From Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon to Yosemite and the Great Smoky Mountains, there are numerous must-see national parks among the hundreds sprinkled across the U.S. If visiting a handful (or maybe even all) of the nation’s finest parks is on your bucket list, the National Park Service offers five days throughout 2023 when entry fees are waived, granting you access to any national park for free.
National park entry fees vary depending on destination — some cost nothing, while others charge as much as $20 a person. After factoring in travel expenses, supplies, and costs for additional activities, a national park trip can be pricey, but visiting on one of these national park free-entrance days can relieve some of the sting:
- Jan. 16 – Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday.
- April 22 – First day of National Park Week.
- Aug. 4 – Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act.
- Sept. 23 – National Public Lands Day.
- Nov. 11 – Veterans Day.
Gallery: Stunning Photos of Every National Park in America
Though visitors won’t have to pay for park access on free days, fees for camping, guided tours, and other services still apply.
