Top U.S. national parks add $100 fee for nonresidents

The announcement that Top U.S. national parks add $100 fee for nonresidents has set off debate across gateway communities, advocacy groups and the outdoor industry. The Department of the Interior on Nov. 25, 2025 unveiled resident-focused pricing changes that take effect Jan. 1, 2026, including new digital America the Beautiful passes and a non-U.S. resident surcharge at select parks.

The policy introduces an $80 annual America the Beautiful pass for U.S. residents and a $250 annual pass for nonresidents, while imposing a $100 per-person surcharge on non-U.S. residents age 16 and older at 11 high-use parks unless they hold the $250 nonresident pass. The move combines modernization of passes with a clear shift toward residency-based pricing.

What changed: fees, passes and effective date

Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, national park entrance pricing contains new tiers and a targeted surcharge. U.S. residents can buy an $80 annual digital pass, instantly delivered via Recreation.gov and mobile wallets, while non-U.S. residents can purchase a $250 annual pass that waives the surcharge at designated parks.

Nonresidents who do not hold the $250 pass pay the park’s standard entrance fee plus a $100 per-person nonresident fee at the 11 designated high-use parks. These mechanics are intended to be enforceable at purchase and at gates when staff ask for ID or when digital passes are inspected.

The DOI/NPS rollout also updated artwork for the America the Beautiful pass, expanded coverage options (including up to two motorcycles per pass), and clarified that passes bought before Jan. 1, 2026 remain valid for 12 months from purchase under their original terms, covering any accompanying visitors as older passes described.

Which parks are affected

The $100 nonresident surcharge applies to 11 high-use national parks: Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion. The surcharge applies per non-U.S. resident age 16 and older unless they hold the new Non-Resident Annual Pass.

NPS says the surcharge is collected in addition to whatever standard entrance fee the park charges. Operators of commercial tours, concessioner groups, and CUA (Commercial Use Authorization) trips must account for nonresident counts and either collect the surcharge or ensure participants hold the nonresident annual pass.

The list focuses on parks with high visitation and significant international tourism, and DOI framed the list as a way to target visitor-source equity while retaining resident access under lower pricing tiers.

Residency verification and pass use

The NPS and DOI guidance explains how residency is checked: purchasers must show proof of U.S. citizenship or residency, such as a U.S. passport, state ID, or green card, when buying a resident pass. Digital-pass checkout pages include eligibility language, and visitors may be asked for photo ID at time of use.

Officials say the digital America the Beautiful passes will be instantly available via Recreation.gov and can be stored in mobile wallets. The system also includes eligibility prompts and language intended to reduce misuse, but implementation details at busy park entrances remain a practical concern.

Pass transition rules let existing annual passes purchased before Jan. 1, 2026 be honored for 12 months from purchase and to cover entrance and nonresident fees under their original terms for accompanying visitors as described on older passes, a concession meant to ease the transition for frequent visitors.

Fee-free days and resident-focused scheduling

DOI also revised fee-free days for 2026, designating eight resident-only patriotic fee-free days. Those dates include Presidents’ Day (Feb. 16), Memorial Day (May 25), Flag Day / President Trump’s birthday (June 14), parts of the Independence Day weekend (July 3 and 5), the NPS 110th birthday (Aug. 25), Constitution Day (Sept. 17), Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday (Oct. 27), and Veterans Day (Nov. 11).

Under the new rules, nonresidents pay normal fees on those days unless they hold the nonresident pass. The change shifts long-standing fee-free traditions toward a residency emphasis, prompting questions about fairness and the public character of fee-free events.

Officials framed the adjustment as prioritizing U.S. taxpayers and residents; Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said, ‘President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first… U.S. taxpayers … continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share.’ That language underlines the administration’s public framing of the change.

Revenue use, estimates and uncertainty

The Department of the Interior and NPS point to law and practice requiring that recreation fee dollars stay in the NPS system. Under FLREA rules, at least 80% of recreation fee revenue remains in the park where it was collected to support facilities, maintenance and visitor services.

However, revenue estimates for an international surcharge are uncertain. The Congressional Research Service noted it is challenging to estimate revenue from an international surcharge because the NPS has not historically collected systematic data on international visitor counts at all park units.

Park-level visitation studies show variability: a 2024 Yellowstone summer study found about 15% of visitors were from outside the U.S., down from roughly 30% in 2018. That variability complicates forecasting and raises questions about whether the surcharge will meaningfully boost park budgets or simply suppress visitation.

Local economic effects and stakeholder response

Gateway communities and tourism officials warned of potential harms. Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism CEO Jonathan Farrington said international visitors account for roughly 25% of Yosemite visitors and warned higher fees ‘could harm our rural local economy and small businesses that rely on international visitors.’ Many small, rural economies depend heavily on international spending at lodges, restaurants and tour operators.

Civil-society and advocacy groups have pushed back as well. The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Executive Director Emily Thompson) warned the policy ‘could end up negatively impacting… gateway communities’ and called the move burdensome for overworked staff. GreenLatinos and other groups criticized the change as exclusionary, raising concerns about equity and access.

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), through communications director Kati Schmidt, said ‘There’s a lot to unpack in this announcement, including many questions on its implementation,’ signaling concerns about execution and fairness. Such reactions reflect unease across conservation, recreation and community groups.

Implementation challenges, legal fights and international comparisons

Observers and watchdogs flagged practical issues: ID checks at busy park entrances could cause traffic delays and exacerbate congestion during peak periods, and additional verification duties add complexity to already stretched field staff. Critics worry reduced staffing and operational complexity could undermine visitor services.

Legal challenges emerged quickly. On Dec. 10, 2025 the Center for Biological Diversity filed suit asking a court to remove President Trump’s image from the 2026 America the Beautiful pass and argued the switch violated the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act’s photo-contest requirements. The Center said, ‘The national parks are not a personal branding opportunity. They’re the pride and joy of the American people.’ The suit highlights how the policy change has become entangled with broader political and legal disputes.

Internationally, the U.S. move joins a set of varied approaches: countries such as Thailand, Rwanda, Tanzania, Chile and Ecuador sometimes charge higher park fees to foreign tourists. Advocates of differential pricing argue it is common practice globally, while opponents stress public land access and the role of parks as shared national heritage.

What visitors and operators should do now

Visitors planning travel to affected parks this year should review pass options and consider buying the new nonresident annual pass if they expect to visit multiple surcharge parks. For non-U.S. residents who will visit only one of the 11 parks, it may still be cheaper to pay the entrance fee plus the $100 surcharge than to buy the $250 annual pass, depending on trip plans.

Commercial tour operators and concessioners must tally nonresident participants for fee collection and ensure their booking systems and customer communications are updated. The NPS guidance makes the surcharge applicable to commercial tour, CUA, and concessioner tour groups unless the participants hold the Non-Resident Annual Pass.

Because implementation raises practical questions, travelers and operators should monitor updates on Recreation.gov and official NPS announcements, keep proof of eligibility handy, and allow extra time for possible ID checks during peak travel periods.

As the new rules take effect, questions about fairness, economic impacts and operational readiness will continue to animate public debate. The policy represents a significant shift in how a selection of U.S. national parks are funded and how access is priced for international visitors.

Coverage in outlets including the Washington Post, Forbes and National Parks Traveler tracked the DOI’s Nov. 25, 2025 announcement and subsequent legal and implementation developments as the policy rolled out for Jan. 1, 2026. Expect ongoing scrutiny, legal challenges, and local responses as stakeholders adapt to the new fee landscape.