Dates verified on the National Park Service’s official site — June 2026.
Entrance fees at the big national parks run $20–$35 per vehicle. But on eight dates in 2026, every National Park Service site that charges an entrance fee lets everyone in free — Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion, Acadia, all of them. Here is the full official list:
- Monday, February 16Presidents Day
- Monday, May 25Memorial Day
- Sunday, June 14Flag Day
- Friday–Sunday, July 3–5Independence Day weekend
- Tuesday, August 25National Park Service’s 110th birthday
- Thursday, September 17Constitution Day
- Tuesday, October 27Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday
- Wednesday, November 11Veterans Day
Before you go: what “free” covers in 2026
- New for 2026: free entrance days apply to US citizens and permanent residents only. Nonresidents pay the regular entrance fee plus any applicable nonresident fees.
- Fee-free means the entrance fee only. Camping, tours, concessions, and reservation fees are still charged.
- Parks with timed-entry systems still require a reservation through recreation.gov on free days, and the reservation processing fee still applies. Book well ahead — free days are the busiest days of the year.
Can’t make those dates? It’s still cheap
Most of the 400+ sites the National Park Service manages never charge an entrance fee at all — the fee parks are the minority. And for the ones that do charge, a pass usually beats paying per visit:
- America the Beautiful annual pass — $80: covers entrance at national parks plus federal recreation lands (Forest Service, BLM, and more) for a full year. Pays for itself in about three park visits.
- Seniors (62+): $20 annual or $80 lifetime pass — the best deal in American travel.
- Free passes: current military and dependents, veterans and Gold Star families, US 4th graders, and citizens with permanent disabilities all qualify for a free pass.
One more reason not to feel bad about paying: at least 80% of every entrance fee stays in the park where it was collected.
Source & more free days
Dates come from the National Park Service’s official entrance passes page, checked in June 2026 — always confirm there before a trip. Looking for more free admission? See our free museum days by state and homeschool discount guides, or browse free and cheap things to do in all 50 states.