Proposed surcharge at National Parks could generate millions

With many national parks facing huge backlogs of deferred maintenance — Yellowstone National Park alone is estimated to have more than $1 billion — the federal government is proposing a new fee on foreign visitors to address some of the shortfall.

The idea, which has long been championed by a Bozeman nonprofit, is part of preliminary 2026 budget documents for the Department of the Interior that simultaneously includes vast budget cuts for various departments, including the Naitonal Park Service.

The National Park Service budget shows a request for just $2.1 billion, cutting roughly a third of the agency’s 2025 budget.

But among the streamlining efforts listed in the budget documents, the federal government is proposing to establish a new fee for foreign visitors to some NPS sites, estimated to generate upwards of $90 million “to keep national parks beautiful.”