The Trump administration has introduced new guidelines increasing entrance fees for non-U.S. residents at popular national parks, while keeping costs unchanged for American citizens. The changes, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, are intended to boost funding for park maintenance through higher contributions from international tourists, according to the Department of the Interior, which says the policy prioritizes American families.
On November 25, 2025, the Department of the Interior announced an "America First" overhaul of national park fees that sharply increases costs for international visitors while leaving prices for U.S. citizens and permanent residents unchanged, according to the conservative outlet The Daily Wire.
Under the new structure, annual "America the Beautiful" passes will continue to cost $80 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, but will rise to $250 for nonresidents starting January 1, 2026. Nonresidents without an annual pass will also be required to pay an additional $100 per person at 11 of the most visited national parks, on top of existing standard entrance fees. The Interior Department has said that the extra revenue will go toward maintenance, infrastructure, and other improvements across the park system, with the goal of keeping access more affordable for Americans.
The 11 parks where the higher nonresident fees will apply are Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion, according to the Daily Wire report. The policy is framed by the administration as a way to prioritize American taxpayers, who already help fund the National Park System through federal taxes, while asking international visitors to pay more of the direct user costs.
The changes follow an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in July 2025 that directed the Interior Department to raise entrance and recreation fees for foreign tourists while keeping prices low for U.S. residents. In remarks quoted by The Daily Wire, Trump said, "To fund improvements and enhanced experiences across the park systems... I've just signed an executive order to raise entrance fees for foreign tourists while keeping prices low for Americans. And we're going to do that. The National Parks will be about America First, we're gonna take it America First."
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has publicly emphasized that the policy is designed to favor U.S. taxpayers. "President Trump's leadership always puts American families first," Burgum said in a statement carried by The Daily Wire. "These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations."
As part of the same initiative, American citizens and permanent residents will gain additional fee-free access days each year. According to the Daily Wire report, U.S. residents will not be charged entrance fees on Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day Weekend, the National Park Service's 110th anniversary, Constitution Day, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday, and Veterans' Day. The expanded list of fee-free days is promoted by the administration as another way to make visits more affordable for American families.
The new fee regime comes amid high visitation to U.S. national parks. The Daily Wire, citing National Park Service data, reports that park visitation reached a record 331.9 million visits in 2024, surpassing the previous record of 330,971,689 visits set in 2016. Administration officials argue that the higher fees for foreign visitors will help address the strain on park infrastructure and services associated with growing tourism, while critics and conservation groups have questioned whether such policies could further discourage international travel to U.S. parks.
