Washington, November 28, 2025
The U.S. government will implement a substantial fee increase for foreign visitors to national parks starting January 1, 2026, raising annual passes to $250 and daily entrance fees up to $100, under a new ‘America First’ policy aimed at prioritizing American access while generating significant revenue for park maintenance.
Foreign Visitor Fee Hikes
Beginning next year, international tourists will face markedly higher costs to access U.S. national parks. The “America the Beautiful” annual pass will cost $250 for foreign nationals, more than triple the $80 fee charged to U.S. residents. Additionally, daily entrance fees at the 11 most popular parks—including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite—will escalate to $100 per person from the current $20 rate. Importantly, international visitors will be excluded from fee-free days designated solely for American citizens.
Policy Rationale and Priorities
This fee restructuring is a direct result of an executive order issued by President Trump in July 2025. The order tasked the Interior Department with ensuring preferential recreational access for Americans at national parks, reflecting the administration’s broader ‘America First’ agenda. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum led the development of the implementation strategy, focusing on safeguarding opportunities for U.S. families while funding necessary infrastructure improvements. Under the new rules, Americans also gain preferential treatment in permitting and reservation lotteries during peak seasons, further differentiating access based on citizenship.
Revenue Generation and Park Investment
The Interior Department projects that these surcharges on foreign visitors will generate upwards of $90 million annually. This revenue will supplement the approximately $419 million accrued from entry and visitor use fees in 2024. Funds are earmarked for critical infrastructure upgrades, facility maintenance, and operational support across national parks, aiming to enhance visitor experiences amid growing attendance pressures. All annual passes will transition to a fully digital format through Recreation.gov to streamline access and issuance.
Industry and Conservation Concerns
The tourism sector has expressed deep apprehension over the timing and scope of the fee increases. International arrivals to the U.S. are already projected to decline by around 11% in 2025, with analysts warning that the new fees may accelerate this downturn. Yellowstone National Park reported that international visitors fell from about 30% of total visitors in 2018 to nearly 15% in 2024, highlighting a trend that the policy may exacerbate. The National Parks Conservation Association has formally raised questions about how the policy will be uniformly enforced and its broader implications for park management and international goodwill.
Context and Visiting Trends
Before the policy announcement, standard entrance fees for national parks had remained relatively stable, with daily entry fees typically set at $20 per person or $35 per vehicle for major parks. Fee-free days provided additional access opportunities to all visitors several times a year. The new dual pricing model represents an unprecedented differentiation based strictly on citizenship status—shifting the balance towards domestic visitors amid increasing demand for park access and ongoing budget constraints.
This policy shift highlights a broader tension between national asset management and international tourism dynamics. Its effects on global visitor patterns and economic contributions from foreign park-goers will be closely monitored in the coming years as the U.S. redefines its approach to managing iconic public lands.