WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Park Service announced on Tuesday that starting next year, international visitors to some of the United States’ most beloved national parks will face a new entry fee of $100. This fee will be implemented at some of the country’s busiest sites and comes alongside a policy reserving fee-free days exclusively for American citizens.

This decision, described as “America-first entry fee policies,” emerges as national parks grapple with significant challenges. These include a substantial reduction in staff and severe budget cuts, compounded by the recent government shutdown, which not only inflicted damage but also led to a considerable loss in revenue due to uncollected fees during that period.

The new fee structure will affect 11 iconic national parks, such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite, as confirmed by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Starting January 1, foreign visitors will also see the price of an annual park pass rise to $250, while U.S. residents will continue to pay $80, according to the department’s announcement.

In a statement shared on the social media platform X, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum emphasized that these changes are designed to ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who are instrumental in funding the park service, maintain affordable access. He added that international visitors should contribute their fair share in preserving and enhancing the parks for future generations.

A White House post on X laying out the increased fees ended with the phrase, “AMERICANS FIRST.”

The announcement follows a July executive order in which President Donald Trump directed the parks to increase entry fees for foreign tourists.

“There’s a lot to unpack in this announcement, including many questions on its implementation – all which NPCA will raise with the Department of Interior,” Kati Schmidt, a spokesperson for National Parks Conservation Association, said in an email.

The U.S. Travel Association estimated that in 2018, national parks and monuments saw more than 14 million international visitors. Yellowstone reported that in 2024, nearly 15% of its visitors were from outside the country, which was down from 30% in 2018.

The money made off the new fees will help support the national parks, including with upgrading facilities for visitors and maintenance, according to the statement.

The “resident-only patriotic fee-free days” next year include Veterans Day, which was one of the parks’ eight free days open to everyone in 2025. The Department of the Interior had announced those days by saying they wanted to ensure that “everyone, no matter their zip code, can access and enjoy the benefits of green spaces and our public lands.”

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Golden reported from Seattle.