Free Entrance Days to the National Parks
Every year, the National Park Service designates special fee-free days when entrance to parks that normally charge admission is free.
After couple big road trips through more than a dozen National Parks, we’re big fans, and we highly encourage our readers to explore them whenever possible!
Although hundreds of national parks are free year round, the big ones do charge a daily or weekly entry fee – with the exception of these special fee-free days.
Quick Summary: 2026 Fee-Free National Park Days
- 📅 Fee-free days in 2026: 10 days total, including a 3-day stretch over July 4th
- 🇺🇸 Who qualifies: U.S. citizens and residents only (new rule for 2026)
- 🎟️ What’s waived: Entrance fees only – camping, tours, and reservations still cost extra
- 💡 Visiting often? The $80 Annual Pass pays for itself after 2-3 fee parks
National Parks fee-free entrance days for 2026
It pays to time your visit around a fee-free day, especially if you’re stacking multiple parks in one trip. Here are those dates:
- February 16, 2026: Presidents Day (Washington’s Birthday)
- May 25, 2026: Memorial Day
- June 14, 2026: Flag Day
- July 3–5, 2026: Independence Day Weekend (3 days)
- August 25, 2026: 110th Birthday of the National Park Service
- September 17, 2026: Constitution Day
- October 27, 2026: Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday
- November 11, 2026: Veterans Day’
New for 2026: Fee-free days now apply to U.S. citizens and residents only. Non-U.S. residents will still pay the standard entrance fee, plus a $100 nonresident surcharge at 11 of the most-visited parks (including Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon).
Glacier National Park, Montana
Bonus Tip: If you’re thinking about visiting multiple parks this year, we recommend purchasing the $80 Annual Pass. (Nonresidents pay $250 for the equivalent pass).
Other things to note about fee National Park entrance days:
- The fee-free days do not cover amenities or things like campsites, transportation, or special tours in the park. Only the entrance fee is waived.
- Since the pandemic, some National Parks have implemented reservation systems to limit capacity in the park.
See the list of Parks participating in free entrance days here
P.S. We have lots of posts about the National Parks we’ve visited from our two epic road trips, including photos, videos, and info about our favorite hiking trails.
Visit our National Parks page >
Rockies Road Trip Itinerary
National Parks of the West Road Trip Itinerary
Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary
California Road Trip Destinations
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