New 2026 National Park fees announced

[Krteczech]

 

[clifffaith]

View attachment 118694

EACH non-resident, or each vehicle? Don’t the parks charge by the car load? We’ve had a senior pass for so long I don’t remember. Our “thrifty” German friends won’t like this either way. They’ve been so often to the US that we ask them what to see next in our own country!

 

[Krteczech]

EACH non-resident, or each vehicle? Don’t the parks charge by the car load? We’ve had a senior pass for so long I don’t remember. Our “thrifty” German friends won’t like this either way. They’ve been so often to the US that we ask them what to see next in our own country!

My interpretation is each non-resident visitor per visit extra $100. Hope I am wrong.

 

[Hindsite]

Seems a popular technique for raising funds from those that don't vote.

Louvre to hike ticket prices for most non-EU tourists by 45%

The price increase is expected to raise millions to fund the museum's renovation plans.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Krteczech]

Extra 10 Euro doesn’t compare to extra 100$.
My friends, who visited seven of mentioned US National Parks last year were a group of 10 ( parents, children, grandparents).
They wouldn’t be able to afford to spend additional $7000 for 12 day overseas trip. They would spend their hard earned money elsewhere.

 

[emeryjre]

Extra 10 Euro doesn’t compare to extra 100$.
My friends, who visited seven of mentioned US National Parks last year were a group of 10 ( parents, children, grandparents).
They wouldn’t be able to afford to spend additional $7000 for 12 day overseas trip. They would spend their hard earned money elsewhere.

There is not a strong emphasis on bringing in foreign visitors to the US at this time

 

[dougp26364]

Glad we’ve seen most of the sites overseas we wanted to visit. I suspect there will be retaliatory surcharges on us ugly Americans pretty soon

 

[VacationForever]

I doubt anyone is going to check everyone in the car to see who is a resident or not. Probably go with driver license id if you are driving into the park. If you don't have one and use a passport is probably how they will hit you with the $100 surcharge.

 

[dioxide45]

The national parks are now like timeshare resorts when staying on an exchange. Fees for those who aren't from there.

 

[klpca]

Get ready for backlash from other countries.

That said, I think that this was just announced and depending on where you look, the messaging is slightly different. The $100 is for a nonresident *without* a pass. Usually a pass covers the car - so until we see the details for the passes, it is confusing. Maybe this is aimed at tour group buses? Also, the $100 is only for 11 parks that are over loved, honestly. That leaves 52 others without the extra fees.

FWIW, I am not a fan of this but here we are. Ever since the rise of social media the parks are not just crowded, they are crowded with people who are there to take a certain photo (calling out the girl at Lake Louise wearing a furry panda mini-dress outfit at sunset), who expect to be catered to just like they hadn't left home (calling out the dude on the Yosemite park shuttle who was truly mad that they didn't have any chicken fried steak at the restaurant in the valley and loudly shared his perspective with the entire bus), or just want to check a box that they did something (calling out the 30+ people on the Road Scholar trip who refused to break their group into smaller groups of six as the signage on the Emerald Trail indicates and caused a massive traffic jam on a switchback - then had the nerve to be angry with everyone who couldn't move over any further to let them pass as we were on the edge of the trail). The past 5-10 years are markedly different than the previous 30 for us. I am all for visitors but we have lost the principle of leave no trace and it makes visits bad for everyone. My issue with the increase in cost is that - here we go. Get ready to get nickeled and dimed for everything. They are just starting with the easiest targets. User fees, here we come.

 

[CericRushmore]

We are in New Zealand and they do this for certain items, $30 for kiwis and $100 for foreigners to book huts at certain national parks. It does help manage the over demand here. This would certainly reduce demand at national parks in the USA, which as my wife pointed out, some are overrun. Is it worth the trouble though to add complexity to the system and would it really raise much revenue, I'm not certain.

 

[beejaybee]

This fee will have a negative impact on the economy of towns near to the major U.S. National Parks. Springdale and Moab Utah, Whitefish Montana, Estes Park Colorado just to name a few places we've stayed on past visits to the parks.

 

[Vacay0606]

Hawaii charges non-residents of the islands fees to visit a lot of their scenic parks. I do feel $100 per person is to steep in the continental US.

