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National Park Fees Set to Triple for International Visitors Starting 2026

MarketDash Editorial Team
12 days ago
Starting January 2026, international tourists will face dramatically higher fees at U.S. national parks, with annual passes jumping to $250 and a new $100 surcharge per person at popular destinations. The policy aims to prioritize affordable access for American residents while funding park maintenance.

If you're planning an international trip to America's national parks next year, prepare for some serious sticker shock. The Department of the Interior announced Tuesday that starting January 1, 2026, foreign tourists will face dramatically steeper fees under what the Trump administration is calling an "America-first" initiative.

The New Pricing Structure

Here's how the math works out: International travelers will now pay $250 for an annual pass to access national parks, while U.S. residents continue paying just $80. That's more than triple the domestic rate.

But it gets more expensive for tourists who skip the annual pass. Non-residents visiting any of the 11 most-visited national parks—think Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone—will now pay a $100 per-person surcharge on top of whatever the regular entry fee is. The stated goal is to help fund park maintenance and upkeep while keeping access affordable for Americans.

The Interior Department is also rolling out "resident-only patriotic fee-free days" tied to the National Park Service's 110th anniversary and select 2026 holidays, including Flag Day, which happens to fall on President Donald Trump's birthday.

Tourism Trends Tell Two Different Stories

The timing is interesting, considering where U.S. tourism stands right now. International visitor numbers have been sliding, with overseas tourism dropping 7.7% to 2.8 million visitors in September, accelerating from August's 2.9% decline. Earlier this year, the World Travel & Tourism Council projected the U.S. would lose $12.5 billion in travel revenue during 2025 due to political uncertainties.

The National Parks Conservation Association estimated on Monday that parks lost roughly $41 million in entrance and recreation fees during the recent government shutdown.

Meanwhile, domestic travel is booming. An estimated 82 million Americans hit the road over Thanksgiving, setting an all-time record for the holiday. Bank of America analysts noted that the recent shutdown caused temporary hiccups for major carriers like American Airlines (AAL), United Airlines (UAL), and Delta Air Lines (DAL), but characterized it as a one-time external issue rather than any fundamental weakening in travel demand.

Back to News

National Park Fees Set to Triple for International Visitors Starting 2026

MarketDash Editorial Team
12 days ago
Starting January 2026, international tourists will face dramatically higher fees at U.S. national parks, with annual passes jumping to $250 and a new $100 surcharge per person at popular destinations. The policy aims to prioritize affordable access for American residents while funding park maintenance.

If you're planning an international trip to America's national parks next year, prepare for some serious sticker shock. The Department of the Interior announced Tuesday that starting January 1, 2026, foreign tourists will face dramatically steeper fees under what the Trump administration is calling an "America-first" initiative.

The New Pricing Structure

Here's how the math works out: International travelers will now pay $250 for an annual pass to access national parks, while U.S. residents continue paying just $80. That's more than triple the domestic rate.

But it gets more expensive for tourists who skip the annual pass. Non-residents visiting any of the 11 most-visited national parks—think Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone—will now pay a $100 per-person surcharge on top of whatever the regular entry fee is. The stated goal is to help fund park maintenance and upkeep while keeping access affordable for Americans.

The Interior Department is also rolling out "resident-only patriotic fee-free days" tied to the National Park Service's 110th anniversary and select 2026 holidays, including Flag Day, which happens to fall on President Donald Trump's birthday.

Tourism Trends Tell Two Different Stories

The timing is interesting, considering where U.S. tourism stands right now. International visitor numbers have been sliding, with overseas tourism dropping 7.7% to 2.8 million visitors in September, accelerating from August's 2.9% decline. Earlier this year, the World Travel & Tourism Council projected the U.S. would lose $12.5 billion in travel revenue during 2025 due to political uncertainties.

The National Parks Conservation Association estimated on Monday that parks lost roughly $41 million in entrance and recreation fees during the recent government shutdown.

Meanwhile, domestic travel is booming. An estimated 82 million Americans hit the road over Thanksgiving, setting an all-time record for the holiday. Bank of America analysts noted that the recent shutdown caused temporary hiccups for major carriers like American Airlines (AAL), United Airlines (UAL), and Delta Air Lines (DAL), but characterized it as a one-time external issue rather than any fundamental weakening in travel demand.