In the new year, the National Park Service of the United States will implement new rules, including the issue of free entrance days.
In 2026, the popular national parks in the United States will see several changes, including a new list of free entrance days. The U.S. government announced that all national parks will be open for free to American residents on President Trump’s birthday, with the cancellation of the previous five free entrance days.
The five holidays that were free to enter last year but will resume charging from 2026 are:
1. Martin Luther King Jr. Day: the third Monday of January
2. First day of National Park Week: April
3. Juneteenth National Independence Day: June 19th
4. Great American Outdoor Act Anniversary: August 4th
5. National Public Lands Day: the fourth Saturday of September
Currently, American residents can enjoy free entrance on the following eight holidays:
1. Presidents Day: February 16th
2. Memorial Day: May 25th
3. Flag Day and Trump’s birthday: June 14th
4. Independence Day weekend: July 3rd to 5th
5. 110th Anniversary of the National Park Service: August 25th
6. Constitution Day: September 17th
7. Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday: October 27th
8. Veterans Day: November 11th
In addition, while past free entrance days applied to all visitors, starting from 2026, they will only apply to American residents. International visitors will not only need to pay the entrance fee but also an additional non-resident fee.
Starting from January, the top ten popular national parks will charge international visitors $100 per person for entrance, excluding those holding the “America the Beautiful” pass.
(Reference: The Hill)