The higher fees for non-U.S. residents come as the National Park Service’s budget faces possible cuts next year.
Published November 26, 2025
The United States is implementing a new “America First” admission policy that will charge non-U.S. residents without an annual pass $100 per person at its 11 most-visited national parks.
The changes were announced Tuesday by the Department of the Interior, which oversees the national park system, as part of the 2026 fee structure. The price of annual park passes for non-U.S. residents will also increase from $80 to $250.
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Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement that U.S. President Donald Trump aims to “put American families first” with the rate increases.
“These policies allow American taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, to continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors can contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations,” Burgum said.
Parks affected by the fee increases include Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina, Zion National Park in Utah, and Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.
The Great Smoky Mountains, the most visited national park in the United States in 2024, previously offered free admission to all visitors, but charged $5 per day, $15 per week, or $40 per year for parking.
Zion previously charged a standard admission pass of $20 to $35, while Grand Canyon charges $35 per private vehicle, or $20 per person.
But while the Trump administration has sought to justify the fee increases for expatriates as a way to shore up the finances of America’s national parks, it has also cut funding previously allocated to national parks.
Earlier this year, President Trump proposed cutting funding from the National Park Service by $1 billion. That figure has since been revised, but the park service budget could face cuts in 2026.
One budget proposal introduced by the House Appropriations Committee earlier this year recommended cutting $176 million from the park service’s operating budget, according to the National Parks Conservation Association, a nonpartisan advocacy group in the United States.
Funding for the U.S. government and park system is due until January 30, 2026, but Congress has not yet fully approved the 2026 funding bill.
The association announced this week that the park service has lost 4,000 employees since January due to budget constraints and related issues. During the recent 43-day government shutdown, 9,000 employees were furloughed, but most national parks remained open with limited services.
