Dad Says He Paid $235 To Get Into National Park And Claims Employee Blamed Payment On “Order From Trump”

The family of three paid $235 to enter the Everglades National Park, and the father says the ranger apologized when he hit them, then lowered his voice and blamed the cost on the President.

You budgeted $35 for a car loan; at the gate, he found out that non-citizens now owed $100 a head on it.

The $100-per-adult fee is real, and it’s federal policy. Under the “America first” pay structure that the Department of the Interior announced in November and introduced Jan. 1, 2026, non-residents without an annual pass pay an additional $100 per person to enter 11 of the most visited national parks, on top of the regular entrance fee.

The Everglades are on that list, along with Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Zion, Acadia, Glacier, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, and Bryce Canyon. The policy dates back to a July 2025 executive order in which President Trump directed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to raise immigration fees for nonresidents.

The father says he went with his wife and son expecting only $35 in car money. Both adults were charged a $100 surcharge. Their son got in for free.

Posting on r/NationalPark under the username Gabba-Gabba-Hey, he described the moment this way: “At the door, I honestly couldn’t believe what I was hearing: $100 per person for non-citizens. The security lady actually looked embarrassed when she explained the fee. She basically said, ‘It’s an order from the President.'”

The math, in his words: “So, it costs me $100, my wife $100, and $35 to get into the car. Total: $235 to get into the National Park.”

He followed them through the gate. After the tram ride, the guide and driver give tips. “Unfortunately, Trump had already taken our last $200,” he wrote. “In fact, we didn’t even have one dollar left to tell them.” He kept the slip because he realized that no one would believe him.

Some commenters called the price crazy and pointed people to cheaper state parks. Some say that non-citizen visitors pay more in many countries, and a few question why he didn’t look at the fees first. Secretary Burgum described the payment as fair: “American taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while foreign visitors contribute their fair share.”

Everglades National Park and the National Park Service have not commented on the employee’s alleged speech, and the father’s identity is tied only to his Reddit username.

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