Starting January 2026, international travelers visiting U.S. national parks will face a $100 per-person surcharge on top of regular entrance fees.
The Department of the Interior announced the plan on November 26 as part of a broader modernization effort intended to streamline access and prioritize affordability for U.S. residents. Under the updated system, American residents will continue to pay $80 for the Annual Pass, while nonresidents will see annual pass costs rise to $250.
Visitors who do not purchase an annual pass and plan to explore the country’s most popular parks will incur the new per-person surcharge, a move designed to generate revenue for park improvements.
According to officials, all funds collected will go directly toward facility upgrades, maintenance needs, and enhancing visitor services.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum explained the reasoning behind the changes, stating, “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 addition to fee changes, the Interior Department is introducing a fully digital system for America the Beautiful passes beginning January 1, 2026. Annual, Military, Senior, 4th-Grade, and Access passes will be available on mobile devices through recreation.gov, allowing visitors to purchase and use them instantly at park entrances.
Digital passes can also be linked to physical cards, while upgraded validation tools and enhanced staff training will speed up entry across all national parks.
While the Interior Department has *not* released a list of parks where the surcharge will apply, Smithsonian Magazine recently highlighted the ten most-visited U.S. national parks as general context for how heavily trafficked sites can be. These include the Great Smoky Mountains, Zion, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, the Rocky Mountains, Yosemite, Acadia, Olympic, Grand Teton, and Glacier. The Great Smoky Mountains alone welcome over 12 million visitors annually.
Currently, most parks charge between $10 and $35 per vehicle. With the new surcharge, international travelers, especially those visiting multiple parks, could see fees ranging from $80 to $250 per person, depending on their travel plans.
The Interior Department emphasized that these changes are part of a “resident-focused” approach while ensuring that revenue from international visitors supports the upkeep and modernization of national parks.
Officials hope the combined use of digital passes and strategic pricing will make the system more efficient for U.S. residents while improving the overall experience for all visitors.
