The $100 non-resident fee
The National Park Service charges a non-resident fee at 11 of its most visited parks. Every person aged 16 or older who is not a US resident pays $100. This comes on top of the standard entrance fee for the park.
The fee applies at these parks:
- Acadia
- Bryce Canyon
- Everglades
- Glacier
- Grand Canyon
- Grand Teton
- Rocky Mountain
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon
- Yellowstone
- Yosemite
- Zion
Who pays and who does not
- The fee is charged per person, not per car. Two non-resident adults in one car pay $200 in non-resident fees.
- Children aged 15 and younger pay neither the entrance fee nor the non-resident fee.
- The fee also applies to non-residents on a commercial tour, including concessioner tours and groups with a commercial use authorisation.
- The fee is not charged if you enter with an annual pass or an America the Beautiful pass.
How residency is checked
Residency matters when a pass is bought or used. The resident passes require proof of US citizenship or residency: a US passport, a driving licence or ID card issued by a US state or territory, or a permanent resident card (green card). Annual pass holders show photo ID when they use the pass. Anyone who bought a digital resident pass but is not eligible for it is asked to upgrade to the non-resident pass.
Free entrance days
Since 2026, the national fee-free days apply only to US citizens and residents. Non-residents pay the entrance fee and any non-resident fee as on any other day.
The $250 Non-Resident Annual Pass
The America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass costs $250. It has been on sale since 1 January 2026, and anyone may buy it. The resident version costs $80, but it is for US citizens and residents only. The same applies to the senior and park-specific annual passes, such as the $70 annual passes for Yellowstone, Yosemite or Zion.
- It covers entrance fees and the $100 non-resident fee for the pass holder and everyone in the same private car, or on up to two motorcycles.
- Where fees are charged per person, for example on foot, by bicycle or on a commercial tour, it covers the pass holder plus three additional adults.
- It is valid for 12 months and is not transferable. The pass holder must be present and show ID.
- It does not cover reservation fees, such as timed-entry or vehicle reservations.
Where to buy it
- As a digital pass on Recreation.gov. It can be saved to your phone and used immediately.
- As a physical card from the USGS Online Store. Delivery can take up to three weeks.
- In person at over 1,000 federal recreation sites.
Annual passes bought before 1 January 2026 remain valid on their original terms for 12 months from purchase. They also cover the non-resident fee.
Worked example: two adults in a hire car
At one of the 11 parks, a private car costs $35 for seven days. Two non-resident adults add $100 each.
| Trip | Pay at each gate | With the $250 pass |
|---|---|---|
| One fee park, two adults | $35 + $100 + $100 = $235 | $250 |
| One fee park, two adults and two children under 16 | $235 | $250 |
| One fee park, four adults in one car | $35 + 4 × $100 = $435 | $250 |
| Two fee parks, one adult | 2 × ($35 + $100) = $270 | $250 |
| Two fee parks, two adults | 2 × $235 = $470 | $250 |
| Grand Canyon, Arches and Canyonlands, two adults | $235 + $30 + $30 = $295 | $250 |
The rule of thumb: as soon as you visit two of the 11 fee parks, the pass is cheaper, even for one person. With three or more adults in one car, it is cheaper at the first fee park. Two adults visiting a single fee park and nothing else pay $15 less without the pass.
Park by park
Entrance fees for a private car, the non-resident fee and entry reservations in 2026, as published by each park. A car pass covers everyone in the vehicle.
| Park | Private car | $100 non-resident fee | Entry reservation or timed entry in 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia | $35, 7 days | Yes | Not needed for the park. Cadillac Summit Road needs a $6 vehicle reservation from 20 May to 25 October, sold online only. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Arches | $30 | No | No entry reservation listed. When car parks are full, entry may be delayed for three to five hours. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Bryce Canyon | $35, 7 days | Yes | Not required. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Canyonlands | $30 | No | Not required. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Death Valley | $30, 7 days | No | None listed. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Everglades | $35, 7 days | Yes | None listed. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Glacier | $35, 7 days ($25 from 1 November to 30 April) | Yes | No vehicle reservations. Pilot of a ticketed shuttle and three-hour parking at Logan Pass. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Grand Canyon | $35, 7 days | Yes | Not required, no timed entry. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Grand Teton | $35, 7 days | Yes | Not required. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Joshua Tree | $30, 7 days | No | Not required. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Olympic | $30, 7 days | No | None listed. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Redwood | No entrance fee | No | Not needed for the park. Tall Trees Trailhead needs a free reservation all year. Driving to Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon needs a day-use reservation from 15 May to 15 September. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Rocky Mountain | $35, 7 days ($30 for 1 day) | Yes | Timed entry from 22 May to 12 October, 9 am to 2 pm. Bear Lake Road from 22 May to 18 October, 5 am to 6 pm. $2 booking fee. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Sequoia & Kings Canyon | $35, 1 to 7 days | Yes | Not accepted or required. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Yellowstone | $35, 7 days | Yes | Not required. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Yosemite | $35, 7 days | Yes | No timed reservation system in 2026. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
| Zion | $35, 1 to 7 days | Yes | None listed for entry. The Angels Landing hike needs a permit, allocated by lottery. | nps.gov fees ↗ |
The Arches and Canyonlands fee pages do not state how long the car pass is valid. "None listed" means the park's fee page names no entry reservation; campgrounds, lodges and some hikes are booked separately in almost every park.
