Park Service hikes annual pass for nonresidents to $250 a year

Starting in 2026, nonresidents will pay $250 for an annual  America the Beautiful pass to enter national parks like Glacier National Park. The pass allows visitors to enter all national parks in the U.S.

Nonresidents without the pass will have to pay a $100 per person fee to enter 11 of the most visited national parks, in addition to the standard entrance fee.  Glacier National Park is one of the 11 parks.

The other parks are Acadia National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Everglades National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park and Zion National Park.

The announcement is likely to mean fewer Canadians will visit Glacier in 2026. Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta share a boundary and many Canadians visit Glacier as it’s only a few miles away. The Going-to-the-Sun Road in the summer months also offers a bit of a shortcut over the Divide to Alberta travelers entering the Flathead Valley.

An annual America the Beautiful pass for residents remains at $80. But motorcyclists will see a benefit.

All America the Beautiful passes will now cover two motorcycles per pass, the Park Service announced. 

“(The changes) reflect President Donald J. Trump’s commitment to making national parks more accessible, more affordable and more efficient for the American people,” the Park Service said in a release Tuesday.

In addition, under the new system, the America the Beautiful passes – including Annual, Military, Senior, 4th Grade and Access – will be available in a fully digital format through Recreation.gov. Visitors will be able to purchase and use their passes instantly, store them on mobile devices and link them to physical cards for added convenience. 

“Digital validation tools and updated training for field staff will ensure faster entry and a smoother visitor experience across the National Park System,” the release stated. 

“President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in the release. “These policies ensure that U.S. 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.”

The standard pass for summertime travel by car in Glacier is $35, and annual pass is $70.