From Yosemite to the Grand Canyon: Foreign Visitors to Face New Fees at Top US Parks

Published on November 27, 2025

From 2026 on, foreign tourists visiting the most popular national parks in the USA will be facing changes to entry fees. According to the Trump administration, foreign nationals will have to pay an additional $100 on top of the base entry fees for 11 of the USA’s national treasures such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite. This is part of larger attempts to restructure the entry fees that national parks charge and ensure that American citizens and permanent residents have first dibs on entry.

This increase in fees, which includes still-to-be-determined annual pass costs, is going to heavily impact foreign nationals seeking to enter and experience the parks in their natural beauty. U.S. foreign nationals will have to pay in excess of $250 to obtain an annual pass to enter and re-enter multiple parks while American citizens and permanent residents will be able to do so for $80. The changes do prioritize American families, the Department of the Interior is required to defend the changes in order to assure the national parks will still be available and in good serviceable condition.

National Parks Affected by the Fee Increase

The 11 National Parks in the U.S.A. which are going to increase their entrance fees include Grand Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Zion National Park. These are three of the most visited and most loved national park in the world which include:

Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona). Grand Canyon is one of the most well known natural wonders of the world. Its beauty and magnificence is like no other. Grand Canyon is visited by millions of tourists and many students come to the USA to visit and study the Grand Canyon.

Yosemite National Park (California) Yosemite is one of the great “Grand Canyon” national parks. Yosemite is most famous for its big waterfalls, sequoia trees, and its towering granite cliffs that shoot thousands of feet to the sky making it a favorite destination for nature lovers and other outdoor lovers.

Zion National Park (Utah). Zion National Park is known for its magnificent hiking trails filled with breath taking views. It is also celebrated for its towering sandstone cliffs and for its great hiking trails and views.

Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado). This park is famous for its mountain views and is also known for the many different species of animals that it is home to. This park pulls in campers and hikers who like the great outdoors.

Acadia National Park, Maine. Acadia National Park is known for its scenic beauty. Visitors love the parks forest, mountains, and rugged coastlines. A quote from the park explains the unqiue situtaion of “the only place in the eastern United States where the mountains meet the sea.” Hike the trails and experience the beautiful scenery.

Glacier National Park, Montana. Montana’s Glacier National park is known across the country for its pristine wilderness and glaciated mountains. Visitors enjoy the many available hiking trails and beautiful mountain sitelines. The national park is home to many important plants and animals and covers almost 1,600 square miles.

Additional fees for holidaying abroad. Visitors from foreign countries will incur additional park access fees, while US citizens and permanent residents will continue to pay $80 for the annual pass. A recent assessment of the national park access fees outlines additional airfares for non US citizens in an effort to balance the subsidised fees US citizens pay to access the national parks.

Foreign tourism and the impact on the national park experience and access. The United States national park system is the most visited in the country, hosting millions of international and local tourists. The additional $100 fee each park adds a considerable expense to international travelers visiting from abroad to experience the countries most notable parks. The high cost fee is certain to impact the overall budget of travelers visiting for the purpose of visiting multiple parks within the United States.

The increased fees aren’t simply a money grab, as the income generated goes straight toward the upkeep of the national parks which have been struggling with higher usage, higher costs, and a fading income stream. More than ever, the National Park Service (NPS) needed help financially meeting the needs of the millions of visitors which caused the necessity of the fee increase. These funds are being allocated toward much needed services. These funds preservation activities and service improvements. The fee increase is meant to cover these costs.

There are new ways the parks can be used as higher fees might result in a change in itinerary for visitors. Some visitors might choose to travel to fewer parks while others will rearrange their whole itinerary to fit the added costs. This is particularly the case for visitors with plans to visit several parks in a single trip as they will still be able to purchase the annual pass but will need to reconsider the number of parks, and the length of stay, they will visit as the new annual pass is likely to be much more expensitve.

Focusing on American Visitors

This fee increase is part of a greater strategy employed by the Trump administration, which considers the access of American families to the national parks a priority. By raising prices for foreign visitors, the administration is attempting to guarantee that US citizens and permanent residents can access public lands of national and recreational value. This new approach might also help address over-crowding problems in national parks during busy tourist seasons.

This is not to say that all foreign visitors are able to access the 11 most popular national parks without the price increase. Other national parks in the US will still offer lower entrance fees to all visitors, including foreign nationals. This strategy will hopefully motivate foreign visitors to travel to other, less popular parks, while also preserving a healthy level of funding for the popular parks.

Looking Ahead: The Future of US National Parks

Changes to park fees contribute to the overall effort to manage the fee’s long-term sustainability of the national parks. As outdoor tourism increases, the parks system has to manage more visitors. The fee increases for international tourists at the park service’s lost cost parks, increases conversation on how to fund the preservation of these priceless resources for future generations.

In the future, national parks across the US will continue to adapt in Example of tourist visibility, the developing structure needs of the parks, the ongoing environmental challenges, and the continu ation of the use for the protection of National parks. It will be helpful for future international visitors to the US to know about the value of park and fee changes to aid in the adjustment to travel plans.

Conclusion

From 2026 onwards, foreign travelers to the United States National Parks, including popular destinations such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone, will incur additional fees. Increased fees, including hikes to annual passes, will provide the revenue necessary to maintain the parks and keep them open to American families. The added fees will likely decrease the number of international travelers to certain parks, but overall, the funding will help maintain these natural resources and keep them open to future generations.