With 2026 simply across the nook, vacationers are already planning their nationwide park holidays. However some issues are set to alter subsequent yr.
Like previously, there might be a number of fee-free days for 2026. Nonetheless, the designated days for these will look a lot completely different. Nationwide parks can even turn out to be dearer for worldwide guests, and annual passes can even are available a brand new digital format, amongst different adjustments.
“This yr we’re making it simpler and extra inexpensive for each American to expertise the wonder and freedom of our public lands,” Secretary of the Inside Doug Burgum stated in a video posted to X. “These adjustments mirror our dedication to affordability so that each household from each nook of our nation can share within the surprise and abundance of our public lands.”
These are the key adjustments nationwide park guests ought to pay attention to heading into 2026.
Charge-free day adjustments
There might be 10 fee-free days in 2026, an enhance from six in previous years. However except Veterans’ Day on Nov. 11, 2026, these are fully completely different from the times chosen in 2025.
The fee-free days for 2026 embrace:
- Presidents Day: Feb. 16
- Memorial Day: Might 25
- Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s birthday: June 14
- Independence Day weekend: July 3 to five
- The a hundred and tenth birthday of the Nationwide Park Service: Aug. 25
- Structure Day: Sept. 17
- Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday: Oct. 27
- Veterans Day: Nov. 11
Subsequent yr, the NPS received’t rejoice Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Juneteenth, the primary day of Nationwide Park Week, the anniversary of the Nice American Open air Act or Nationwide Public Lands Day by waiving entrance charges as they did for 2025.
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The Division of the Inside additionally plans to restrict fee-free days to U.S. residents solely, prohibiting worldwide guests from taking benefit.
Not all nationwide parks have every day charges. Some, like Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park, don’t cost an entrance payment however do cost for different providers, corresponding to parking. Others, like Arkansas’ Sizzling Springs Nationwide Park, are free year-round.
New prices for worldwide guests
Beginning Jan. 1, it’ll turn out to be dearer for non-U.S. residents to go to the preferred nationwide parks, in keeping with the DOI. That’s because of a $100 payment the Nationwide Park Service plans to impose on prime of regular entrance charges in what the Trump administration has referred to as “America-first pricing.”
“These insurance policies be sure that U.S. taxpayers, who already assist the Nationwide Park System, proceed to get pleasure from inexpensive entry, whereas worldwide guests contribute their justifiable share to sustaining and bettering our parks for future generations,” Burgum stated in a press release.
This might be in impact for international vacationers 16 and older who go to one in every of these 11 parks: Acadia Nationwide Park, Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park, Everglades Nationwide Park, Glacier Nationwide Park, Grand Canyon Nationwide Park, Grand Teton Nationwide Park, Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon nationwide parks, Yellowstone Nationwide Park, Yosemite Nationwide Park and Zion Nationwide Park.
Worldwide guests who plan to go to a number of parks can buy an annual cross, however that can even value extra for non-residents ($250) than for individuals who stay within the U.S. ($80).
To implement the brand new rule, guests might be requested to current a U.S. government-issued picture ID at nationwide park entrances, KQED reported. If they do not have one, they might want to pay the elevated charges.
New digital passes and inclusions
For U.S. residents and residents, the annual America the Lovely cross will nonetheless value $80 in 2026. New for subsequent yr, it is going to be out there as a digital obtain, which cross holders can retailer on their Recreation.gov accounts, in a cell app or in a cell pockets.
Cross holders preferring a bodily cross can nonetheless order one, however please be aware that it’ll incur an extra $7.50 cost for delivery and dealing with. Vacationers also can decide up a bodily cross in individual at greater than 1,000 places nationwide.
Beginning in 2026, every cross will embrace new entry for bikes, protecting two bikes per cross.
New graphics for annual passes
In previous years, annual passes have included pictures of wildlife or the pure surroundings that make America’s nationwide parks price visiting. Nonetheless, this yr, the DOI stated it’ll supply new “daring, patriotic designs,” together with pictures of Trump himself.
Trump’s face will adorn the annual cross together with a picture of George Washington behind him, in keeping with a rendering Burgum shared. Trump can even seem on the 2026 annual cross for navy members, wherein he’s going through backward in a salute.
Authorized specialists have questioned the legality of putting Trump’s face on the annual cross, as these pictures are sometimes chosen by way of a yearly competitors, SFGate reported.
“The Nationwide Park Recreation Cross legislation as written by Congress is evident and mandates holding a public competitors for the annual picture to assist educate the general public about nationwide parks and public lands, which clearly precludes utilizing the cross and our parks as a political instrument,” Robert Keiter, a pure useful resource legislation professor on the College of Utah, instructed SFGate. “The parks are and must be an important non-partisan venue for all the American individuals, as articulated within the 1916 Nationwide Parks Natural Act.”
Going ahead, cross holders preferring the previous cross imagery ought to make their buy shortly. Every cross is legitimate for 12 months from the date of buy by way of the top of the identical month the next yr. Vacationers who buy a cross in December 2025 will be capable to use it by way of the next yr.
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