The Price to Enter Many U.S. National Parks Is Set to Triple for Foreign Travelers
Interior Department plans to raise cost of annual passes and single-day admissions for international visitors as part of ‘America first’ initiative
International visitors soon will face higher prices, potentially totaling hundreds of dollars, to visit many U.S. national parks.
Beginning Jan. 1, an annual pass will cost $250 for nonresidents compared with $80 for U.S. residents, the Interior Department said Tuesday. Nonresidents now pay the same rate as U.S. residents to visit parks. There is no change in the cost for U.S. citizens.
The entry-fee changes are described by the Interior Department as “America first.” The policy also specifies that international visitors without an annual pass will need to pay a $100-per-person surcharge at 11 of the most visited national parks, which include Acadia, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion.
For example, according to the Interior Department’s statement of new fees, at Grand Canyon National Park the cost of driving in a private vehicle is $35. Non-U. S. visitors now would have to pay an extra $100 per person on top of that, making admission for a family of four $435 if they don’t have an annual pass.
Revenue generated from the new fees will support upgrades to visitor facilities, as well as park maintenance and service improvements, the Interior Department said.
“U. S. residents will continue to enjoy affordable pricing, while nonresidents will pay a higher rate to help support the care and maintenance of America’s parks,” the Interior Department said in a statement.
Most national parks don’t charge entrance fees. There are others that do but weren’t included on the list of the most popular and targeted for a price increase. At these parks, all visitors, regardless of where they live, will pay the same rate for an entrance fee or daily pass, a spokeswoman said.
People who buy digital passes on Recreation.gov must now show a photo identification matching the name on the pass, an Interior Department spokeswoman said. National Park visitors will confirm their residency by providing a ZIP code when purchasing a pass online and then must show a U.S. government-issued photo ID that matches when using it, she said.
Those who don’t have the appropriate ID will be asked to pay more for the nonresident annual pass.
The Trump administration signaled the changes in July with an executive order directing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to develop a plan to increase entrance fees for foreign travelers. The administration proposed cutting the Park Service’s budget for the coming fiscal year.
The Interior Department also announced 10 days in 2026 when U.S. residents can access parks for free. Nonresidents still need to pay on those occasions. Previously, fee-free days applied to all visitors.