Here’s when you can get into all national parks free in 2026

It’s getting pretty darn pricey to get into a national park these days — at least one that charges admission — but if you plan ahead, you can visit on one of the annual days that don’t charge fees. This can save you $50 or even more, but it’s a good idea to plan in advance.

For starters, I strongly recommend getting yourself out of bed before sunrise (c’mon, you can do it) so you arrive at the park before it gets crowded. This means a beautiful, uncrowded drive watching the sun come up and an easy hunt for parking, plus hiking trails with hardly anyone else around.

Then, when the thundering hordes start arriving to take advantage of the free day, you’ve already been to the most popular places. And you can hit the lesser known spots, or, if you’re like me, even go to a nice leisurely late lunch and then head home.

For 2026, there will be eight federal holidays when Americans (and only Americans and legal residents) will have free entry to the national parks, but this year not on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 19) or Juneteenth (June 19) — two holidays honoring Black history. Those have been eliminated.

Free access was added on Flag Day (June 14), which also happens to be President Trump’s birthday.

Here are the 2026 fee-free dates:

Feb. 16: Presidents Day (Washington’s Birthday)
May 25: Memorial Day
June 14: Flag Day/President Trump’s birthday
July 3-5: Independence Day weekend
Aug. 25: 110th Birthday of the National Park Service
Sept. 17: Constitution Day
Oct. 27: Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday
Nov. 11: Veterans Day

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

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YOSEMITE, CA – FEBRUARY 22: A view of El Capitan as snow blanked Yosemite National Park in California, United States on February 22, 2023. Winter storm warning issued in Yosemite Valley until Saturday. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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You don’t need to sign up or register. But check if you need reservations. You’ll need to go to recreation.gov and search for the park you want and “timed entry” to find the reservation information. Also, note that free days are now only for American legal residents. Foreigners will pay much higher fees.

Here are the nine national parks in California: Channel Islands (the boat ride won’t be free), Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Lassen, Pinnacles, Redwood, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, and Yosemite. (Note that Yosemite’s still going to be snowy in February, and probably Lassen and Kings Canyon too.)

Learn more: nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm#free_entrance_days