National Parks Without the New Foreign Visitor Fee in 2026

Aerial view of Doubtful Lake surrounded by mountains, from Sahale Arm on the Cascade Pass Trail — With glacier-capped peaks, alpine lakes, and far fewer crowds than some of the country’s most-visited parks, North Cascades National Park embodies the kind of experience travelers can still find beyond the destinations affected by new entry fees.

Last November, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced a controversial new fee system for foreign visitors to 11 of the most popular national parks in the United States. As of January 1, 2026, this new fee structure requires that non–U.S. residents must pay $250 for an annual “America the Beautiful” pass, which is more than three times what U.S. residents currently pay.

Nonresident visitors who decide not to purchase the annual pass will be charged a $100-per-person (not per vehicle, which is how past entry costs have been applied) fee, on top of the standard entrance fee, at Acadia National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Everglades National Park, Glacier National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Zion National Park.

For travelers, both international visitors navigating higher costs and U.S. travelers trying to make sense of changing policies, these added fees and logistics can make planning a national park trip feel more complicated than it should be. Visiting national parks is meant to be a carefree experience, centered on time outdoors, not fine print.

Despite last year’s 43-day government shutdown, 118.1 million visitors traveled to U.S. national parks last year, representing a mere 0.6 percent decline in annual visitation. Even amid political disruption, travelers remain hungry for iconic wilderness experiences.

To help simplify that planning, we’ve paired each of the 11 parks affected by the new fee structure with a comparable alternative—destinations that offer similar landscapes and experiences without the added costs or crowds. If you’re eager to set off on an epic hiking or road trip in an American national park, consider these swaps instead.

North Cascades instead of Glacier National Park

Location: Washington
Similarities: Glaciers, alpine lakes, peaks

Located in Washington State rather than Montana, North Cascades National Park mirrors Glacier’s defining features: dense forests, chilly aquamarine rivers, and glacier-capped peaks. Most travelers explore this secluded park, which sits two and a half hours outside of Seattle, by road-tripping across the main park byway, but intrepid explorers should take the path less traveled and hike 17 miles or ferry to car-free Stehekin. A major stop along the Pacific Crest Trail, this appealing small town is home to woodsy lodging establishments, horseback riding outfitters, and bicycle rental hubs, for those seeking activities beyond hiking.

Canyonlands instead of Bryce Canyon National Park

Aerial view of red bluffs in Canyonlands National Park — Canyonlands delivers similar dramatic red rock scenery and sweeping viewpoints that draw visitors to Bryce Canyon, but with more room to take it all in.

Location: Utah
Similarities: Red rock formations, viewpoints

Travelers drawn to Bryce’s surreal rock formations and dramatic viewpoints will find a compelling alternative in Canyonlands National Park, where layered red rock landscapes unfold across multiple districts, offering a stop-and-stare experience in Utah’s high desert with a fraction of the visitors. Spend a day hiking short trails to Mesa Arch and Grand View Point, before popping back into town to eat at Birdy’s Finer Diner. Summertime travelers won’t want to miss the opportunity to stoke their adrenaline on a whitewater rafting trip down the Colorado River. At night, venture out to the Island in the Sky district for awe-inspiring stargazing.

Kenai Fjords instead of Rocky Mountain National Park

View of glacier from ice-dotted water, with green hill at right — Kenai Fjords trades Rocky Mountain’s alpine terrain for coastal glaciers and marine wildlife, but delivers the same sense of high-impact adventure.

Location: Alaska
Similarities: Wildlife, varied landscapes, adventure

Though it trades Colorado’s alpine terrain for Alaska’s coastal landscapes, Kenai Fjords National Park offers a similarly dynamic mix of wildlife and adventure, where travelers can pack glacier views, marine life, and guided excursions into a single trip. Set in the seaside town of Seward, two hours south of Anchorage by car, the mountainous park offers excellent glacier-viewing opportunities along the Harding Icefield Trail. However, some of the coolest animal and landscape photo opportunities are possible on the water, whether exploring Kenai by kayak or guided boat tour.

