All the Fee Free Days You Can Visit National Parks In 2026
Planning your National park trips for 2026? Every year the National Park Service has Fee-Free days where they do not charge entry fees to enter National Parks and other properties. For this year there are Eight days that have been identified, but there are some significant changes you need to know about before you pack your bags.
When are the National Park Fee Free Days in 2026?
- February 16 – President’s Day
- May 25 – Memorial Day
- June 14 – Flag Day
- July 3, 4, and 5 – Independence Day Weekend
- August 25 – National Park Service 110th Birthday
- September 17 – Constitution Day
- October 27 – Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday
- November 11 – Veterans Day
What’s Changed for 2026?
If you’ve visited our National Parks on fee-free days before, you’ll notice some differences this year.
Fee-Free Days Removed
Five days that were previously free in 2025 are no longer on the list:
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- First day of National Park Week
- Juneteenth
- Great American Outdoors Act Anniversary
- National Public Lands Day
Fee-Free Days Added
Three new days appear on the 2026 calendar:
- Flag Day (which coincides with Trump’s birthday)
- Constitution Day
- Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday
The Biggest Change: U.S. Residents Only
Here’s the most significant shift: For the first time ever, fee-free days are only available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. International visitors will need to pay standard entrance fees (plus new nonresident surcharges) even on these designated free days.
A Word About These Changes
I’ll be honest with you—I’m not thrilled about injecting politics into our national parks. The National Park Service has always been about bringing people together to experience America’s natural and historical treasures, regardless of where they’re from or their political beliefs.
Removing days that honor civil rights achievements while adding politically-charged dates moves away from the inclusive spirit that makes our parks special. These are places that should unite us, not divide us.
That said, policies can change. If you have concerns, the best way to make your voice heard is through feedback to the National Park Service and your representatives. For now, let’s focus on enjoying the parks, together.
New Fee Structure for International Visitors
Starting January 1, 2026, nonresidents face significantly higher costs:
- Annual Pass: $250 (up from $80 for a regular pass)
- Additional surcharge: $100 per person at the 11 most-visited parks
The 11 parks with the $100 nonresident surcharge are:
Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion
This means a family of four international visitors could pay $400+ in surcharges alone, plus the base entrance fee. That’s a significant barrier for many visitors and will no doubt reduce visitations.
Also, fee-free days do not include international visitors. They will still have to pay the surcharges.
Don’t Forget: Many Parks Are Always Free
Here’s some good news: about 330 of the 430+ National Park Service sites never charge an entrance fee. This includes amazing places like:
- William Howard Taft National Historic Site (Ohio)
- Congaree National Park (South Carolina)
- Maggie Walker National Historic Site (Virginia)
- Most national monuments, battlefields, and historic sites
How Many “National Parks” are Free?
Of the 63 National Parks in the United States, 23 or only 37% do not charge for an entrance fee. Here is the list in alphabetical order:
- Biscayne National Park
- Channel Islands National Park
- Congaree National Park
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
- Gateway Arch National Park
- Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
- Great Basin National Park
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Hot Springs National Park
- Katmai National Park and Preserve
- Kenai Fjords National Park
- Kobuk Valley National Park
- Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
- Mammoth Cave National Park
- National Park of American Samoa
- New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
- North Cascades National Park
- Redwood National Park
- Virgin Islands National Park
- Voyageurs National Park
- Wind Cave National Park
- Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
Fun Fact – Mount Rainier began collecting an entrance fee in 1908, eight years before the National Park Service was founded!
Consider State Parks Too
If the National Park fee structure doesn’t work for your plans, remember that state parks offer fantastic outdoor experiences, often at lower costs.
Many states have passport stamp programs similar to the National Park Passport, and they’re a great way to explore closer to home. Check out my complete guide to state park passport programs to see if your state participates.
What is the Best Option If You Have to Pay for an Entrance Fee?
While Entrance fees to National Parks can be a little frustrating, it is a small price to pay to truly enjoy the amazing public lands in the United States. If you plan to visit more than two fee based locations in a year, I suggest in investing in the American the Beautiful pass.
At $80 a year, it will cover not only National Park Service sites, but almost every Federal recreational sites. This a can be US Fish & Wildlife, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and even US Army Corp of Engineers.
Where does the money go?
The National Park Service states that 80% of the money collected at a park go to support enhancing the visitation experience at the park where it is paid. The remaining 20% help other sites that do not have a fee.
The fees help to improve the park experience with things such as new bathroom facilities, making sites more accessible to the public, repairing boardwalks, adding new interpretive programs and more.
Digital Passes Now Available
One positive change: Starting in 2026, all America the Beautiful passes are available digitally through Recreation.gov. You can:
- Purchase and use passes instantly
- Store them on your mobile device
- Link them to physical cards
- Skip the line at entrance stations
This is actually helpful for those of us who plan trips spontaneously or don’t want to wait for a physical card in the mail.
Looking Forward
The National Park Service turns 110 years old in 2026, and we’re celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. These are incredible milestones that deserve to bring us together at our most treasured and historic places.
I do hope that future policies will reflect the inclusive values that make our National Parks so special. Until then, I’ll keep visiting, collecting stamps, and sharing the stories of these remarkable places — regardless of where you’re from.
