Scoring free entry into America’s national parks like Yellowstone and Grand Canyon might just be one of the best deals in travel—after all, America’s great outdoors are home to some of the country’s most stunning scenery and significant historical and cultural sites. Entrance fees, ranging from $10 per person to $35 per vehicle, are typically charged at 109 of the nation’s 400-plus national parks to help fund the government’s maintenance of the spaces for millions of annual visitors. But in an effort to ensure accessibility for everyone, there are a number of programs that allow visitors free entry to national parks, and state-run sites too.
Every year, the National Park Service (NPS) selects a handful of days (about one per season) to offer free admission across its entire network—including the big name sites like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Great Smoky Mountains. The NPS also offers lesser-known ways to gain complimentary admission, such as through volunteer programs. Across the country, many state parks waive admission fees for certain groups (like kids, seniors, or military members), while others welcome all visitors for free.
Below, we share all the tricks for getting into national parks and state parks in 2024, without opening your wallet.
How to get free entry to national parks in 2024
The NPS offers a number of free entrance days across the system each year, granting all visitors access to its 428 sites.
For 2024, the first of those dates is Monday, January 15, to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. The national holiday also serves as a day of service in the national parks, with a wide range of service projects accepting volunteers. It’s a fitting tribute, given Coretta Scott King once said, “The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others.”
The next free entry date is on Saturday, April 20, marking the first day of National Park Week, a nine-day celebration that continues through April 28. During the period, events and activities will be held to showcase the best of the national parks.
Next on the calendar is a new complimentary entrance day introduced this year, on Wednesday, June 19, celebrating Juneteenth National Independence Day. The extra day means that, for the first time, there will be six days of free national park entrance this year (instead of the usual five).
The summer season’s second fee-free entrance day is held on August 4 (which conveniently falls on a weekend this year), marking the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act.
Then, there are two chances to receive free national park entrance in Autumn 2024 (perfect if you’re planning a foliage-inspired trip to Acadia or Shenandoah): Saturday, September 28, for National Public Lands Day, and Monday, November 11 for Veterans Day.
