Looking to cross some national parks off of your bucket list? The U.S. Department of the Interior has once again designated several fee-free days at U.S. national parks — but the lineup looks a little different this year.
Five holidays that had free entry in 2025 will no longer be free in 2026. Those include Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the first day of National Park Week, Juneteenth, the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, and National Public Lands Day.
Instead, these eight days will be fee-free for U.S. residents in 2026:
- President’s Day on February 16
- Memorial Day on May 25
- Flag Day/President Trump’s birthday on June 14
- Independence Day weekend from July 3 to 5
- 110th birthday of the National Park Service on August 25
- Constitution Day on September 17
- Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday on October 27
- Veteran’s Day on November 11
America the Beautiful Passes
Beginning this year, the National Park Service is also offering America the Beautiful annual and lifetime passes in a fully digital format. Annual passes are $80 for U.S. residents and $250 for nonresidents. You can purchase passes online at recreation.gov and use them instantly, store them on mobile devices, and link them to physical cards. You can also purchase them in person at more than 1,000 federal recreation sites.
Discounted American the Beautiful annual passes are available for seniors age 62 and over. Military personnel, persons with disabilities, volunteers, and fourth grade students can obtain a pass free of charge.
Park passes will also now cover two motorcycles each. They do not cover expanded amenity fees such as for camping, parking, special tours and permits, and ferries. Single-day passes are also available for purchase at park entrances and online.
Feature image courtesy spiritofamerica/stock.adobe.com
