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The National Park Service released its updated entrance fee–free calendar for 2026, and the lineup looks very different from previous years. The changes arrive as part of a broader update to park access rules published by the agency and the Department of the Interior.
Most national parks don’t charge an entrance fee, but for those that do, fee-free days are a popular planning day for many travelers. The new 2026 list adds several dates, removes others, and introduces a residency requirement that marks a big shift in policy.
While some travelers time their visits to match a no-charge day to save a little money, others avoid them due to longer lines, hard-to-find parking, and crowded trails and overlooks.
One point of agreement usually comes from pass holders. Travelers with an America the Beautiful Senior Lifetime Pass, for example, already enjoy year-round entry without paying standard fees, so the free-day schedule matters less for that group.
The Updated Fee-Free Day List
Several long-standing observances are no longer included in the 2026 schedule. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth, National Public Lands Day, National Parks Day, and the Great American Outdoors Act Day have been removed.
In their place, the National Park Service added four different observances tied to historic anniversaries and national themes. The total number of fee-free days remains the same as in past years.
The 2026 dates are:
- 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
Special Passes Still Apply
Several groups remain eligible for no-cost annual or lifetime passes that cover standard entrance fees:
- Active-duty U.S. military and dependents
- Veterans and Gold Star Families
- U.S. citizens and permanent residents with permanent disabilities
- U.S. 4th-grade students
- Volunteers with 250 service hours
A New Residency Requirement for 2026
The biggest procedural change arrives with a new rule that limits fee waivers to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
Visitors who fall outside those categories will still pay the regular entrance fee and any nonresident surcharges. This shift brings the national park entrance policy more in line with other federal recreation sites that already distinguish between resident and nonresident pricing.
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