Overview
- Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the annual pass remains $80 for U.S. residents and rises to $250 for nonresidents, according to the Interior Department.
- Nonresidents without an annual pass will pay an additional $100 per person at 11 heavily visited parks such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Bryce Canyon and Zion, on top of existing entrance fees.
- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the policy is intended to ensure international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving the parks.
- Reactions are split, with PERC praising projected revenue gains, including an estimate of $55 million a year at Yellowstone, and the Sierra Club criticizing the approach as inadequate and punitive.
- The department is rolling out fully digital passes through Recreation.gov and has outlined resident-only fee-free days in 2026, while travel coverage notes that buying an $80 annual pass before Dec. 31, 2025 can lock in current pricing.