Changes coming to National Park passes

The Interior Department on Tuesday announced a “significant modernization” to its National Park System, including digital passes and fee changes for some people.

The announcement from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum highlights the department’s efforts to modernize access to the parks, including all America the Beautiful passes becoming fully digital.

The annual, military, senior, fourth grade and access passes will be available for purchase instantly and be stored on visitors’ mobile devices. The parks will be updated to ensure a faster entry and smoother visitor experience with the new technology, the department said.

It will also change some of its park access fees. Before Burgum’s announcement, the standard annual pass to enter National Parks in the U.S. was $80 for anyone ages 16 or older. Several programs offered free or discounted rates, including the senior, military and volunteer passes.

Under the Trump administration’s new plan, U.S. residents will continue to pay $80 for the annual pass. If a visitor is not a U.S. resident, they will have to pay $250 for a pass. The Interior Department said this change is part of “ensuring that American taxpayers who already support the National Park System receive the greatest benefit.”

Most annual fees are limited to just one national park, but several sites offer a pass that is valid at multiple locations. In Utah, the Southeast Utah Parks annual pass will be $80 for access to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Natural Bridges National Monument and Hovenweep National Monument.

Visitors who are not U.S. residents and do not have an annual pass, must pay $100 per person to enter some of the country’s most visited national parks. That will include two parks in Utah, including Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park.

The department also shared that there will be “resident-only patriotic fee-free days” in 2026. According to the department, there will be 10 days next year that all have “patriotic” reasons to allow visitors to enter the parks for free.

• Feb. 16: President’s Day
• May 31: Memorial Day
• June 14: Flag Day and President Trump’s birthday
• July 3-5: Independence Day weekend
• Aug. 25: 110th birthday of the National Park Service
• Sept. 17: Constitution Day
• Oct. 27: Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday
• Nov. 11: Veterans Day

The parks will also be expanding access for motorcycle riders in order to make it “more accessible for riders and families who travel on two wheels.”

The department noted that the revenue generated from the policy changes will be invested back into the national parks, including upgrading visitor facilities, essential maintenance and improved services nationwide.

The changes will take effect Jan. 1, 2026, and are part of Trump’s “commitment to making national parks more accessible, more affordable and more efficient for the American people.”

“President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first,” Burgum said in a statement. “These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations.”