National Park Service and Public Lands

The National Park Service has updated its guidance this week to clarify that 2026 'America the Beautiful' annual passes may be voided if they are 'defaced or altered,' explicitly including stickers or markings on the front of the card, after a backlash to the new design featuring Presidents George Washington and Donald Trump instead of a nature photograph. The move comes amid a viral sticker campaign covering Trump’s image, confusion at park gates over whether such passes are valid, and a December lawsuit from the Center for Biological Diversity in Washington, D.C., arguing the design violates a federal requirement that the pass display the winning national parks photo contest image—this year, Glacier National Park.