Reservations and timed entry in 2026
Only a few of these parks control entry by reservation in 2026. Reservation fees are not covered by any pass.
Rocky Mountain
From Friday 22 May to Monday 12 October 2026, you need a timed-entry reservation to enter between 9 am and 2 pm. For the Bear Lake Road corridor, the reservation is needed from 22 May to 18 October, between 5 am and 6 pm. You enter within a two-hour window and may stay as long as you like. Reservations are released on Recreation.gov on a first-come, first-served basis, for example on 1 May at 8 am Mountain Daylight Time for 22 May to 30 June. The only cost is a non-refundable $2 processing fee. Without a reservation, you can enter before 9 am or after 2 pm.
Acadia
The park itself needs no reservation. The road to the summit of Cadillac Mountain does, from 20 May to 25 October 2026. A vehicle reservation costs $6 and is sold online only, not at the park. 30 percent of the slots are released 90 days in advance, 70 percent two days in advance, at 10 am Eastern Time. You also need a park entrance pass.
Glacier
No vehicle reservations are required anywhere in the park in 2026. Instead, the park is piloting a ticketed-only shuttle and three-hour time-limited parking at Logan Pass.
Yosemite
On 18 February 2026, Yosemite announced that it will not use a timed reservation system in 2026. The park manages traffic in real time instead and encourages weekday visits.
Redwood
Redwood charges no entrance fee. The Tall Trees Trailhead needs a free reservation all year, made online only. Driving to Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon needs a day-use reservation from 15 May to 15 September; the reservation holder must be in the car and show photo ID.
Arches
The park's fee and traffic pages list no entry reservation. On busy days, when car parks fill, staff may delay entry until space opens. These delays can last three to five hours.
Paying at the gate
Most of these parks no longer take cash at the entrance. Bring a credit or debit card, or buy your pass online before you arrive.
- Card only: Acadia (car passes), Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Death Valley, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Olympic, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon and Yosemite.
- Cash or card: Yellowstone entrance stations. Zion prefers card but also accepts cash.
- Joshua Tree: the North and West Entrance Stations take cards only. Visitor centres and several shops near the park sell passes for cash or card.
- Rocky Mountain: visitors with cash can buy most entrance passes at the Rocky Mountain Conservancy Nature Stores at the Beaver Meadows, Fall River and Kawuneeche Visitor Centers.
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon: the entrance stations accept most credit and debit cards as well as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. A $35 car pass can be bought for cash at locations listed by the park, before you enter.
- Everglades: digital passes or credit and debit cards are the only accepted payment at all fee collection areas.
- Redwood: there is no park entrance fee. The $12 day-use fee at Gold Bluffs Beach is paid in cash or by cheque, not by card; America the Beautiful passes are accepted there.
Sources
All figures, dates and rules on this page were checked against the National Park Service website on 28 September 2026.
- NPS: Nonresident fees ↗
- NPS: Nonresident fees on commercial tours ↗
- NPS: Entrance passes ↗
- NPS: Entrance fee prices ↗
- NPS: Rocky Mountain timed entry permit system ↗
- NPS: Acadia, Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservations ↗
- NPS: Glacier, vehicle reservations in 2026 ↗
- NPS: Yosemite, entrance reservations ↗
- NPS: Arches, traffic and entry delays ↗
- NPS: Redwood, Tall Trees Trailhead reservations ↗
- NPS: Redwood, Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon reservations ↗
- NPS: Zion, Angels Landing permits ↗
- NPS: Bryce Canyon, permits and reservations ↗
- NPS: Joshua Tree, permits and reservations ↗
- NPS: Yellowstone, permits and reservations ↗
- The fee pages of all 17 parks, linked in the table above.
Frequently asked questions
How much do foreigners pay to enter US national parks?
The normal entrance fee, which is $30 or $35 per private car at most parks in this guide. At 11 parks, every non-US resident aged 16 or older also pays $100 per person. Two adults in a car at Yellowstone or Yosemite therefore pay $235. Children aged 15 and younger pay neither fee.
Which 11 national parks charge a $100 non-resident fee?
Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion. The fee also applies to non-residents on commercial tours.
Can foreigners get an America the Beautiful Pass?
Yes. Anyone may buy the America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass for $250. It covers entrance fees and the $100 fee for the whole private car, or for the pass holder plus three adults where fees are charged per person. All other America the Beautiful passes, including the $80 annual pass and the senior passes, are for US citizens and residents only.
Can I get an America the Beautiful Pass on my phone?
Yes. A digital pass bought on Recreation.gov can be saved to a mobile device and used immediately. The pass holder must be present and show photo ID when using it. A physical pass ordered from the USGS Online Store can take up to three weeks to arrive.
Do non-residents get in free on fee-free days?
No. Since 2026, the free entrance days apply to US citizens and residents only. Non-residents pay the entrance fee and any non-resident fee as on any other day.
Can I just go to Yosemite without a reservation?
Yes, in 2026. Yosemite announced on 18 February 2026 that it will not use a timed reservation system this year. You still need to pay the entrance fee, plus $100 per person if you are a non-resident aged 16 or older.