Big Bend instead of Zion National Park

Flat water in Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park — Far from Zion’s busiest trails, Big Bend’s rugged desert canyons and wide-open spaces offer a quieter take on comparable adventurous terrain.

Location: Texas
Similarities: Desert canyons, rugged hikes

While Big Bend National Park sits hundreds of miles from Zion along the Texas–Mexico border, it offers a similarly immersive desert experience, with craggy river canyons, forested mountain trails, and Chihuahuan Desert stargazing. Stroll the easy 1.6-mile trail through the steep limestone walls of Santa Elena Canyon, or hike through stone pinnacles in Chisos Basin. In addition to being an International Dark Sky Reserve, the greater Big Bend area is home to the funky Terlingua Ghost Town, a smattering of old cabins and local shops that was once a mercury boomtown; today, rafting guides and cowboys mingle over top-tier Texas barbecue.

Redwood instead of Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Person in shadow dwarfed by several redwoods — Towering redwoods offer a similar awe-inspiring scale as the giant sequoias along a misty stretch of Northern California coastline.

Location: California
Similarities: Giant trees, forest immersion

Staying within California, Redwood offers a natural alternative to Sequoia and Kings Canyon, delivering its own sense of awe among towering, thousand-year-old trees. Reserve a complimentary day permit to hike Redwood National Park’s three-mile Tall Trees Trail that’s home to the tallest trees on the planet, with some stretching 380 feet high. While hiking, keep an eye out for two of the area’s most colorful residents: Roosevelt elk and banana slugs. Those who prefer a mellow scenic drive will also love the area’s Coastal Drive, a loop that showcases plunging cliffs and Pacific Ocean vistas.

Shenandoah instead of Acadia National Park

Layers of dense fog filling valley, with sun rising in distance at Shenandoah National Park — With its rolling mountain vistas and scenic Skyline Drive, Shenandoah offers a similarly easy, overlook-filled alternative to Acadia without the coastal crowds.

Location: Virginia
Similarities: Scenic drives, mountain overlooks

If Acadia’s appeal lies in its easy access to sweeping viewpoints and scenic drives, Shenandoah National Park delivers a similar experience farther south in Virginia, where Skyline Drive offers a steady rhythm of overlooks, short hikes, and sunrise stops. This 105-mile stretch of undulating roadway sits atop a wooded section of the Blue Ridge Mountains that parallels the legendary Appalachian Trail. Spend a few days stopping to hike to secluded waterfalls, stay at the historic Big Meadows Lodge (opening for the season on May 4), and pull over at dozens of viewpoints showcasing the verdant green hills of rural Virginia.

Joshua Tree instead of Yosemite National Park

California, Joshua Tree National Park — Joshua Tree’s sculptural rock formations and climbing culture provide a distinct but equally compelling alternative to Yosemite’s iconic granite landscapes.

Location: California
Similarities: Rock formations, climbing culture

While Yosemite sits in California’s Sierra Nevada and Joshua Tree National Park in the state’s desert interior, both parks draw travelers for their iconic rock formations, climbing culture, and striking sense of place. Far more than a national park filled with ancient monzogranite boulders and abandoned gold mines, Joshua Tree has become a veritable who’s-who of California wellness seekers. Come for the hiking and climbing, then stay for the world-class concerts at Pappy and Harriet’s, a saloon-meets-live music venue. Stay overnight at a chic midcentury-modern hotel or book a sound bath at the Integratron in between summiting Ryan Mountain and scrambling up enormous stone mounds near the Skull Rock Trail.

Wrangell–St. Elias instead of Grand Teton National Park

Aerial view of lake among glacial fields at Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve, with mountains in distance — For those drawn to the Tetons’ mountain scenery, Wrangell–St. Elias offers an even more remote and expansive wilderness experience.

