U.S. to Charge Some Visitors an Extra $100 at 11 National Parks Starting in 2026

U.S. National Parks

The National Park Service will start charging international guests an additional $100 per person to enter 11 of the most visited national parks.

The Department of the Interior announced the new policy change on Monday, framing it as “America-first pricing.” The tariff will be on top of common entrance fees and will go into effect starting Jan. 1, 2026.

It will also exclude international tourists from being able to take advantage of fee-free days.

“President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in a statement. “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.”

 The 11 parks where the additional fee will apply include Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Zion National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Yosemite National Park. The increase comes months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to increase entry fees for non-resident visitors.

The Interior Department said revenue generated from the surcharge “will be invested directly back into America’s national parks, supporting upgrades to visitor facilities, essential maintenance, and improved services nationwide.”

However, how the enforcement of the new fees for non-residents will work was not immediately clear.

“There’s a lot to unpack in this notification, including many questions on its implementation, all of which NPCA will raise with the Department of the Interior,” Kati Schmidt, a spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association, told NPR.

Millions of international tourists visit U.S. parks each year. A 2018 study from the U.S. Travel Association reported 36.7 percent of overseas visitors went to national parks or monuments.

In addition to the new fees, annual park passes will be available for $80 for U.S. residents and cost $250 for non-residents. All America The Beautiful Passes will now be open in a digital format through Recreation.gov and will include coverage for two motorcycles per pass.

For U.S. citizens and residents, there are several fee-free days planned for 2026. These include Presidents Day on Feb. 16, Memorial Day on May 25, Flag Day (and Trump’s birthday) on June 14, the July 4 weekend from July 3 to 5, the 110th birthday of the National Park Service on Aug. 25, Constitution Day on Sept. 17, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday on Oct. 27, and Veterans Day on Nov. 11.