Visiting national parks in the United States is about to become a lot more expensive for non-Americans…
Foreigners will pay $100+ each to visit National Parks
The United States Department of the Interior has announced “modernized, more affordable national park access,” though in reality, the biggest thing that’s changing is that foreigners will pay more to visit these parks.
The new plan is described as “America-first pricing,” and with this, we’re going to see the following changes for non-US residents as of January 1, 2026:
- A national park annual pass will cost $250 for non-residents, compared to $80 for residents
- Nonresidents without an annual pass will pay $100 per person to enter 11 of the most visited national parks, in addition to the standard entrance fee
So the cost of an annual pass is more than tripling for foreigners, while that $100 per person fee is likely five times as much as the typical per person entry fee (and that $100 is on top of whatever the fee is).
The intent is that this “ensures that American taxpayers who already support the National Park System receive the greatest benefit.” The additional revenue generated from these fees “will be invested directly back into America’s national parks, supporting upgrades to visitor facilities, essential maintenance, and improved services nationwide.”
Here’s how Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior, describes these changes:
“President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first. 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.”
In a social media post, The White House shared the news while writing “AMERICANS OFFERED AFFORDABLE PRICES WHILE FOREIGNERS PAY MUCH MORE.” The White House is also promoting what the new annual passes will look like, “featuring bold, patriotic designs that honor America’s landscapes, heritage and outdoor legacy.” It looks like one side of the pass will feature a picture of Donald Trump and George Washington…
My take on this pricing change for visiting national parks
With this policy change, the United States is far from the only country to have different pricing for locals vs. foreigners. However, you’ll typically see such policies in countries where there’s huge disparity between the average income of a local and the average income of a visitor.
For example, it’s cheaper to visit Cambodia’s sites if you’re a resident, but that’s also a country where the average annual salary is well under $10K. So I’d imagine that the average foreign visitor to Cambodia has much more spending power. In the United States, that’s of course a different story, so I don’t think that applies in the same way.
Now, I also don’t think it’s unreasonable to consider that taxpayers are paying for maintaining national parks, and then get charged for entry again. So if you’re going to look at it in terms of direct funding for these services and trying to be “fair,” then it’s not unreasonable.
That being said, all of this just makes me kind of sad. One of the nicest things about traveling is enjoying nature around the world, as the world has so much beauty to offer. Enjoying nature is also among the most affordable activities you can enjoy while traveling, so it’s lovely how it’s open to all socioeconomic groups. But with these changes, a family of four is looking at paying $400 per day to visit parks, in addition to the entrance fee (or alternatively, $1,000 worth of annual passes).
While I’m not saying it’s totally unreasonable, it’s still sad, because I think national parks are one of the nicest things the United States has to offer foreigners, and I know how much so many people enjoy visiting them. To make that an unaffordable activity for many non-Americans is less than ideal.
But I’m also not surprised by this development, and it definitely feels like increasing tourism isn’t a priority for the current administration (which… they don’t claim otherwise… so that’s fair enough).
Bottom line
The United States is greatly increasing the cost for foreigners to visit national parks, as part of the Trump administration’s “America first” agenda. Foreigners will pay an extra $100 per person fee to visit national parks, on top of the standard entrance fee. On top of that, the cost of an annual national park pass for foreigners will increase from $80 per person to $250 per person.
What do you make of these changes to national park access?
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