Location: Alaska
Similarities: Mountain ranges, remote wilderness

For those willing to travel north to Alaska, Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve offers a more remote take on Grand Teton’s appeal, with towering peaks, expansive wilderness, and a deeper sense of isolation. At more than 13 million acres (and one of only three national parks in Alaska that’s accessible by car), it’s a massive park that, for most people, requires guiding services and bush planes to navigate. Travelers can go the extra mile to explore on their own, too. If you opt for the self-guided route, stay at the red Kennicott Glacier Lodge and spend your days hiking along the Root Glacier and up to abandoned copper mines.

Badlands instead of Grand Canyon National Park

Aerial view of rocky expanse, with pale gray formation with bands of pinkish-red layers — Badlands’ layered rock formations and expansive viewpoints echo the geologic drama of the Grand Canyon on a more intimate scale.

Location: South Dakota
Similarities: Layered rock, scenic viewpoints

Though far from Arizona in South Dakota, Badlands National Park captures a similar sense of geologic drama, with vividly striated rock formations, sweeping viewpoints, and scenic drives that echo the visual impact of the Grand Canyon on a more intimate scale. Stand awestruck at the base of coral hued crumbling cliffs all along the Badlands Loop Road, or break a sweat on the 10.3-mile Castle Trail, the longest in the park. To wind down and enjoy a serious case of the giggles, head to Roberts Prairie Dog Town for a lunch break on the western side of the park, complete with the small rodents gallivanting around the grasslands. Interested in bizarre roadside attractions? Nearby Wall Drug store is a bizarre beacon for weary travelers, offering a western-themed mall, arcade, restaurant, café, and jackalope photo opportunities.

Biscayne instead of Everglades National Park

From wake of boat, distant view of white lighthouse in Biscayne National Park — Just outside Miami, Biscayne swaps the Everglades’ wetlands for coral reefs and mangroves, offering a similarly wildlife-rich, water-based experience.

Location: Florida
Similarities: Water-based ecosystems, wildlife

Only a short drive from the Everglades, and within easy reach of downtown Miami, Biscayne National Park offers an equally compelling, water-focused experience, trading sawgrass marshes for coral reefs while maintaining the same wildlife-rich, boat-driven exploration. Nearly 95 percent of the park is water, making it ideal for paddling mangrove tunnels, snorkeling vibrant reefs, or joining a guided boat tour to spot dolphins, sea turtles, and manatees. Overnight visitors can camp on Boca Chita Key or Elliott Key. Back on the mainland, an ADA-accessible boardwalk extends from the visitor center to a mangrove-lined jetty. The Maritime Heritage Trail’s shipwrecks can be explored via guided snorkeling and diving trips with authorized vendor Biscayne National Park Institute.

Lassen Volcanic instead of Yellowstone National Park

Aerial view of steaming landscape surrounded by evergreens at Lassen — With bubbling mud pots and steaming vents, Lassen Volcanic offers a quieter take on the geothermal landscapes that define Yellowstone.

Location: California
Similarities: Geothermal features, volcanic landscapes

Also in the American West, Lassen Volcanic National Park offers one of the closest alternatives to Yellowstone, with bubbling geothermal features, steaming fumaroles, and volcanic landscapes that echo its geologic activity on a smaller scale. Start at Bumpass Hell, the park’s largest hydrothermal area, where boardwalk trails wind past boiling mud pots and hissing vents. For a more active outing, hike to the summit of Lassen Peak for sweeping views of the surrounding wilderness, or cool off with a paddle on Manzanita Lake.

Emily Pennington

Emily Pennington is a columnist and longtime travel and public lands writer. For her 63 Parks column at Outside Magazine, she visited every U.S. national park. Her work has also appeared in the New York Times, the Guardian, Lonely Planet, Adventure Journal, REI, and Backpacker, among others. Her book Feral: Losing Myself and Finding My Way in America’s National Parks, came out in 2023.