US triples national park fee for non-residents, amid ‘new’ fee for Americans

The interior department has announced new “America-first” entrance fees for national parks, commemorative annual passes featuring Donald Trump and “resident-only patriotic fee-free days for 2026” including Trump’s birthday.

Starting next year, entrance fees for international visitors will more than triple.

According to a department press release, non-residents will be able to choose between purchasing a $250 annual pass or paying $100 per person “to enter 11 of the most visited national parks, in addition to the standard entrance fee”.

In a video posted to his X account, the interior secretary, Doug Burgum, said: “This year we’re making it easier and more affordable for every American to experience the beauty and freedom of our public lands.

“Starting in 2026, United States residents will be able to purchase an annual interagency pass for just $80,” he added. The current, annual interagency America the Beautiful pass is already $80.

The aim of raising prices for international visitors is to ensure “they contribute their fair share to help preserve and maintain these treasured places”, Burgum said.

Burgum also announced commemorative new designs for annual passes issued in 2026. The annual pass features portraits of George Washington and Donald Trump side by side, while the military pass includes a photograph of Trump saluting troops.

The interior department announced five new “fee-free days” that will go into effect in 2026, bringing the total number of fee-free days – for US residents only – to 10.

The new fee-free days include 3, 4 and 5 July – in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. They also include 17 September, which is Constitution Day, and 27 October, the birthday of conservationist and former president Theodore Roosevelt. The final fee-free day is 14 June, which Burgum noted is “Flag Day, which is also fittingly President Trump’s birthday”.

In his video, Burgum noted that plans to increase fees for international visitors were focused on conservation. “As Theodore Roosevelt once said, there can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country,” he said. Under Burgum and Trump’s leadership, the interior department has lost nearly a quarter of national parks staff, proposed billions of dollars in cuts to public lands, opened logging in national forests, defunded conservation organizations and proposed allowing oil and gas drilling off California’s coast.