The Latest National Park Law Travel Creators Are Raving About

Suppose you take a road trip to the Grand Canyon. You pay the entrance fee, you park in the lot, and you follow all the rules. At a lookout point, you whip out your smartphone and take some footage of yourself smiling at the camera; the background is that mythic chasm. You upload the video to YouTube, and because you have the minimum of 1,000 subscribers, you've started to monetize this modest account. The Grand Canyon is a beautiful location, and you want to share this bucket-list moment — and maybe earn a buck or two through ad revenue. Cool, right?

Except that, until January 2025, the YouTube part was illegal. To earn even a penny from your video, photographers and filmmakers had to secure a special permit from the National Parks Service (NPS). For years, this federal law was designed to prevent Hollywood studios from just tromping around national parks and setting up arsenals of equipment. Through this lens (so to speak) the law made a lot of sense: Making movies is a slow and collaborative process, and the same goes for TV shows, commercials, and music videos. Hikers shouldn't have to sidestep cables and lights and get scolded by some sound operator for being too loud. Many nature enthusiasts come to lesser-known national parks to escape crowds, not to play nice around hothead producers.

But NPS has changed the law, and for good reason — "professional" photography and filmmaking don't have to be obtrusive. Equipment is lighter, simpler, and more dynamic than ever before. Most influencers require little more than a phone or GoPro. Meanwhile, digital images are so easy to monetize that enforcement is just about impossible, and if every semi-pro photographer sought an official NPS permit before visiting a national park, their offices would be overrun with applications. In short, the law is evolving with the times.

That said, the NPS has wisely limited film teams to five people; by Hollywood standards, that's a pretty lean operation, which should limit the arrival of giant crews and all their gear. You'll also have to follow regular park rules, which will limit certain activities, such as bringing pets, using special equipment (such as metal detectors), and consuming alcohol. Influencers also have an unsettling track record of hurting themselves on shoots. According to a study in the Journal of Travel Medicine, 379 people died as a direct result of taking selfies between 2008 and 2021. There are already national park destinations that pose certain dangers without self-styled cinematographers balancing on the edge of a precipice or poking a (literal) bear.

In short, the new law is exciting for imaging professionals, especially wedding photographers and adventure filmmakers who have gone out of their way to secure NPS permits in the past. For YouTubers who were already profiting off national park footage without even knowing they'd broken any rules, the change should also be a relief. But with freedom comes responsibility: By all means, capture that moment, but do so with respect for your surroundings and fellow travelers. And while we're catching up on NPS policies, here are some national parks you may not know require reservations.