WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior has announced its “most significant modernization of national park access in decades,” featuring the introduction of digital passes, new pricing and different rules for U.S. residents and international visitors.

The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2026, and are part of President Donald Trump’s “commitment to making national parks more accessible, more affordable and more efficient for the American people,” the Department said.

Under the new policy, all America the Beautiful passes, including Annual, Senior, Military, Access and 4th Grade, will be available in a fully digital format through Recreation.gov. Visitors will be able to buy, store and use their passes on mobile devices and link them to physical cards if needed.

The digital system aims

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