During this festive season of joy and giving, the National Park Service presents the entrance fee-free dates for 2024. On these days, and throughout the year, all are invited to experience the magic and wonder of national parks.

“National parks are places that awaken senses, inspire curiosity, encourage reflection, and foster joy,” said Chuck Sams, National Park Service director. “The entrance fee-free days expand opportunities for people to visit their national parks and experience the beauty and history of our country.”

The entrance fee-free days for 2024 are:

– Jan.  15 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

– April 20 – First Day of  National Park Week

– June 19 – Juneteenth

– Aug.  4 – Great American Outdoors Day

– Sept. 28 – National Public Lands Day

– Nov. 11 – Veterans Day 

National parks are wallet-friendly options year-round. More than 300 of the country’s more than 400 national parks are free to enter every day. Also, with at least one national park in every state and most major metropolitan areas, they provide close-to-home choices for recreation and inspiration. Detailed information about things to do and see in each park is available on NPS.gov and the NPS app.

The cost to enter parks with entrance fees ranges from $10 to $35. The funds remain in the National Park Service and 80-100% stays in the park where collected. The revenue supports visitor services, including enhancing accessibility, restoring wildlife habitat, and providing ranger programs, and adding or upgrading restrooms, campgrounds, trails, and other facilities.   

The fee waiver for the fee-free days applies only to National Park Service entrance fees and does not cover amenity or user fees for camping, boat launches, transportation, special tours, or other activities.  

The annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass covers entry at more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks. There are also free or discounted passes available for current members of the U.S. military and their dependents, military veterans, Gold Star Families, fourth grade students, individuals with permanent disabilities, and senior citizens.

Other federal land management agencies offering their own fee-free days in 2024 are the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s more than 400 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. www.nps.gov