Covering Trump’s Face on Park Passes Can Get You Fined

New Rules Target Protest Stickers

The 2026 America the Beautiful pass looks different this year.

Instead of a sweeping mountain vista or a wildlife photo chosen by public vote, visitors now see President Donald Trump’s face next to George Washington.

A Boulder artist started selling stickers to cover the image, and thousands of orders poured in. Then the federal government responded with a warning that could cost protesters at the gate.

Stickers Could Void Your Pass

The Department of Interior sent guidance to park staff in early January 2026 flagging stickers and other coverings as alterations that could invalidate the $80 annual pass.

An internal email obtained by reporters stated that defacing the pass in any way, including adding stickers, is a form of alteration.

Rangers can now make judgment calls at the gate. If they reject an altered pass, visitors may have to pay for a day pass or remove the sticker entirely.

One Artist Started It All

Jenny McCarty, a 34-year-old water-resource manager and watercolor artist in Boulder, Colorado, launched her protest stickers on December 10, 2025.

She painted three designs: a pika from Rocky Mountain National Park, a grizzly bear in Denali, and a wolf howling against the Grand Tetons.

What started as a joke on social media turned into a national phenomenon. By early January, she had received nearly 8,000 orders from all 50 states.

Every Dollar Goes to Parks

McCarty sells her vinyl stickers for $6 each through her Sage Leaf Studio website, and she donates all proceeds to the National Park Foundation and National Parks Conservation Association.

A California sticker manufacturer and former park ranger offered to help with printing if demand overwhelmed her. She recruited her husband and volunteers to fulfill orders, which now have a four-week delivery time.

Trump Replaced a Contest Winner

Federal law requires the annual pass to feature the winning image from a public photo contest meant to educate Americans about federal lands.

The 2026 winner was a photograph of Glacier National Park in Montana.

Instead, the Interior Department replaced it with Trump’s portrait and announced “bold, patriotic designs” based on America First values.

The Glacier photo was moved to the new nonresident pass.

A Lawsuit Calls It Illegal

The Center for Biological Diversity filed suit in December 2025 arguing the redesign violates the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004.

The law mandates the annual photo contest and prohibits creating new pass categories beyond those named by Congress.

The lawsuit also challenges the new Resident and Nonresident passes as unauthorized. The court has not yet ruled, and the government has not publicly responded.

Foreign Visitors Pay Triple

The annual pass now costs $80 for U.S. residents and $250 for international visitors.

On top of that, foreign tourists 16 and older face a $100 surcharge at 11 of the most popular parks: Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion.

Rangers must now check IDs at the gate to verify residency.

Free Days Got a Makeover

The Park Service dropped five fee-free days including Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth.

The 2026 calendar now includes 10 free days for U.S. residents only, featuring Trump’s birthday on June 14, Constitution Day, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, and Independence Day weekend.

International visitors must pay full price even on these dates.

Parks Lost a Quarter of Staff

Since January 2025, the National Park Service has lost 24% of its permanent workforce through layoffs, buyouts, and resignations.

About 1,000 probationary employees were fired on February 14, 2025, and courts later ordered their reinstatement.

But the damage continued. By fall 2025, more than 4,000 positions had been eliminated, and a federal hiring freeze kept them vacant.

Visitor Centers Are Cutting Hours

Staffing shortages forced parks to reduce services across the country. Yosemite delayed campground reservations.

Saguaro closed its visitor center on Mondays. Florissant Fossil Beds shut down two days a week. Assateague Island had zero lifeguards for its beaches.

McCarty Built In a Workaround

The artist designed her stickers with sectioned backing so users can peel parts off to reveal the pass underneath if rangers ask.

She also suggested placing the pass in a clear credit card sleeve with the sticker on the front, keeping the original pass unaltered.

The Fight Is Just Beginning

McCarty said she has not heard from the Park Service or any government agency about her stickers. She plans to keep selling them as long as orders come in.

The Center for Biological Diversity’s lawsuit awaits a court response, and legal experts say the outcome could set a precedent for how pass imagery is chosen.

For now, the passes with Trump’s face are official, and the stickers keep selling.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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