Higher Fees for International Guests at Select U.S. National Parks

According to information released by the U.S. Interior Department, international tourists visiting some of the nation's most frequented national parks will soon face a new entrance fee. This adjustment is part of broader policy changes that prioritize U.S. residents with fee waivers on certain days.

The revised fee structure will influence 11 prominent parks, including renowned sites such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite.

Starting from the next calendar year, foreign visitors will need to pay $100 per person to gain entry to these parks, in addition to experiencing an increase in the cost of their annual parks pass, which will rise to $250. Meanwhile, domestic visitors will continue to pay $80 for their pass.

Amongst the extensive network of over 400 parks encompassed by the national park system, only a select few require an entrance fee.

The aim of these revisions, officially branded as "America-first entry fee policies," is to ensure that U.S. citizens, who fund the park service through taxes, maintain their access advantage while ensuring that international visitors pay a more equitable share towards park maintenance and upgrades.

In a social media statement, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum highlighted that these changes safeguard affordable access for American taxpayers while asking international tourists to contribute more towards the upkeep of these beloved natural landscapes.

This new directive follows the previous governmental order from President Donald Trump, who directed the national parks to enhance entry fees for visitors from abroad, alongside offering preferential treatment to U.S. residents regarding access permissions and regulations.

Financial projections by the Interior Department anticipate that this strategy will generate upwards of $90 million per year by charging international tourists extra fees.

Kati Schmidt from the National Parks Conservation Association pointed out that the announcement raises various implementation-related questions which they plan to discuss with the Department of Interior.

Historically, national parks have been attractive to international guests, with a significant proportion of visitors coming from abroad. For instance, Yellowstone reported that around 15% of its visitors in 2024 were international, a decrease from 30% in 2018.

Revenue accrued from these new fees is intended for enhancing visitor facilities and performing necessary maintenance across national parks.

Scheduled fee-free days reserved only for U.S. residents will include occurrences such as Veterans Day, marking a shift from previous years when those days were universally free.