Park Pass Shock: $100 Fee Hits International Visitors to US National Parks

If you're planning to visit a U.S. national park this year, be prepared to wait in longer lines and bring documentation proving you're a U.S. citizen. If you're a non-U.S. citizen visiting, bring your patience and $100.

The Trump administration announced that, starting January 1, international visitors and other non-U.S. residents age 16 and older must pay a $100 surcharge in addition to regular entrance fees at 11 of the country’s most popular national parks.

As a result, the policy has created a logjam for national park staff, who must use their limited resources to verify each visitor’s residency status and collect the fee from visitors who do not qualify for the resident rate.

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Here's a breakdown of why there's a new fee for nonresidents, the 11 parks impacted and the fallout from the fee implementation.

Why is the fee going into place? Which parks does it impact?

a picture of a stunning vista in Zion National Park

President Donald Trump’s executive order calls for nonresidents ages 16 and older to pay $100 apiece to visit national parks.

The executive order directs that these fees be used "to improve the infrastructure of, or otherwise enhance enjoyment of or access to, America’s federal recreational areas," according to the National Park Service.

This fee will apply to the following 11 national parks:

Acadia National Park (Maine)
Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
Everglades National Park (Florida)
Glacier National Park (Montana)
Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (California)
Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
Yosemite National Park (California)
Zion National Park (Utah)

To be fair, the park service has a massive backlog of deferred maintenance totaling in the billions. Their aim is to use these funds to repair roads, bridges, buildings and utilities.

How to prepare before visiting a national park

a picture of the Everglades National Park

When you visit one of these national parks, you'll need to supply information showing you qualify for the resident rate. Acceptable documents include a U.S. passport, your driver's license, a state ID or a Permanent Resident Card (green card).

If you're a non-resident, you can pay the $100 fee at the time you visit or purchase the America the Beautiful Annual Pass for $250, which covers visits to all 11 national parks for the year. The pass is only $80 for Americans. You'll still need to bring a photo ID each time you visit a park.

The fee has prompted backlash from visitors and a lawsuit

The National Park Service is already understaffed, with the Trump administration shrinking its workforce by a quarter in an effort to shrink the size of the federal government. As such, the parks you visit will likely be short-staffed, prompting longer wait times to enter. One staffer told The Guardian this new fee will "alienate visitors for decades."

The fee rollout has also prompted a lawsuit from the Center for Biological Diversity. One claim challenges Trump’s order to place his image on the America the Beautiful annual pass instead of the contest-winning photo of Glacier National Park.

The lawsuit argues this violates the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 because the image was not selected through a public contest and was not taken on federal land.

The lawsuit also alleges the fee changes were rushed and unlawful, arguing that federal rules do not allow parks to set different entrance fees based on residency or visitor status. If successful, the suit seeks to block the fee increase and reverse the policy.

The takeaway on the new fee implementation

The $100 fee on nonresidents visiting national parks is intended to raise money to support park infrastructure, so not all of the burden falls on U.S. taxpayers.

If you plan to visit a national park this year, bring proof of residency and your patience, as longer wait times are likely. Still, the stunning views at these parks make the extra wait worthwhile.

Sean is a veteran personal finance writer, with over 10 years of experience. He's written finance guides on insurance, savings, travel and more for CNET, Bankrate and GOBankingRates.