On August 1st, you can visit any of our national parks without an entrance fee.
There are a total of seven days in the year when anyone can enter for free, as listed on the National Park Service site. Generally, there is an admission fee. This year, those dates included January 9th, a day of mourning for President Jimmy Carter, Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 20th, and National Park Week on April 19th, among others.
August 4th marks five years since President Donald Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act, which has allowed many parks to waive their fees. However, fees for camping, cabin rentals, transportation, group visits, and special areas still apply.
The upcoming free admission days are September 27th for National Public Land Day and November 11th for Veterans Day.
Which national parks require an entrance fee?
Among the 475 sites managed by the NPS, 106 have admission fees.
Sometimes fees vary depending on when you visit. For instance, Adams National Historical Park doesn’t charge from early June to the end of October. Other parks might only charge for vehicles, not individuals.
Here’s a list of some national parks that typically do not have entrance fees, but that may not apply on Mondays.
| Acadia National Park | Death Valley National Park | Hovenweep National Monument | Rocky Mountain National Park |
| Antietam National Battlefield | Denali National Park & Preserves | Indiana Dunes National Park | Saguaro National Park |
| Arches National Park | Devils Tower National Monument | Isle Royale National Park | Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park |
| Assateague Island National Seashore | Dinosaur National Monument | Joshua Tree National Park | San Juan National Historic Site |
| Bandelier National Monument | Dry Tortugas National Park | Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park | Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks |
| Big Bend National Park | Everglades National Park | Lake Mead National Recreation Area | Shenandoah National Park |
| Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park | Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument | Lassen Volcanic National Park | Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore |
| Bryce Canyon National Park | Fort Davis National Historic Site | Lava Beds National Monument | Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument |
| Cabrillo National Monument | Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine | Lewis and Clark National Historical Park | Theodore Roosevelt National Park |
| Canaveral National Seashore | Pulaski National Fort | Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument | Thomas Edison National Historical Park |
| Canyonlands National Park | Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park | Lower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site | Tonto National Monument |
| Cape Cod National Seashore | Fort Vancouver National Historic Site | Mesa Verde National Park | National Historical Park |
| Capitol Reef National Park | Glacier National Park | Montezuma Castle National Monument | Tuzigoot National Monument |
| Capulin Volcano National Monument | Glen Canyon National Recreation Area | Mount Rainier National Park | Valles Caldera National Preserve |
| Castillo de San Marcos National Monument | Golden Spike National Historical Park | Natural Bridges National Monument | Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site |
| Cedar Breaks National Monument | Grand Canyon National Park | Olympic National Park | Vicksburg National Military Park |
| Chaco Culture National Historical Park | Grand Teton National Park | Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument | Walnut Canyon National Monument |
| Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area | Great Falls Park | Padre Island National Seashore | Whiskeytown National Recreation Area |
| Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park | Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve | Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial | White Sands National Park |
| Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park | Mount Guadalupe National Park | Petrified Forest National Park | Light Brothers National Memorial |
| Christiansted National Historic Site | Gulf Islands National Seashore | Rocks National Lakeshore | Wupatki National Monument |
| Colonial National Historical Park | Haleakalā National Park | Pinnacles National Park | Yellowstone National Park |
| Colorado National Monument | Harpers Ferry National Historical Park | Pipe Spring National Monument | Yorktown Battlefield at Colonial National Historical Park |
| Crater Lake National Park | Hawaii Volcanoes National Park | Prince William Forest Park | Yosemite National Park |
| Crater of the Moon National Monument & Preserve | Historic Jamestown section of the Colonial National Historical Park | Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park | Zion National Park |
| Cumberland Island National Seashore | Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historical Site | Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River |
Some parks might require reservations in advance, including for parking. It’s always a good idea to check what’s needed before you head out.
Why do some national parks have entrance fees?
While it’s true that federal taxes partially fund the National Park Service, the contribution from that source is relatively small compared to actual needs. Admission fees are utilized to “enhance the visitor experience” according to the Federal Land Recreation Enhancement Act.
At least 80% of the funds collected through fees stay at the park where they were collected, while the remaining 20% support parks that either generate limited income or do not collect fees at all, explained the National Park Service.
Fees are set based on a structure intended to “simplify and standardize admission fees for similar types of parks.” For instance, popular parks like Rocky Mountain and Zion have a specific annual pass priced at $70, with vehicle fees at $35, $20 for individuals, and $30 for motorcycles.
Many parks also provide details on how they allocate these admission fees, like in Death Valley where funds support initiatives such as creating Braille park brochures, restoring valued features, and financing custodial or emergency medical services.
