National parks to raise fees for foreign tourists

The National Park Service said Tuesday it is going to start charging the millions of international tourists who visit U.S. parks each year an extra $100 to enter some of the most popular sites, while leaving them out of fee-free days that will be reserved for American residents.

- BY HALLIE GOLDEN AND MATTHEW DALY

JASON ARMOND Los Angeles Times

AN AMERICAN pika stands alert on a rock in the high alpine talus fields near Yosemite National Park.

The announcement declaring "America-first entry fee policies" comes as national parks deal with the strain of a major staff reduction and severe budget cuts, along with recovering from damage during the recent government shutdown and significant lost revenue due to fees not being collected during that time.

The fee change will affect 11 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.