The Department of the Interior just dropped a major update to how people get into national parks starting January 1, 2026, and it comes with a very clear theme: Americans get the deal, nonresidents get the bill.
For Jackson Hole, that means some big changes for visitors headed to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, especially if their passport doesn’t say “United States.”
Annual Passes: What Doesn’t Change
🇺🇸 Let’s start with what stays the same for U.S. residents:
- America the Beautiful Annual Pass: Still $80 for everyone.
- Senior Annual Pass (62+): still $20.
- Senior Lifetime Pass: still $80.
- Military, Access, 4th Grade, and Volunteer passes remain free for those who qualify.
So despite the headlines about “more affordable access,” the real story isn’t cheaper passes; it’s how nonresidents are going to help bankroll America’s scenic obsession.
New In 2026: A $250 Nonresident Pass
The feds are rolling out a brand-new America the Beautiful pass for non-U.S. residents at $250, while all other America the Beautiful passes will only be available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
Translation for Jackson:
- Live in the U.S.? You can still buy the $80 annual pass and roam around Yellowstone, the Tetons, and hundreds of other sites.
- Flying in from abroad? You now get your own premium-priced “welcome to America’s national parks” pass.
The Big One: $100 Per Nonresident At Yellowstone & Grand Teton
Here’s the part that will really hit visitors planning a “once-in-a-lifetime” trip through Jackson:
Starting in 2026, 11 of the most visited national parks will charge a $100 surcharge for each non-U.S. resident entering the park, in addition to the regular entrance fee.
Those parks include:
- Yellowstone National Park
- Grand Teton National Park
- Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yosemite, and Zion
So if you’re not a U.S. resident and you want to hit Yellowstone and the Tetons in one trip, you’re looking at $100 per person per park, plus the standard entrance fee — unless you spring for that $250 nonresident annual pass.
Families coming from overseas are about to get a very real lesson in “America-first pricing.”
Fee-Free Days: Now Only Free For U.S. Residents
The National Park Service is also tightening up fee-free days. In 2026, there will still be a lineup of free entrance dates:
- President’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day weekend (July 3–5)
- NPS’s 110th birthday
- Constitution Day
- Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday,
- Veterans Day
Starting in 2026, those days are only free for U.S. citizens and residents. Nonresidents will still pay entrance fees and any applicable nonresident surcharges.
So yes, your cousin from Denver can stroll into Yellowstone for free on President’s Day. Your cousin from Denmark? Not so much.
Digital Passes & New Designs
On the tech side, the Department of the Interior is finally dragging park access into the modern era:
- America the Beautiful passes (Annual, Military, Senior, 4th Grade, Access) will be available in fully digital form through Recreation.gov, with instant purchase and mobile storage.
- Field staff will use updated digital validation tools to speed up entry at busy gates.
- All passes are getting new “patriotic” artwork, so even your plastic card can scream “America” while you sit in line at the South Entrance.
If you’ve ever fumbled around the car trying to find that paper pass while a line of RVs builds behind you, the digital move is a win.
Motorcycles Get A Bit More Love
One perk that feels very Teton-Summer-Road-Trip:
- America the Beautiful passes will cover up to two motorcycles per pass starting in 2026.
So that couple rolling through the park on matching bikes? They just saved themselves some money and probably a fight over who “uses” the pass.
What This Means For Jackson Hole
For locals and U.S. visitors:
- If you already grab an $80 annual pass, not much changes, except you’ll have digital options and more motorcycles per pass.
- Your nonresident friends and relatives, though, are about to pay a premium to visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
For International Travelers:
- Expect higher costs: Either $100 per person per park (on top of regular fees) at the big names, or a $250 nonresident annual pass if you plan to hit multiple parks.
- Fee-free days won’t bail you out anymore unless you’re a U.S. resident.
For Jackson’s economy:
- This likely won’t scare away the true bucket-list travelers, but it does shift more of the financial weight onto non-U.S. visitors, while keeping access steady for Americans, especially those who come back year after year.
The 2026 changes aren’t about slashing prices for everyone. They’re about:
- Keeping access stable and digital for U.S. residents
- Charging more to nonresidents at marquee parks like Yellowstone and Grand Teton
- Making sure that if you’re visiting America’s most iconic landscapes, you’re helping pay to keep them running.
Cheaper for everyone? No. Clearer who’s paying more? Absolutely.
And as always, no matter how much you paid to get in, you still can’t pet the bison.
AntlersArch founder and the voice behind Teton Tattle.
