Overview
- Starting Jan. 1, 2026, nonresidents will pay a $100 per-person surcharge at 11 high-traffic parks such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Yosemite, on top of standard entry fees.
- International visitors can opt for a $250 annual pass, while the America the Beautiful pass for U.S. residents remains $80.
- Interior’s rollout includes fully digital passes via Recreation.gov, mobile storage, and updated validation tools intended to speed park entry.
- The department set resident-only fee-free days in 2026, including Presidents Day, Independence Day weekend and Veterans Day, restricting access to U.S. residents on those dates.
- Reaction is split, with businesses near parks warning of fewer foreign visitors and lost revenue, the Sierra Club condemning the changes, and PERC projecting large maintenance funding gains such as an estimated $55 million annually at Yellowstone.