Changes Coming to National Parks in 2026

The US Department of the Interior and the National Park Service have announced new policies and efforts to modernize access to national parks starting in 2026.

Digital passes

One of the improvements that will take effect next year is a digital access pass that can be stored on a mobile device and used immediately.  Currently, only the regular Annual Pass is available digitally.  The other versions, such as Senior, Military, 4th Grade, and Access will have digital versions as of next year.

Pricing

Another pending change is to the pricing system.  Starting January 1st, non-US residents will pay a higher price for park access.  For US residents, the annual pass is $80, while non-residents will pay $250.  Without the annual pass, non-residents will pay $100 per person, plus any other fees.

Motorcycles

A third change is that the America the Beautiful tier passes, the ones good at any recreational area managed by a federal agency (Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.) will also cover entrance fees for up to two motorcycles.

Free Entrance Days

Starting in 2026, the fee-free or free entrance days will only apply to US citizens and residents.  Non-residents will pay the normal entrance fee plus any non-resident fees.

The free entrance days for 2026 are:

• February 16: Presidents Day / George Washington's Birthday
• May 25: Memorial Day
• June 14: Flag Day
• July 3–5: Fourth of July weekend
• August 25: celebrating the 110th Birthday of the National Park Service
• September 17: Constitution Day
• October 27: Theodore Roosevelt's birthday
• November 11: Veterans Day

Sources:  National Park Service, US Department of the Interior