US will charge non-residents $100 to visit its most popular national parks

Non-US residents without an annual pass will be charged $100 per person at its 11 most popular national parks under the new “America-first” entry fee policy.

The Department of Interior, which regulates the national park system, made the change available on Tuesday as part of the 2026 fee schedule. Non-US residents who purchase annual parks passes will also save $80 to $2,500, according to the statement.

US President Donald Trump wants “American families to be first,” according to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a statement.

According to Burgum, “These policies ensure that US taxpayers who already contribute to the National Park System’s maintenance and improvement contribute their fair share to the maintenance and improvement of our parks for future generations.”

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina, Zion National Park in Utah, and Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona are among the parks that are the subject of the fee hike.

Prior to 2024, the most popular US national park, The Great Smoky Mountains, provided free parking for all visitors, with additional fees of $5 per day, $15 per week, or $40 per year.

Prior to the Grand Canyon, Zion had to charge either $20 per private car or $20 per person for a standard entry pass.

However, the Trump administration has also reduced resources that were previously allocated to them, in addition to trying to justify the higher fees for non-US residents as a way to support the finances of America’s national parks.

Trump proposed cutting $1 billion in federal funding from the National Park Service earlier this year. Although that figure has since been updated, 2026 might see potential budget cuts to the park service budget.

According to the National Parks Conservation Association, a non-partisan US advocacy organization, a House Appropriations Committee budget proposal earlier this year recommended cutting $ 176 million from the park service operations budget.

Congress has yet to fully approve a 2026 fiscal bill, despite the fact that the US government and park system are funded through January 30.