National park two-tier foreign visitor fees raise over $2M in first quarter

EXCLUSIVE: A major change in the national park entrance fee structure, called discriminatory by Democrats, has generated a moderate windfall for conservation efforts undertaken by the Interior Department.

Sen. Alex Padilla, Democrat of California, spearheaded a December letter co-signed by Sen. Adam Schiff, Democrat of California, and others, criticizing DOI Secretary Doug Burgum’s plan to increase annual national park passes to $250 for out-of-state visitors while the $80 rate for residents remains in place. An additional $100 is also allocated to non-resident visitors in the busiest parks.

Padilla separately called the plan “discriminatory,” while Schiff and his cosigners said the decision failed to follow public information guidelines, risked withholding visitors’ personal information and raised questions about how the DOI would facilitate the jarring fare structure when a carload of people shows up at the door.

But the Interior Department implemented that plan, and by the first quarter of 2026, the disparate pricing structure led to more than $2 million being collected from foreign visitors, Burgum’s office told Fox News Digital.

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Senator Adam Schiff faces Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in this composite image. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images | Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)

“The millions of dollars in new revenue generated by this administration’s nonresident park passes is proof that President Donald J. Trump was right to prioritize affordability for Americans as we change how the Department of the Interior raises money to support conservation from foreign visitors,” said DOI Press Secretary Aubrie Spady.

“As we approach the 250th anniversary of our great nation, initiatives like America First pricing, as well as the addition of the America the Beautiful pass featuring President Trump, provide significant benefits to both our parks and the American people by celebrating our nation’s history while investing in its future.

In their letter calling on Burgum to halt implementation of the program, Padilla and Schiff expressed concern about the effects on “understaffed” park workers, what they said was an already skyrocketing visitation rate from Canadian visitors — which Democrats blamed on Trump’s spats with Prime Minister Mark Carney and speculation about the annexation of the “51st state” — and what would happen to visitors who cannot produce identification.

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Burgum previously legitimized the disparate fee structure by pointing out that the DOI and national parks are already partially subsidized by all U.S. taxpayers — and that by charging a lower rate to U.S. residents, the agency is recognizing this and giving back to America’s park enthusiasts.

“These policies ensure that American taxpayers, who already support the national park system, continue to benefit from affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations,” Burgum said.

Pass sales in the first three months of 2024 totaled $13.7 million and will total $14.3 million in 2025.

Grand Canyon Park Service ranger Jill Staurowsky looks on from the South Rim while giving a tour to visitors at the Grand Canyon, Arizona, February 22, 2025. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

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As of this year, that figure has risen to $16.7 million, with total non-resident income so far exceeding $4.9 million.

Padilla and Schiff did not immediately respond to requests for comment.