It will cost more for international travelers to enter 11 U.S. National Parks – including Rocky Mountain National Park – in 2026 according to an announcement last week by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
The increased costs come at a time when international travel to the U.S. has declined as much as 6% during 2025 over 2024 according to the U.S. Travel Association, a national nonprofit trade association, with a projected loss of $31 billion in spending by international visitors. The decline is attributed in part to current immigration policies, trade rhetoric, and visa restrictions.
According to what the Department is calling “America first pricing,” international visitors will pay an additional $100 per person in addition to the standard entry fee beginning Jan. 1, 2026. A non-resident annual pass, which currently costs $80, will increase to $250, an increase of 212.5%. An annual pass will be honored at all U.S. National Parks.
The new pricing is related to a directive by President Donald Trump, who signed Executive Order #14314, “Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks,” on July 3, 2025, to prioritize U.S. visitors at the nation’s parks.
The standard entry fee to enter a National Park ranges from $15 to $35 per private vehicle, depending on the Park, and an annual America the Beautiful pass will cost a U.S. citizen or permanent resident $80 for access to all National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands.
The rate increases will affect international visitors to Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion.
Annual and lifetime America the Beautiful Passes – including the Military, Senior, Fourth Grade, and Access Passes – will be available in a digital format and can be purchased online. The pass will be available instantly and can be stored on a mobile device or linked to a physical card.
The Military Pass provides free access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites for current U.S. service members and their dependents, and a free lifetime pass for veterans and Gold Star families.
The Senior Pass provides American citizens or permanent residents aged 62 and older with access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites, with options for either a $20 Annual Pass or an $80 Lifetime Pass. The NPS no longer offers the lifetime Golden Eagle Passport but will honor the pass for current holders.
The Fourth Grade Pass is part of the Every Kid Outdoors program which offers a free annual pass for U.S. fourth graders and their families to access over 2,000 federal lands, including all National Parks, from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 of the students fourth grade school year. The pass will allow entry for the student, up to three adults, and any other children under 16 in the group.
The Access Pass is a free, lifetime pass for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities that grants entry to over 2,000 federal recreation sites, including National Parks, plus potential discounts on amenities like camping.
In an exchange of emails with the media relations office for the Department of the Interior, the Estes Valley Voice learned that:
- If a person has a park pass, does that pass allow them, their vehicle, and anyone in their car to enter the park?
“Not necessarily. If they have an annual international America the Beautiful Pass, then yes it does. That will go on sale for $250 on Jan 1.” - What if the person with the pass is a US citizen, but the other people in the car are not US citizens, do those people have to pay individually to enter the Park?
“Yes, international visitors will pay the surcharge at those 11 parks unless they have an annual America the Beautiful Pass eligible for international visitors.” - Will the Park be asking for identification for each person in the car?
“Yes, unless they have the America the Beautiful Pass.” Additionally, the NPS’s current policy is that all Recreation.gov digital pass holders must show photo identification matching the name on the pass. For residency-restricted passes, that ID must be U.S. government-issued. Individuals 16 and older who do not have the appropriate ID will be asked to upgrade to the nonresident annual pass. Visitors will need to confirm their residency by providing a ZIP code when purchasing a pass online and must present a U.S. government-issued photo ID when using it, such as a passport. - Is there an age at which a child does not need a pass or to pay a fee to enter the park?
“The surcharge applies to anyone 16 years or older.”
During the Dec. 11 Visit Estes Park Board meeting, Kyle Patterson, the public information officer for Rocky Mountain National Park who serves as an ex officio member of the VEP Board, explained to the local destination marketing district Board that international visitors who currently hold a valid annual pass will not need to purchase a new one until their current one expires as passes are good for a 12 months from the time of purchase.
Patterson said the Park is receiving a lot of questions from commercial tour bus operators and more details about special situations will be forthcoming before Jan. 1.
According to the email received by the Estes Valley Voice from the Department of the Interior, Park fees are used to maintain the National Parks and address the deferred maintenance backlog. Passes purchased online support the entire National Park System, while passes purchased on-site primarily benefit the park where they are sold.
In 2026, there will be eight residents-only fee-free days:
- President’s Day (Feb. 16, 2026)
- Memorial Day (May 25, 2026)
- Flag Day/President Trump’s birthday (June 14, 2026)
- Independence Day weekend (July 3–5, 2026)
- 110th Birthday of the National Park Service (Aug. 25, 2026)
- Constitution Day (Sept. 17, 2026)
- Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday (Oct. 27, 2026)
- Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11, 2026)
Additionally, with the new admission and fee policies, the Parks announced that it will honor one America the Beautiful Pass for two motorcycles.