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2026 · entrance fees waived

National Park Fee-Free Days 2026

Eight days in 2026 when entrance fees are waived at every national park site that normally charges one. Plan around them to save $15 to $35 per vehicle.

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Next fee-free window: check the dates below. Fee-free entry in 2026 applies to U.S. citizens and residents only.

2026 fee-free dates

DateOccasion
February 16, 2026Presidents Day
May 25, 2026Memorial Day
June 14, 2026Flag Day
July 3-5, 2026Independence Day weekend
August 25, 2026110th birthday of the National Park Service
September 17, 2026Constitution Day
October 27, 2026Theodore Roosevelt's birthday
November 11, 2026Veterans Day

What to know before you go

  • U.S. residents only in 2026. For the first time, fee-free entrance applies to U.S. citizens and residents only. Nonresidents pay the regular entrance fee.
  • Two past holidays were dropped. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth are not fee-free days in 2026; the lineup now centers on patriotic holidays.
  • Only the entrance fee is waived. Camping, lodging, guided tours, parking, boat launches, and concession prices are unchanged.
  • Reservations may still be required. Parks with timed-entry or quota systems (Arches, Glacier, Rocky Mountain and others) still require reservations on fee-free days.
  • Expect crowds. Fee-free days are among the busiest days of the year at popular parks. Arrive before 9 a.m. or pick a lesser-visited park.

Fee schedules are set by the National Park Service and can change. Confirm the current list on nps.gov.

Fee-free day questions

Which national park fee-free days are left in 2026?

As of this writing, the remaining 2026 fee-free days are Independence Day weekend (July 3-5), the 110th birthday of the National Park Service (August 25), Constitution Day (September 17), Theodore Roosevelt's birthday (October 27), and Veterans Day (November 11).

Do fee-free days apply to non-U.S. visitors in 2026?

No. Beginning in 2026, fee-free entrance applies to U.S. citizens and residents only. Nonresidents pay the regular entrance fee on those days.

What exactly is waived on fee-free days?

Only the NPS entrance fee, at the roughly 100 park sites that normally charge one. Camping, lodging, tours, parking, boat launches, and timed-entry reservation fees still apply, and parks that require reservations still require them.

Are fee-free days crowded?

Usually, yes. Free entrance draws big crowds to the most popular parks. Arrive early, have a backup plan, and consider visiting the day before or after instead.