Yahoo Lifestyle These are the dates you can enter national parks for free in 2025
Visiting a national park can be priceless.
For a few days each year, it's also free.
The National Park Service is offering free entry to all 433 of its parks for six dates in 2025.
“Whether you are a family looking for a weekend getaway, friends seeking a memorable outing, or even solo adventurers desiring to connect with nature, free entrance days make it easier for everyone to explore the parks,” the Park Service said in a press release.
From Acadia to Zion and beyond, here's what travelers planning national park trips should know.
Free national park entrance days for 2025
Jan. 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
April 19 – First day of National Park Week
June 19 – Juneteenth National Independence Day
Aug. 4 – Great American Outdoors Act signing day
Sept. 27 – National Public Lands Day
Nov. 11 – Veterans Day
The dates are the same free entrance day offered in 2024.
Are all US national parks free?
Yes. Every park within the National Park System is free to enter on those six dates in 2025.
Only 63 sites have "national park" capitalized in their titles, like Yellowstone National Park. However, regardless of naming conventions – whether it's a national historic site or a national seashore – the National Park Service commonly refers to them all as parks and all of its sites will offer free entry.
Only about a quarter of all parks require entrance passes, with fees topping out at $35. Revenue from the fees goes toward visitor services, such as enhancing accessibility and restoring wildlife habitats, and other amenities. Travelers can find park-specific fees on the National Park Service website and each park’s webpage.
How can I avoid national park fees?
The easiest way is to visit the parks on a free-entry day, but some groups are eligible for free entry all year round.
Fourth graders and family members traveling with them
U.S. military service members and their dependents, U.S. veterans and dependents and Gold Star families
U.S. citizens or permanent residents with disabilities
Volunteers who’ve spent at least 250 hours on volunteer activities and projects at federal recreation sites
What is the closest national park?
Every state has a park within the National Park System. To find your nearest site, visit NPS.gov/findapark.
The National Park Service encourages travelers to consider a few factors in planning their trips, including “seasonal changes, how much daylight you’ll need, and if you need to get to the park early in the day to get parking or take advantage of lower temperatures.” Visitors should also research if advanced reservations are required for timed entry, camping, lodging and activities such as cave tours. More tips can be found on the Park Service’s Trip Planning Guide.
(This story has been updated with new information.)
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National parks are free to enter on these 2025 dates
