans, trailers and vehicles longer than 7 metres. Leave them in the long-vehicle bays in the car park.
• Stay on the track: other routes cross dieback areas that vehicles spread.
• No pets anywhere in the park.

The lowest-priced day from Perth: Yanchep, Lake Thetis, the Discovery Centre and the pillars. Lunch is extra.

★ 4.2 · 9.5 hours · from $121

Explore the lobster tour → Tour details

Can you ride a motorbike or bicycle on the loop?

Not any more, according to Trails WA: the loop has been closed to all motorbikes and bicycles since Tuesday 30 September 2025. We didn't find the closure on DBCA's own pages.

The DBCA fee page still lists an A$10 motorcycle entry fee for the park, and places such as Hangover Bay and Lake Thetis sit off the loop. On a motorbike or a bicycle, expect to park and walk among the pillars, and call the Discovery Centre on (08) 9652 7913 to check before you go.

How long is the walk at the Pinnacles?

The Desert View Walk is 1.5 km: a 300 m accessible path to a viewing platform, then 1.2 km of sandy trail among the pillars.

It starts at the Discovery Centre and needs about 30 to 45 minutes at an easy pace. The first section suits wheelchairs and prams; the sandy part doesn't. Wear closed shoes, carry water and don't climb the pinnacles: they can be top-heavy and fall. For limited mobility, DBCA notes that the loop drive lets you see the pillars from the car.

When is the Discovery Centre open?

9:30am to 4:30pm, every day except Christmas Day. Inside are displays on geology, wildlife and Yued culture, a shop and accessible toilets.

The building, opened in 2008, uses solar power and rainwater collection, and its tall limestone walls echo the pillars. No cafe is listed, so bring food or eat in Cervantes, 17 km north. The Pinnacles View Lookout is just behind the centre. Contact: (08) 9652 7913. Confused by a US$30 fee in your search results? That is California's Pinnacles National Park, not this one.

Frequently asked questions