Free 2026 National Parks Entrance Days
Visit the National Parks for free this year with over 10 Free Entrance Fee Days!
Some days it feels like we're all living in screen sized bubbles where we just scroll and swipe through life (I'm sure you can relate). So, I really try to treasure any chance to escape into nature with my family. It's our reset button and there's nothing like watching my kids light up over a deer sighting instead of the new TikTok trend.
If you're ready to trade screen time for scenic views, then I've got the perfect thing for you. In 2026, the National Park Service is rolling out over 10 Free Entrance Days and that means you and your crew can explore some of the most breathtaking spots in the country and you can do it without spending a dime on entry fees. This year you get 5 more free days than last year in 2025.
Grab the fam and discover beautiful waterfalls, hike through forests or just soak up some fresh air. These fee free days are the perfect excuse to pack a picnic, grab your hiking boots and make some memories. Get outside and have some fun!
Check out the date for each free entrance day below.
Free Days for 2026
- February 16: Presidents Day
- April 18: National Parks Day
- May 25: Memorial Day
- June 14: Flag Day - President Trumps Birthday
- July 3-5: Independence Day Weekend
- August 25: 110th Birthday of National Park Service
- September 17: Constitution Day
- October 27: Theodore Roosevelt's Birthday
- November 11: Veterans Day
What has changed this year for 2026? You no longer get in free on Martin Luther King Day, Juneteenth and National Public Lands Day. You now instead get in on Presidents Day, Flag Day, entire 4th of July weekend, Constitution Day and Theodore Roosevelt's Birthday. So in 2026 you get in 11 days compared to the only 6 in 2025.
List of Participating Parks During Free Entrance Days
Not all national parks charge an entrance fee and many of the parks, including national monuments and historic sites, are free to enter all year. Check them out below to find one near you.
Alaska
- Denali National Park & Preserve
Arizona
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area
- Montezuma Castle National Monument
- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Pipe Spring National Monument
- Saguaro National Park
- Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
- Tonto National Monument
- Tumacácori National Historical Park
- Tuzigoot National Monument
- Walnut Canyon National Monument
- Wupatki National Monument
Arkansas
- Fort Smith National Historic Site
California
- Cabrillo National Monument
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Lava Beds National Monument
- Muir Woods National Monument
- Pinnacles National Park
- San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
- Yosemite National Park
Colorado
- Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Colorado National Monument
- Dinosaur National Monument
- Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
- Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
- Hovenweep National Monument
- Mesa Verde National Park
- Rocky Mountain National Park
Florida
- Canaveral National Seashore
- Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
- Dry Tortugas National Park
- Everglades National Park
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
Georgia
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
- Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
- Cumberland Island National Seashore
- Fort Pulaski National Monument
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Hawaii
- Haleakala National Park
- Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
- Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park
Idaho
- Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
- Yellowstone National Park
Indiana
- Indiana Dunes National Park
Maine
- Acadia National Park
Maryland
- Antietam National Battlefield
- Assateague Island National Seashore
- Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
- Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
- Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Massachusetts
- Adams National Historical Park
- Cape Cod National Seashore
Michigan
- Isle Royale National Park
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Minnesota
- Pipestone National Monument
Mississippi
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
- Vicksburg National Military Park
Missouri
- Gateway Arch National Park (formerly Jefferson National Expansion Memorial)
Montana
- Glacier National Park
- Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
- Yellowstone National Park
Nevada
- Death Valley National Park
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area
New Hampshire
- Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park
New Jersey
- Thomas Edison National Historical Park
New Mexico
- Bandelier National Monument
- Capulin Volcano National Monument
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park
- Valles Caldera National Preserve
- White Sands National Park
New York
- Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
- Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
- Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
North Carolina
- Wright Brothers National Memorial
North Dakota
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Ohio
- Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Oklahoma
- Fort Smith National Historic Site
Oregon
- Crater Lake National Park
- Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
Puerto Rico
- San Juan National Historic Site
South Carolina
- Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
South Dakota
- Badlands National Park
Tennessee
- Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Texas
- Big Bend National Park
- Fort Davis National Historic Site
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park
- Padre Island National Seashore
Utah
- Arches National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Capitol Reef National Park
- Cedar Breaks National Monument
- Dinosaur National Monument
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Golden Spike National Historical Park
- Hovenweep National Monument
- Natural Bridges National Monument
- Zion National Park
Virgin Islands
- Christiansted National Historic Site
Virginia
- Assateague Island National Seashore
- Colonial National Historical Park
- George Washington Memorial Parkway's Great Falls Park
- Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
- Prince William Forest Park
- Shenandoah National Park
Washington
- Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
- Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
- Mount Rainier National Park
- Olympic National Park
West Virginia
- Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Wyoming
- Devils Tower National Monument
- Grand Teton National Park
- Yellowstone National Park
National Parks Week
National Park Week is an annual celebration of America's national parks, and it kicks off each year in April. This year's theme is has not yes been announced but it will coincide with National Volunteer week and Earth Day.
There's tons to do and definitely something for everyone. Events may vary by location, so check with your park to see they're participating. Full list of 2026 events will be released soon.
- April 18th (Free Entrance Day): entrance to all National Park Service sites is free
- April 22nd: Earth Day - Time to get your hands dirty, but in the best way possible.
