Starting next year, foreign tourists visiting U.S. national parks will have to pay admission fees more than three times higher than U.S. residents. The Donald Trump administration's strong America First stance appears to have dug deep into tourism policy beyond trade and immigration. The U.S. government cited protection of its taxpayer as the rationale, but critics say the fees amount to de facto punitive charges on overseas visitors.
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) said on the 25th, local time, that it unveiled a modernization plan for national park access and a revamped fee structure and will fully implement it starting Jan. 1, 2026. The department adopted a dual pricing system that strictly differentiates admission fees for citizens and foreigners.
First, the price of the America the Beautiful annual pass, which allows free access to national parks across the United States for one year, will differ by nationality. U.S. citizens and permanent residents can use it for the same $80 (about 120,000 won) as before. But foreign tourists who do not reside in the United States must pay $250 (about 370,000 won). The price has surged 212% overnight.
In particular, popular national parks favored by Korean tourists, such as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, will become even harder to enter. If a nonresident who did not buy an annual pass enters one of the 11 most visited national parks (Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Acadia, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon), they must pay an additional $100 (about 140,000 won) per person on top of the base admission fee.
Take the Grand Canyon as an example: as of this year, vehicle entry cost $35 per car, and individual entry by foot, bicycle, or shuttle cost $20 per person. Starting next year, if an additional $100 per person fee is imposed, a family of four visiting the Grand Canyon in one car without an annual pass will have to pay an extra $400 (about 590,000 won) in admission fees that they did not pay this year.
The U.S. Department of the Interior said the policy is part of President Trump's executive order, "Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks." The newly issued annual pass and physical card will feature a new design with President Trump's face alongside George Washington's.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement that "President Trump's leadership always puts American families first," and that "American taxpayer, who sustain the national park system, will be guaranteed affordable access, and international visitors will contribute their fair share to the maintenance and improvement of the parks." The department said all additional revenue collected from foreign visitors will be fully reinvested in facility repairs and service improvements.
The measure is far tougher than the admission fee hike proposed during Trump's first term by then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. At the time, Zinke sought to raise only peak-season fees at some popular national parks. Even that plan was scrapped amid strong public backlash. The Trump administration's second term revived a fee hike by specifically targeting foreigners with differential pricing, easing public opposition.
The way national parks are operated will also change significantly. Foreigners will be excluded from the free admission benefits offered on major holidays. The Patriotic fee-free days designated for 2026, including Presidents Day (Feb. 16), Memorial Day (May 25), and President Trump's birthday (June 14), will apply only to U.S. residents.
Also, all annual passes will be issued 100% in digital format through the Recreation.gov website. There is no longer any need to have a card issued offline as before. Visitors can store the pass on their mobile devices and use it immediately.
The U.S. tourism industry voiced concern that the pace of decline in foreign tourists to the United States will accelerate due to this measure. The outdoor outlet Backpacker, citing data from economic analysis firm Tourism Economics, noted that "international visitors to the United States are already expected to drop 11% in 2025," suggesting the fee increase could be a headwind.