The National Park Service (NPS) will significantly change how fee-free days work in 2026, reshaping when Americans can enter national parks without paying an entrance fee—and who qualifies for free admittance.
The revamped calendar, announced by the Department of the Interior on November 25, expands the number of free-entry days for U.S. residents from 6 to 10 while eliminating several holidays honoring Black history. And, in a notable shift, the benefit applies only to U.S. citizens and residents, a major departure from past policy.
Here’s what you need to know about national park fee-free days in 2026.
National park fee-free days in 2026
Fee-free days in the national parks are a relatively modern concept. Although entrance fees have existed at select parks since the early 1900s and individual parks occasionally waived fees for certain days (and veterans have long been granted complimentary access on Veteran’s Day), it wasn’t until 2007 that the NPS started offering fee-free days. That first year it was one date, in observance of National Public Lands Day. NPS’s centennial year, 2016, saw the most days—16 in total, including 9 straight days during National Park Week (which takes place in late April).
Not all national parks charge a fee. For instance, there is no fee to enter Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California.
Photo by Pat Tr/Shutterstock
Of the 419 parks, including historic sites, monuments, rivers, and more, that the National Park Service manages, only 108 charge regular entrance fees—ranging from $10 to $35—that will be waived. This includes popular national parks like Yosemite in California, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, Olympic in Washington, Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah, and Acadia in Maine. Of the 63 national parks, 19 are free all the time, including Redwood National Park in California and New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia.
For 2026, the government is taking a different approach to fee-free days. Instead of a blend of civil rights holidays, public land observances, and commemorative days, next year’s calendar centers almost entirely on what officials describe as “patriotic fee-free days.”
The new lineup includes:
- Feb. 16, 2026 — Presidents Day
- May 25, 2026 — Memorial Day
- June 14, 2026 — Flag Day (which also coincides with President Donald Trump’s birthday)
- July 3–5, 2026 — Independence Day weekend
- Aug. 25, 2026 — 110th birthday of the National Park Service
- Sept. 17, 2026 — Constitution Day
- Oct. 27, 2026 — Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday
- Nov. 11, 2026 — Veterans Day
According to the Department of the Interior, the additions are intended to “expand access for the American public” during symbolic national moments while encouraging higher participation in domestic outdoor recreation.
Notably absent from the 2026 lineup are Martin Luther King Jr. Day (usually observed the third Monday in January) and Juneteenth (recognized on June 19), which have been fee-free days for eight and two years, respectively, and are commonly used by community organizations for volunteer projects and introductory outdoor programs.
Federal officials have not publicly addressed why these holidays were cut aside from stating that the new list emphasizes patriotic commemoration. In a press release, the Interior Department said the changes reflect the administration’s “commitment to making national parks more accessible, more affordable, and more efficient for the American people.”
Their removal, however, has sparked criticism from civil rights groups and public-lands advocates, who argue that eliminating these dates sends an exclusionary message. Derrick Johnson, the chief executive of the NAACP, said in a statement that removing dates recognizing Black history was part of an effort “to distract and divide us by undermining progress attributed to the Black community.”
Also missing is the first day of National Park Week (celebrated on April 19 in 2025), the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (August 24), and National Public Lands Day (September 27). The only holdover from 2025 is Veterans Day.
Yellowstone will be among the national parks where foreign visitors will need to pay an additional $100 entrance fee in 2026.
Photo by Handcraft Films/Shutterstock
New restrictions for international visitors
Another major change is that fee-free days no longer extend to international travelers, who will continue to pay entrance fees—which will cost far more for foreign visitors at the 11 most popular parks starting on January 1, 2026.
For nonresidents, the cost for an annual park service pass will rise from $80 to $250, while those without a pass will pay $100 per person, in addition to the standard entrance fee, at parks like Arches, Yosemite, and Zion.
“These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in a press release when the new fee structure was announced last month.
The move follows a July executive order issued by President Trump that called to increase fees for foreign visitors to national parks and grant citizens and residents “preferential treatment with respect to any remaining recreational access rules, including permitting or lottery rules.”
What travelers should expect
For domestic travelers, the expanded list of free days may offer more flexibility—but also more congestion. Historically, parks like Acadia, Grand Canyon, Zion, and Yosemite see sharp increases in visitation on fee-free dates, often triggering shuttle waits, limited parking, and capacity-management measures. And given that national parks visitorship historically peaks in July, in large part due to Independence Day travel, it stands to reason that the three complimentary days from July 3 to July 5 this year will be particularly busy.
It’s also worth noting that even on free days, other requirements (such as timed-entry permits at select parks, campground reservations, or shuttle fees) will still apply. The NPS has also said that residents aged 16 or older will have to provide an ID to get into the parks at the resident cost or without paying on the fee-free days.
