Higher entrance fees in store for foreign visitors to US National Parks

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Following the busiest year on record for the U.S. National Park Service, which saw more than 331 million visitors in 2024, the Department of the Interior announced this week changes to how national parks will be accessed next year.

The major change is the implementation of resident and nonresident fees for national parks, an idea the federal government proposed earlier this summer.

While entry costs and annual passes for U.S. residents will not change, nonresident visitors will pay a higher rate to increase funds that support maintenance of the park system.

Starting Jan. 1, nonresident visitors will pay $250 for an annual America the Beautiful pass, while U.S. residents will continue to pay $80. The annual passes allow a vehicle, or four individuals, to access more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by federal agencies including DOI, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/11/26/repub/higher-entrance-fees-in-store-for-foreign-visitors-to-us-national-parks/

[DFW]

1. Now THERE's a smart way to bring Europeans, already reluctant as hell to come to the USA, to our shores.

What's next, a requirement that foreigners maintain whatever cash they have on them in transparent zip loc bags that have to be worn on the outside?

Several years ago, the National Park service offered a one time "Senior Pass" for all national parks. Lifetime validity, and for $10. You had to be at least 62, which we just barely were. Did I get one? Oh, ya think?

[fargone]

2. I got one

[DFW]

4. Good move!

They were on sale for a very brief time. I heard about it during the summer, while I was on Cape Cod. I tried the Park Service Center in the Provincelands dunes near the tiny Provincetown airport. Sure enough, they had them, and so I got mine there.

[doc03]

3. I bought two senior lifetime passes for $10 each a few years ago, then when Trump was

elected in 2016 they went to $80.

[Greg_In_SF]

5. A lot of

countries do this - Egypt, China, Turkey, Vietnam, Bolivia, Thailand, Indonesia, Tunisia, Kenya, Morocco, India, and Jordan just to name a few.

[dem4decades]

6. What idiots want to come to this country these days?