by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 12:35 PM ET, Mon July 7, 2025
Canadians who were already debating whether to spend their dollars in the States will have another reason to be hesitant: an increased fee at U.S. National Parks for foreign visitors.
An executive order signed on July 3, 2025 directs the Interior Department (which is the parent agency of the U.S. Park Service) to increase fees paid by non-resident park visitors.
The order does not specify when the fee will come into effect, nor how much it will be, although a statement from the White House indicates that the increased fee revenue from foreign tourists will raise “hundreds of millions for conservation projects.”
User fees will be used to:
- Fuel investment in the national parks.
- Reduce the maintenance backlog.
- Construct critical infrastructure improvements.
- Support conservation projects .
Reuters reports that only 100 of the agency’s 433 park units currently charge fees, and that fees vary between sites, so it is as yet unclear how or where the foreign tourist fee would be collected.
The White House fact sheet states that the executive order is “putting Americans first” and directs the Parks Service to “ensure that U.S. residents receive priority access in any permitting or reservation systems.” It also indicates the fee for foreigners increases fairness, as Americans already fund the parks through their taxes. It says this is in line with how many countries operate their parks services. In Canada, the same pricing structure applies to Parks Canada visitors regardless of where they live. Under the Canada Strong Pass, Canadians and visitors from abroad are able to access national parks free of charge.
The fact sheet also trumpets the Great American Outdoors Act signed during Trump’s first term, calling it “the single largest investment in America’s national parks and public lands in history and the most significant conservation achievement since Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency.” It does not, however address changes at the Parks Service when it came under the purview of DOGE, nor the significant cuts to staffing, services and operating hours the parks have faced during the current term.
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