Free National Park Days 2026
If you are looking to take a trip to one of the 63 National Parks in the US, then you may also be interested to know when there are free National Park days in the USA.
Throughout the year, there are days when entry is free to certain parks. In December of each year, the US National Park Service releases dates for the upcoming year of dates when there are no fees to enter the parks.
In previous years, there have only been 5 or 6 days of free entry into the parks, but in 2026, there will be 10 free days.
One of the big changes from 2026 is that the free national park days will only apply to US citizens and residents, and non-residents will need to pay the usual fees.
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Days with Free Entry to US National Parks
In 2026, there are 10 fee-free days for entry into all National Park Sites that normally charge a fee, and admission is free to US citizens and residents visiting the park on these dates. It is worth noting that some parks may still charge for parking and excursions within the park.
- February 16 – Presidents’ Day
- May 25 – Memorial Day
- June 14 – Flag Day
- July 3 to 5 – Independence Day Weekend
- August 25 – 110th Birthday of the National Park Service
- September 17 – Constitution Day
- October 27 – Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday
- November 11 – Veterans Day
Parks with free entry all year round:
It may be a surprise to you that 22 of the 63 US National Parks have no entry fee at all, some of these are because they cover a huge area and there are no rangers working there, or because they have fees for special excursions within the park. For example, the parks with caves.
Out of the 8 parks in Alaska, 7 of them have no fees to enter, but planning a trip to a National Park in Alaska can take a lot of organizing.
Some of the parks are islands and so have dock fees, some of the parks have parking fees but no entrance fees. These parks you can enjoy at any time without needing to take advantage of the free national park days.
Alaska
- Gates of the Arctic National Park – There is no fee.
- Glacier Bay National Park – There is no fee.
- Katmai National Park – There is no fee to enter the park.
- Kenai Fjords National Park – There is no fee to enter the park and no fee for camping. If you would like to stay in one of the cabins, then there is a fee, and reservations are required in advance.
- Kobuk Valley National Park – There is no entrance fee.
- Lake Clark National Park – There is no entrance fee or fee for camping. Though if you do want to use the public use cabins, there is a fee, and reservations need to be made in advance.
- Wrangell – St Elias National Park – There is no fee to enter the park.
American Samoa
- National Park of American Samoa – There is no entrance fee.
Arkansas
- Hot Springs National Park – There is no fee to enter the park, though if you are planning on staying at the campground, then there is a fee per night.
California
- Channel Islands National Park – There is no fee.
- Redwood National Park – There is no fee to enter the park, but if you do plan on camping, then there are fees, and reservations must be made in advance.
Florida
- Biscayne National Park – There is no entrance fee to the park, though there is a docking fee of $25 at Boca Chita and Elliott Keys and a camping fee of $35 on each island.
Kentucky
- Mammoth Cave National Park – There is no entrance fee to the park, though if you are planning on doing a cave tour or camping, then there are fees for these. If you plan on visiting during one of the fee-free days, then there are some cave tours offered free of charge.
Minnesota
- Voyageurs National Park – There is no entrance fee to the park, but if you are planning on camping, having a boat etc, then there will be fees to pay.
Nevada
- Great Basin National Park – There is no fee, but if you plan on visiting Lehman Caves, then there is a fee for the cave tours.
North Carolina
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park – There is no entrance fee to the park, but you will need a parking tag (physical permit) for parking longer than 15 minutes in the park. There is an option for daily, weekly, or annual tags, which can be bought online or on-site.
Ohio
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park – There is no fee.
South Carolina
- Congaree National Park – There is no fee.
South Dakota
- Wind Cave National Park – There is no fee to enter the park to hike the trails, but to do one of the cave tours, there is an additional fee.
Virgin Islands
- Virgin Islands National Park – There is no fee to enter the park but if you visit Trunk Bay then there is a $5 fee per person.
Washington
- North Cascades National Park – There is no entrance fee, but if you plan on visiting Lake Chelan and taking a ferry then there is a fee for that.
West Virginia
- New River Gorge National Park – There is no entrance fee.
National Park Pass
If you are planning to visit a few National Parks in a year and not on one of the free days, then it is certainly worth buying an annual national park pass, which is only $80 for a year. From 2026, this is the fee for US citizens and residents, and for non-residents, the fee has increased to $250!!
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