How & When to Go to Nationwide Parks for Free in 2026

Free Nationwide Park Days Dates in the USA in 2026

I’m an enormous fan of the U.S. nationwide parks and have been to nearly 2-dozen to date with a rising wishlist of extra to go to. This previous yr, we have been capable of go to Huge Bend, Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, and Rocky Mountain Nationwide Parks. Our nationwide parks are actually a present from earlier generations, and our biggest nationwide treasure. Fortunately, for the budget-conscious amongst us, the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) is as soon as once more providing fee free national park days all year long.

There are 10 free nationwide park days dates in 2026 (up from 6 in 2025). They’re:

• February 16, 2026: Presidents’ Day/Washington’s Birthday (a Monday)
• Could 25, 2026: Memorial Day (a Monday)
• June 14, 2026: Flag Day (a Sunday)
• July 3–5, 2026: Independence Day weekend (Friday – Sunday)
• August 25, 2026: a hundred and tenth Birthday of the Nationwide Park Service (a Tuesday)
• September 17, 2026: Structure Day (a Thursday)
• October 27, 2026: Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday (a Tuesday)
• November 11, 2026: Veterans Day (a Wednesday)

Just one of these days is a repeat of final yr’s free days: Veterans Day. 5 different notable dates have been dropped: MLK Jr. Day, Nationwide Park Week’s First Day, Juneteenth, Anniversary of the Nice American Open air Act, and Nationwide Public Lands Day. There may even not be free admission all through “National Park Week” (April 18 – April 26, 2026) as there had been in lots of earlier years.

What Parks Take part in Free Nationwide Park Days?

The NPS oversees 433 national park sites. A big majority of them don’t cost entrance, admission, industrial tour, or transportation charges. 126 of them – typically the very best site visitors parks – do. Here’s a list of the 106 parks that sometimes cost entrance charges that won’t on fee-free days.

Excursions, tenting, concessions, or third-party charges aren’t lined, except the person park states in any other case. With some nationwide parks, it is likely to be actually onerous to get tenting permits for today, except you propose forward and reserve now.

Among the many fee-free Nationwide Park Days contributors are the ten most visited nationwide parks, the place you’d in any other case need to pay to get in:

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee)
2. Zion National Park (Utah)
3. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
4. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)
5. Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
6. Yosemite National Park (California)
7. Acadia National Park (Maine)
8. Olympic National Park (Washington)
9. Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
10. Glacier National Park (Montana)

In case you’re searching for different parks, you possibly can see a full national park map here.

Bear in mind to watch out with parks which are at a excessive altitude, endure from spring-time flash floods, or are in northern places within the spring and winter. That is the untamed land, in spite of everything. Test with the park that you just’re concerned with visiting to determine which roads and campsites should be closed.

In case you plan on residing a lifetime of recreation this yr, the NPS’s annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass is a discount. It permits limitless entrance to greater than 2,000 federal recreation areas, together with all nationwide parks. The cross lasts 12 full months after the month you purchase it in.

Modifications to Free Nationwide Park Days in 2026 & New Charges for Non-Residents

There are some new guidelines that start January 1, 2026 that apply to non-U.S. residents and residents. Nonresidents should pay entrance and any nonresident charges except they’ve the Non-Resident Annual Cross (which comes with a $250 charge) – even on the free nationwide park day dates.

Additionally new – on the 11 following nationwide parks, non-residents age 16 and older should pay a $100 non-resident charge along with the common entrance charge, except they’ve the Nonresident Annual Cross:

• Acadia Nationwide Park
• Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park
• Everglades Nationwide Park
• Glacier Nationwide Park
• Grand Canyon Nationwide Park
• Grand Teton Nationwide Park
• Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park
• Sequoia & Kings Canyon Nationwide Park
• Yellowstone Nationwide Park
• Yosemite Nationwide Park
• Zion Nationwide Park

In case you are a citizen or resident, carry your U.S. government-issued picture ID. To implement the brand new charge, guests will probably be requested to current a U.S. government-issued picture ID at nationwide park entrances, reportedly.

Different Methods to Entry Nationwide Parks for Free:

Gold Star Households and U.S. Army Veterans Have Free Entry to Nationwide Parks Indefinitely

Beginning on Veteran’s Day in 2020, Gold Star households and U.S. Armed Forces veterans (together with Nationwide Guard and Reserve) indefinitely have fee-free entry (entrance and normal amenity charges) to nationwide parks, wildlife refuges and different websites managed by the Division of the Inside, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, and Military Corps of Engineers. This was a fantastic concept that I’m shocked wasn’t applied earlier than. Identification required and extra data could be discovered here.

Energetic U.S. Army Cross

Energetic U.S. Army and their dependents are eligible for a Military Pass yearly. The cross prices $10 if processed on-line, however could be picked up without cost in person with correct documentation.

Nationwide Parks Volunteer Cross

Volunteers with 250 service hours (over 1 or a number of years) with federal companies that take part within the Interagency Cross Program are eligible for a Volunteer Pass which is able to get them entry to an annual Nationwide Parks cross annually. You’ll need to work together with your native Federal recreation web site supervisor or Volunteer Coordinator/Supervisor to trace your hours and get entry to the cross.

The Lands Entry Cross for People with Disabilities

The NPS Interagency Access Pass is a part of the America the Stunning – The Nationwide Parks and Federal Leisure Lands Cross sequence and is accessible free for U.S. residents or everlasting residents with everlasting disabilities. The cross could also be issued to people of any age which have been medically decided to have a everlasting incapacity (doesn’t need to be a 100% incapacity) that severely limits a number of main life actions.

Nationwide Parks 4th Grade Cross

To acquire the free cross, fourth grade college students go to the Every Kid Outdoors website, take part in a brief academic exercise, and obtain a voucher.

Free Entrance to Nationwide Parks out of your Library

Nationwide park passes are sometimes occasions one of many free perks libraries offer. Test together with your native library to see if they’ve a cross and for restrictions on how lengthy you possibly can reserve the cross. Warning: you could have to guide it far prematurely.

Nationwide Parks Senior Cross (Not Free, however Nice Worth)

Whereas technically not “free”, probably the greatest offers EVER is the Nationwide Parks Lifetime Senior Pass. The Nationwide Park Senior Cross is accessible to residents or everlasting residents 62 years or older. The Annual Senior Pass is $20, however the Lifetime Senior Cross is simply $80.

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