News: Visiting US Parks Will Cost Up to $290 More for Canadians
Mike Duret is glad he ran the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim earlier this year. The father, runner and owner of Chilliwack, BC’s Land Cafe & Studio joined a group of childhood friends for a bucket list trip this past May, trail running from the south rim of North America’s most famous canyon to the north rim and back again.
The 46-mile route took them all day. But with the United States government announcing major fee increases for non-resident park visitors in 2026, he’s not sure whether he will be doing it again anytime soon.
“It was an amazing experience, but I’m not sure about paying $100 a person, on top of a park fee,” he said. At the time of his last trip, park fees for Grand Canyon National Park were $35 per vehicle and $20 per person.
On Monday, November 25, Doug Burgum, the United States Secretary of the Interior, announced the plan to “modernize” America’s national parks. The new national park pricing regime will more than triple the cost of park passes for Canadians and other non-US residents. A big part of the plan is “more affordable national park access,” provided you’re an American citizen. Starting on January 1, 2026, Canadians will pay $250 USD for an annual US Park Pass, up from $80 USD.
In comparison, a Parks Canada annual pass is around $70 per person or $150 for a group of up to seven people. While day passes to many Canadian national parks were free this past year, they typically cost about $10 per adult and $20 for a family. Youth under 17 get free entry to Canadian parks.
The 11 most popular parks, including the Grand Canyon, Zion, Yosemite and Yellowstone, will have an additional $100 USD per person surcharge for non-residents. The fee will apply to Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
“These policies ensure that US 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,” said US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
The changes are happening at a time when Canadian tourism to the United States is already dropping. This past year has seen air travel south of the 49th parallel drop by 21 per cent and overland travel drop by 33.5 per cent, projecting a loss of $5.7 billion.
In October, the US Travel Association projected that these numbers would continue to fall, projecting a 3.2 per cent decline this autumn. They attribute the bulk of this economic loss to “significantly fewer visits from Canada”.
The price hikes are also occurring after a year defined by layoffs and cuts at the US National Park Service. Back in February, Elon Musk’s DOGE program fired nearly 1,000 Park Rangers. Hundreds more park staff have left since. Those that remained were subject to the longest government shutdown in US history, many working without pay for 43 days in October and November. The Park Service did not collect park entry fees during that time, costing them an estimated $35-40 million USD, about $1 million per day of lost revenue.
After the shutdown, the US government announced plans to cut nearly $1 billion from the Park Service budget, the most significant cut in the organization’s history. The cuts are already proving highly unpopular. According to a poll released by the National Parks Conservation Association, 69 per cent of Americans oppose cuts to the Park Service budget.
“Nobody asked for reckless cuts to park staffing or the gutting of our shared heritage,” said Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association. “Nobody wants this.”
Meanwhile, Canada has extended its “Canada Strong” pass program, offering free or discounted access to National Parks and National Historic Sites. In the recent federal budget, the government allocated $116.3 million over the next two years to extend the pass through the holiday season and into summer 2026.
Unlike the US’s new fees, the Canada Strong Pass isn’t just for Canadian residents.
“The Pass is available to all visitors, whether you live in Canada or come from abroad,” states the Canada Strong Pass website. “It’s an invitation to experience Canada’s cultural and natural richness.”
“Parks Canada does not offer differential pricing based on the origin of visitors,” said Megan Hope, a member of the Parks Canada Media Relations team. “We encourage Canadians to explore their own country and warmly welcome international visitors.”
