The Department of the Interior announced updates to national park access on Nov. 25, introducing fully digital America the Beautiful passes starting Jan. 1, 2026. Visitors will be able to purchase and use passes immediately through Recreation.gov, store them on mobile devices, and link them to physical cards for added convenience. The goal of the changes is to speed up entry into the park and improve the visitor experience.
ee structure
The new system favors US residents while raising fees for international visitors. Starting in 2026, annual passes will cost $80 for US residents and $250 for non-residents. Non-residents without an annual pass will face a $100 per person fee to enter the 11 most visited national parks in addition to the standard admission fee.
Fee-free days for residents
The Department is also introducing resident-only fee-free days in 2026 to improve accessibility:
President’s Day – February 16
Flag Day/Trump’s Birthday – June 14th
Independence Day Weekend – 3-5 july
National Park Service 110th Birthday – August 25th
Constitution Day – September 17
Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday – October 27
Veterans Day – November 11th
Extended access for motorcyclists
All America the Beautiful passes now cover two motorcycles per pass, making park visits more convenient for riders and families traveling on two wheels.
Updated annual pass design
All anniversary tickets will feature refreshed patriotic graphics celebrating America’s landscape and heritage. The updated designs will appear on both digital and physical IDs, reflecting the modernization drive to make IDs visually appealing and user-friendly.
Revenue to support parks
Funds collected from the updated fee structure for international tourists will be reinvested in the national park system to support basic maintenance, upgrades to visitor facilities and expanded services across the country.
