The new year will see some significant changes when it comes to the fee structures of America’s most popular national parks. Starting January 1, 2026, the National Park Service will implement a new pricing policy that increases entry costs for international visitors at specific high-traffic destinations.
Thankfully, U.S. residents will see stability in their access fees. But, San Diegans planning road trips with international guests – or those hosting friends and family from abroad – should be aware of these upcoming changes.
New fees
Under the new policy, international visitors (and other non-U.S. residents) will face higher costs to enter 11 of the most-visited national parks.
Non-residents without an annual pass will be charged an additional $100 per person per visit at these specific locations, on top of the standard vehicle or entry fee.
The price of the annual “America the Beautiful” pass for international visitors will rise to $250.
National parks affected by the change
For San Diego residents, this change mostly affects popular long-distance road trip destinations. The list of 11 parks subject to the $100 surcharge includes several favorites for Californian travelers:
- Yosemite National Park
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Zion National Park (Utah)
- Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
- Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
- Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming/Montana/Idaho)
- Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
- Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Everglades National Park (Florida)
Local unaffected parks
There’s also some good news here! If you stick closer to home, nothing changes. As of the current announcement, Joshua Tree National Park is not on the list of parks implementing the surcharge.
Other regional jewels such as Death Valley National Park and San Diego’s own Cabrillo National Monument are also not currently targeted for this price hike.
Prices for U.S. residents in 2026
For U.S. citizens and permanent residents, the fee structure remains largely unchanged:
- The annual “America the Beautiful” pass will remain $80.
- Standard entry fees for residents are not set to increase.
- Fee-free days, such as Veterans Day, are still going to happen – though the new policy stipulates these will be resident-only.
Why the change?
The Department of the Interior has described this move as an “America-first entry fee policy.” Officials state that the additional revenue generated from international visitors is intended to help address maintenance backlogs, offset budget adjustments, and fund facility upgrades. This comes in the context of the recent government shutdown, which saw over half of park staff furloughed nationwide.
In the 2026 budget proposal, the Interior Department estimated that this surcharge on international visitors could generate more than $90 million annually.
How is it affecting the parks
Truthfully, it remains to be seen. Though, it’s important to note that by 2024, Yellowstone’s international crowd had dropped to about 15% of visitors. This was down from 30% 6 years earlier.
In response to the news, National Parks Conservation Association spokesperson Kati Schmidt said: “There’s a lot to unpack here—many questions on how this will actually work.”