Here comes the foreigner pricing:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-signs-order-raise-national-park-fees-foreigners-2025-07-03/

How many foreigners does he expect are going to be coming to the US these days? This certainly won't help. I can only hope this gets rolled back once a new administration is in office (though I realize it's harder to turn off a revenue source than to turn one on).

Can I just ask if the Meltwaterfalls family travel itineraries are just broadcast generally to everyone in the USA or if the National Parks service have an alert on our ESTA applications? :)
In the last 12 years I will have visited the USA on 5 occasions, these have entailed two complete shutdowns of all National Parks, the specific shutdown of the ranger station and boat tours at the part of the Everglades I was visiting and now this hike in fees for undesirable non Citizens.
The only one not affected was when we were introducing a 3 month old to her family, so they must've known that we weren't going to be visiting any national parks :)

I am afraid the United States is OPEN on a 'wait and see' basis for the foreseeable future. Funding and staffing at US parks also mean hours might have changed, tours cancelled, and campgrounds closed. Moreover, increasing numbers of international visitors are feeling harassed upon arrival and uncomfortable about being 'foreign' in this climate.

It seems to come earlier every Republican administration, but happy "the United States is leaving UNESCO" day to all who celebrate/ commiserate

I've enjoyed editing and enhancing old reviews with new links, titles, banners, sub-headings, high quality pictures, and more. In the past few weeks, I've updated and re-submitted more than 50 reviews of WHS and TWHS. Once I updated these reviews, the old system now feels absurdly antiquated.

Here are two examples. Both are large serial TWHS in the United States that I'm particularly interested in.

California Current Ecosystem

Freedom Struggle

Civil Rights Movement Sites - 13 Recommended Sites for Nomination

Regarding the Civil Rights nomination, the map (which includes user pictures of each site) is another great feature. I have benefitted from detailed reviews in the past from within our community and the new features are really useful. I only hope my reviews like 'Freedom Struggle" and 'California Current Ecosystem' are helpful as well.

I loved adding the POI's for Yosemite National Park and my review should be useful for travelers looking to have a great experience exploring all that Yosemite has to offer.

Potential for delay, unless leadership in Interior will sign off on the official submission of the complete dossier.

"On that note, a complete draft Dossier has been prepared and awaits formal evaluation by federal authorities. The Trump Administration's decision to close the National Park Service Office of International Affairs and to absorb its World Heritage duties into the Department of the Interior Office of International Affairs has resulted in delays at the federal review level necessary for the Serial Nomination to advance to the World Heritage Centre in Paris. We hope the process will resume soon and will keep you abreast of our ongoing efforts to secure the inscription of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement Sites Serial Nomination on the World Heritage List."

Additionally, as of today there is a government shutdown, so naturally I assume Ian is on his way!

Sorry I missed this one, amazingly my wife is heading over for work, so maybe it is her that is the jinx rather than me :)

Some WHS are trying to stay open, but for how long can they do it? If the shutdown goes past 1 month, most National Parks will be in chaos / emergency mode.

https://www.npr.org/2025/10/09/nx-s1-5565223/local-governments-band-together-to-reopen-famous-national-park-during-shutdown

Big Bend (Florida) aiming for inclusion on US Tentative List as a mixed property. This serial property is about 3-4 hrs drive from Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia.

https://www.theinvadingsea.com/2025/11/06/florida-big-bend-unesco-world-heritage-site-coastal-ecosystems-environmental-protection/

Is this a hint that a new tentative list may be brewing? I am not sure, but I would welcome it! I just emailed staff at the NPS to see if anything is happening.

The last US Tentative List timeline:
- Submission process began with a call for nomination in 2015
- Submission period for stakeholders late 2015 / early 2016
- Candidates were tentatively proposed in October 2016
- Public Comment Period December 2016
- Official publication on UNESCO website April 2017

If and thats a big if, we are going on the 10-year update timeline the US is slightly behind.

Here is the foreigner pricing for the US national parks:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/national-parks/2025/11/25/national-parks-america-first-prices/87462479007/

I will remove the badge from the WHC Commandments by Jan 1st for Yellowstone and Yosemite. And add the other connections (High Entrance Fees, Foreigner Pricing) also per that date.

These are the 11 National Parks that will have the $100 surcharge per person. Annual Passes will be $250 for non-residents.

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.

Full Details in the DOI Announcement

Will try to bite my tongue on the politics of this, but it feels highly self defeating

Yes you can rinse a few unsuspecting tourists that may not have heard of this, but I now would just straight up not visit Southern Utah like I did this summer, no way on earth would I spend an additional $800 to visit Bryce and Zion.

And if it wasn't for the fact that I was there for a family wedding, I would be reluctant to visit the US at all and I just won't visit these US national parks now.

Fortunately the only WHS of these I have left has a Canadian component, so a visit to Waterton is now higher up my wish list.

meltwaterfalls
There are also days with free entrance, but only for US citizens, God forbid you make a small gift to anybody else on a handful of days in the year.

Its a shameful act and I suspect it won't lead to higher revenues for the National Parks anyway. Many international visitors will just cancel plans. The fact the new annual pass will feature the current occupant of the White House' face means many Americans will find buying a new annual pass particularly onerous. If this lasts until January 2029 as I suspect, it will have been far too long.

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. "These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations."