Here's when you can visit US national parks for free in 2026
A waterfall in Yosemite National Park. The national park is located in the Sierra Nevada in the US state of California. Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa (Photo by Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Looking to visit a U.S. national park in 2026? You might want to bookmark a couple of dates where you can get in for free.
Starting in 2026, free admission on these days will be available only to U.S. citizens and residents. Nonresidents will be charged the standard entrance fee and any applicable nonresident fees.
Texas girl visits 46 U.S. national parks at 25 months old
Journey Castillo is on a mission to explore all 63 U.S. National Parks to encourage kids and families everywhere to enjoy the great outdoors. The 2-year-old has visited 46 parks so far and hopes to complete her mission by the time she turns three. (Video from November 2022)
2026 free entrance days in the National Parks
Dig deeper:
- February 16: Presidents Day (Washington's Birthday)
- May 25: Memorial Day
- June 14: Flag Day/President Trump's birthday
- July 3–5: Independence Day weekend
- August 25: 110th Birthday of the National Park Service
- September 17: Constitution Day
- October 27: Theodore Roosevelt's birthday
- November 11: Veterans Day
Watch: Firefall phenomenon gives waterfall lava-like appearance at Yosemite National Park
Firefall happens in the winter, when Horsetail Fall is flowing and the sunset hits the waterfall just right. The phenomenon doesn't last long each year. Just for a few weeks, typically in February.
The backstory:
The new list of free admission days for Americans is the latest example of the Trump administration downplaying America’s civil rights history while also promoting the president’s image, name and legacy.
The new free-admission policy takes effect Jan. 1 and was one of several changes announced by the Park Service late last month, including higher admission fees for international visitors.
Eliminating Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1865 when the last enslaved Americans were emancipated, removes two of the nation’s most prominent civil rights holidays.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story is based on a recent announcement from the National Park Service outlining changes to its entrance-fee policies and its 2026 calendar of free-admission days. This story was reported from Los Angeles.