 

[dougp26364]

I guess the reality is that it’s one way to relieve congestion. The listed National Parks, as has already been noted, are to crowded. The coliseum and Vatican in Rome suffer similar issues. I’m glad we have seen those two, but I wouldn’t go again because of the crowds. The Sistine chapel was ridiculous with the crowd. It was so packed as we went trough I actually raised both feet off the floor at the same time and didn’t fall. Trust me when I say it was NO miracle.

Perhaps these fees, assuming they spread, will be a good thing. I know I’d be happier with smaller crowds. As it is we stay away from major attractions during high seasons because we simply don’t want to deal with all the stupidity.

 

[Hindsite]

The Sistine chapel was ridiculous with the crowd. It was so packed as we went trough I actually raised both feet off the floor at the same time and didn’t fall. Trust me when I say it was NO miracle.

I've got a broken toe on each foot from visiting the Vatican decades ago when I was a small child, and someone in heals trod on my feet, we were that crushed in.

 

[Brett]

Glad we’ve seen most of the sites overseas we wanted to visit. I suspect there will be retaliatory surcharges on us ugly Americans pretty soon

4 sure


.

 

[Talent312]

Already been to the Louvre and see no need to return.
It's just a bunch of old stuff that will always be old stuff.

 

[CO skier]

Get ready for backlash from other countries.

The US is simply following the lead of other countries which charge non-resident fees at national parks.

Chile
Ecuador
Egypt
Kenya
Nepal
Rwanda
Tasmania
Thailand

Non-resident fees are sure to spread to other countries and expand over time, just like transient occupancy taxes have over the last 3 decades.

 

[klpca]

The US is simply following the lead of other countries which charge non-resident fees at national parks.

Chile
Ecuador
Egypt
Kenya
Nepal
Rwanda
Tasmania
Thailand

Understand. I just think that the list is going to get longer.

 

[CO skier]

Understand. I just think that the list is going to get longer.

... but not as some kind of "backlash" reaction to the new USA fees.

 

[Brett]

... but not as some kind of "backlash" reaction to the new USA fees.

Maybe not, it doesn't go in effect until next year. But some say it will affect tourism

 

[CO skier]

Maybe not, it doesn't go in effect until next year. But some say it will affect tourism

View attachment 118796

I interpreted

Get ready for backlash from other countries.

as meaning "other countries" instituting non-resident national park fees in response to the new USA fees, and not anything to do with tourists.

I am sure there will be no decline in the number of buses in Yellowstone filled with non-resident tourists following a per-person charge, as just one example.

 

[jp10558]

I guess the reality is that it’s one way to relieve congestion. The listed National Parks, as has already been noted, are to crowded. The coliseum and Vatican in Rome suffer similar issues. I’m glad we have seen those two, but I wouldn’t go again because of the crowds. The Sistine chapel was ridiculous with the crowd. It was so packed as we went trough I actually raised both feet off the floor at the same time and didn’t fall. Trust me when I say it was NO miracle.

Perhaps these fees, assuming they spread, will be a good thing. I know I’d be happier with smaller crowds. As it is we stay away from major attractions during high seasons because we simply don’t want to deal with all the stupidity.

My issue is I don't think the government ought to be adding more ways to cut out poorer people. Have lotteries. Have reservations etc to manage crowds. But making it pay to play on a governmental system rubs me the wrong way. National parks should not be Disney World IMHO. The other issue is - I'd want to see the data if the overcrowding would be addressed by limiting international visitors - i.e. are they 1% or 30% of visitors for instance?

I am like you, I tend to avoid peak season if I can because I don't love crowds. I realize there's an issue with over tourism in a lot of places, and making it even more expensive is a way to limit visitors. Then again, "everyone" freaks out when tourism is down too.

 

[jp10558]

I've got a broken toe on each foot from visiting the Vatican decades ago when I was a small child, and someone in heals trod on my feet, we were that crushed in.

I'll have to remember to get steel towed boots to go I guess. Not that I'm rushing to visit there.

 

[CO skier]

But making it pay to play on a governmental system rubs me the wrong way.

Non-resident tourists are currently freeloading on a "governmental system" paid for by USA taxpayers.