US hikes national park fees for foreigners to put 'American families first'

[Eugene]

Earlier DU thread: US to slap big surcharge on foreign visitors to national parks

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Source: BBC

US hikes national park fees for foreigners to put 'American families first'

26 November 2025

Osmond Chia
Business reporter

Foreign tourists visiting popular US national parks like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite will need to pay an extra fee, the Trump administration says.

The Department of the Interior, which runs the country's national parks, said each international visitor will need to pay $100 (£76) per person on top of existing fees to access 11 of the most popular sites.

From 2026, non-residents will also need to pay more than $250 for an annual pass to the parks, while US citizens and permanent residents will continue to pay $80.

The fee hike aims to "put American families first" and reflects President Donald Trump's goal to make the parks more accessible and affordable for US citizens, said the department.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kpnxvpgy2o

[sop]

1. I've never been asked for ID to prove I'm an American when entering any national park.

Has this changed?

[karynnj]

2. As someone lucky enough to have travelled to other countries,

this is appalling. I have never had to pay anything near these exorbitant fees to enter any of the places we went. This will further kill tourism.

[odins folly]

3. Please tell me...

At what National Park are “foreigners” crowding out “real Americans”?????

Once again, creating a solution for a “problem” that doesn’t exist.

At some point we will see the US tourism revenue tank just like fruit and vegetable picking….

[JT45242]

4. And more tourism dies

More layoffs for hotels. Restaurants, etc.

As if being nazis wasn't driving away enough tourist money. Let's make it worse.

[Passages]

5. A world of embarrassment for US citizens.