National parks to raise fees for foreign tourists in 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, national parks will charge international visitors $100 per person under the new “America First” rate.
In 2026, Americans will have free admission to national parks on President Donald Trump’s birthday, but not on Juneteenth and Martin Luther King Jr., according to the National Park Service website.
Previously, the National Park Service included these two federal holidays in its 116 parks’ free admission days.
Juneteenth, federally recognized in 2021 under the Biden administration, has been celebrated for more than a century and a half. This day commemorates the final abolition of slavery in the Confederate states shortly after the end of the Civil War.
NPS has also added additional free admission days for next year, dubbed “patriotic free days,” including Trump’s birthday on June 14, July 4th weekend, and NPS’s 110th birthday.
The Interior Department did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
The move is one of several NPS moves under an executive order aimed at “allowing more Americans to visit national parks,” which also cuts DEI policies. Recently, the NPS announced an “America First” initiative that will impose an additional $100 per person fee on foreign tourists without annual passes to enter the 11 most-visited national parks starting January 1st.
Starting next year, the free days will only apply to U.S. citizens and residents, according to the NPS website.
“These policies will ensure that American taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, will continue to have affordable access, while international visitors will contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our National Parks for future generations,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a news release.
Here’s what travelers need to know:
How many days will national parks be free in 2026?
- President’s Day: February 16th
- Memorial Day: May 31st
- Flag Day/President Donald Trump’s Birthday: June 14th
- Independence Day Weekend: July 3-5
- National Park Service 110th Anniversary: August 25th
- Constitution Day: September 17th
- Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday: October 27th
- Veterans Day: November 11th
How much does it cost to visit a national park?
Some national parks are free, while others charge admission fees, typically less than $35 per vehicle.
Contributor: Eve Chen, USA TODAY
