As millions of visitors flock to the breathtaking landscapes of America’s national parks, the Trump administration is taking steps to “Make America Beautiful Again by improving our national parks.”
The order, titled “Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks,” requires that Secretary of the Interior Douglas Burgum increase both entrance fees and recreation pass fees for nonresidents, and use the resulting funds to “improve the infrastructure of, or otherwise enhance enjoyment of or access to,” federally managed recreation areas. According to a budget document published by the Department of the Interior (DOI) in May, the scheme will raise as much as $90 million for national parks and other federally managed public lands.
The order did not specify the increase in price. National parks currently charge different rates, and just over 100 sites managed by the National Park Service—which also oversees national monuments, historic sites, seashores, and other public lands—require an admission fee to enter.
The executive order specifies that the fee increase will only apply to parks that currently charge admission, but some parks have a nuanced fee structure. Smoky Mountains National Park, for example, does not technically charge entrance fees, but parking anywhere inside the park for more than 15 minutes costs $5.
The most expensive among them — like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion — charge $35 per private vehicle. Few charge on a per-person basis (for those entering on foot or by bicycle), but the highest fee there is $20, found at the same three parks. If you’d prefer an annual membership, which is not available at all of the fee-charging parks, the most you’ll pay is $70.
The American family is actually paying more than the international tourists,” Watkins argued, “because Americans already contribute a small portion to the National Park Service budget through taxes.”
A staggering 331,863,358 people visited America’s 400 national parks in 2024, according to NPS. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee is the most popular park, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.
The Grand Canyon in Arizona is the second most visited park — with Yosemite National Park following in third place.
