U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing national parks to increase entrance and recreation pass fees for foreign visitors, while maintaining current pricing for American citizens. The directive, announced during a campaign rally in Iowa, aims to generate funds for improvements across the national park system.
The order instructs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to create a strategy for implementing the fee hikes at parks that currently charge entry, such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon.
Funding upgrades through international surcharges
Trump said the move was designed to prioritise American access and bolster the park experience for domestic visitors. “The national parks will be about America first,” he stated at the rally.
According to the U.S. Interior Department’s 2026 fiscal year budget, the proposed surcharge could bring in over US$90 million annually. Current fees for popular parks sit at around US$20 per person or US$35 per vehicle, while an all-access “America the Beautiful” annual pass costs US$80.
Preferential access for U.S. citizens
In addition to fee increases for non-residents, the executive order also instructs the Interior Department to give U.S. citizens preferential treatment when it comes to entry permits, lottery systems, and other recreational access rules at national parks — though specifics are yet to be released.
The order also revokes a 2017 memorandum issued by President Barack Obama that aimed to promote diversity and inclusion within the National Park Service, signalling a broader rollback of federal diversity initiatives under Trump’s leadership.
A famous author to the rescue
Best-selling American author Colleen Hoover, who is behind the hit romance It Ends With Us, posted to her 1.9 million Instagram followers on Tuesday she would pay the difference in park ticket prices for foreign tourists.
“If you’re from out of the country and are a follower of mine and have a visit to a national park planned, let me know,” the Texas local said.
“I’ll pay the difference in your ticket price. These policies do not reflect the hearts of all the kind people in this country.”
