Operation of the National Park System—The 2021 budget requests $2.5 billion for operations of the national park system. In 2018, NPS served more than 318 million visitors from across America and around the world. The budget includes $228.5 million for natural resource programs.

For the 2026 fiscal year, the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) is operating under a complex budget landscape. The proposed federal budget request for the NPS is approximately $2.1 billion to $2.4 billion for core operations. However, this figure is a subject of intense political debate; some administration proposals have called for cuts exceeding $1 billion, which critics argue could result in a 31% reduction in park staffing and services. Conversely, bipartisan support for the Great American Outdoors Act continues to provide additional billions for "deferred maintenance" to fix aging infrastructure like roads and visitor centers. To supplement government funding, the NPS is also establishing new revenue streams in 2026, such as a surcharge for foreign visitors, which is estimated to generate an extra $90 million to help maintain the 420+ units within the park system.