Trump administration to nearly quadruple national park fees for some visitors in 2026

tThe Department of the Interior (DOI) announced what it calls the most significant modernization of the National Park System’s access and fee structure in decades, taking effect January 1, 2026.

The new policies, promoted by the administration as an “America First” approach, introduce a dual pricing system for U.S. residents and international nonresidents, all-digital passes and expanded access for motorcycles.

President Donald Trump says these changes come from his commitment to making national parks more affordable for American families while increasing revenue for park maintenance and improvements from foreign visitors.

The new dual pricing structure

At the heart of the change is a sharp increase in rates for non-residents, which Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said will ensure that American taxpayers “continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors will contribute their fair share.”

For US residents, the America the Beautiful annual pass, which grants unlimited access to all US national parks for one year, will remain $80, but the price for non-residents will increase substantially to $250.

Non-residents who do not wish to purchase the annual pass will now face a fee of $100 per person to enter 11 of the most visited parks, in addition to the standard entrance fee. Along with seven others, these parks include Zion, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain, and Yosemite national parks.

The current entrance fee to Zion National Park (pictured) is $35 per vehicle; Non-US residents will now pay an additional $100 per person to enter. Angel’s Landing photo via @k80.trail

All revenue generated by the new fee policies goes towards direct investments in national parks, supporting essential maintenance and facility improvements.

Digital Passes and Modified Access

To enhance the visitor experience, DOI is launching an all-digital pass system through Recreation.gov. Visitors will be able to purchase and use all America the Beautiful passes (annual, military, senior, 4th grade and access) instantly on mobile devices. Additionally, all America the Beautiful passes will now cover two motorcycles per pass.

The National Park Service’s existing calendar generally includes six to eight free days open to all visitors (both residents and nonresidents). The new policy raises the total for U.S. residents to eight days in 2026 and changes the reasons for the vacation.

The administration plans to eliminate free days celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Juneteenth, National Public Lands Day, and the Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act and replace them with days celebrating Flag Day/President Trump’s birthday, Constitution Day, and Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday. Non-residents will be excluded from these days of free entry.

The number of days off has not changed significantly, but non-residents are now excluded and the holidays behind the days off have changed to align with Administration priorities. Los Glaciares National Park; photo via @k80.trail

You can find a full list of free days. here.

Pros and cons of dual pricing structure

Implementing a differential fee system – where non-residents pay substantially more than residents – is a policy option used in dozens of national park systems around the world, but it carries strong financial arguments and significant logistical and ethical criticisms.

Advocates of double pricing

The arguments supporting the new dual tariff structure focus mainly on equity, financing and demand management. The DOI’s main justification is “fairness to taxpayers,” stating that U.S. citizens and permanent residents, who already fund the National Park System through federal income taxes, should not subsidize access for foreign visitors; Charging non-residents a higher rate ensures that they “contribute their fair share” to the maintenance and deferred maintenance of the system.

Second, advocates emphasize revenue generation, viewing the international visitor surcharge as an effective way to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue without unduly burdening American families, particularly as some suggest that the demand to visit iconic American parks is inelastic for foreign visitors relative to their total travel costs.

Bryce Canyon (pictured) will also be subject to the additional $100 per person fee for non-US residents. Photo via @k80.trail

The policy is also supported by precedent, as many countries, including Kenya, South Africa, and Central American nations, already successfully charge foreign tourists substantially more than residents to visit their national parks.

Criticism of dual pricing

Critics of the double tariff structure raise concerns related to logistics, the impact on local economies and the broader tourism strategy.

A major concern is the logistical complexity resulting from the difficulty and time required for park staff to validate U.S. residency at entry stations, which could significantly slow entry, create longer wait times, and frustrate the visitor experience—exactly the opposite of the goal of modernization.

Second, the substantial increase in fees creates an impact on local economies, as critics, particularly tourism offices in “gateway communities” near major parks, fear that the increase will deter international visitors, leading to decreased spending on hotels, restaurants and gasoline in their communities, as suggested by this study.

The concerns also extend to a broader economic impact, with some arguing that discouraging international tourism could have negative consequences for the American travel industry as a whole and could risk triggering reciprocal fee increases for American travelers visiting national parks abroad.

Communities near national parks are concerned that this new pricing structure will lead to a decline in visitor numbers, dramatically reducing the revenue that keeps their communities afloat. Yellowstone National Park; photo via @k80.trail

Finally, the groups argue that national parks are a globally important public good and that imposing high and discriminatory fees goes against the spirit of welcoming all people and question the morality of relying on park entrance fees to fund essential services, arguing that adequate funding should come from the federal budget.

Future success metrics

The 2026 season will serve as an initial test to determine whether this modernization and pricing change achieves its objectives or leads to a decrease in revenues brought in and made available to national parks and their surrounding communities.

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