Whether you crave the desert’s dry heat, dream of alpine summits, revel in tropical sunshine, or live for the rocky beaches of the North Atlantic, America’s national park system has what you’re looking for. While some national parks and monuments are free, 109 national parks, monuments, seashores, and battlefields are fee-charging.
Visit battlefields, monuments, and military parks to explore history. Enjoy the waves and water at national seashores and lakeshores. Take a driving tour on one of America’s four national byways or go rafting on one of 10 wild and scenic rivers. Wherever you choose to go, there’s a KOA campground close by. Over 500 KOA campgrounds across the country have roomy campsites and comfortable cabins, loads of family activities to wind down after a day in the national parks, and friendly staff who are ready to help you get the most out of your park visit.
Visiting the national parks is one of the most economical vacation options there is, but it’s never more affordable than on six free entry days, when all the national park sites that normally charge an entry fee of as much as $35 offer free admission. Previously just five days, in 2024 Juneteenth has been added a fee-free entrance day following it’s recognition as a federal holiday in 2021. Pick a new park to explore, or return to an old favorite, to celebrate these special park holidays in 2024.
When are All National Parks Free? Visit National Parks for Free on These Six Days
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – January 15
First Day of National Park Week – April 20
Juneteenth National Independence Day – June 19
Anniversary or the Great American Outdoors Act – August 4
National Public Lands Day – September 28
Veterans Day – November 11
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – January 15
Monday, January 15 is the first admission-free day of the year, and hundreds of volunteers will be participating in park service projects to honor the occasion. Check a park near you for volunteer opportunities, or celebrate with a visit to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC, a journey along the 46-mile Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail in Alabama, or a visit to Georgia’s Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park.
First Day of National Park Week – April 20
Kick-off National Park Week by participating in a ranger-led hike, interpretive program, or Park Week festival on fee-free Monday, April 20. Pick one of the National Park’s least visited sites, like Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho, Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve in Washington, or Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Montana and Wyoming, all as spectacular as any national park but a lot less crowded.
Juneteenth National Independence Day – June 19
One of the oldest known commemorations of the abolition of slavery in the United States, Juneteenth National Independence day is the newest federally recognized holiday and a new addition to the fee-free days at national parks. Juneteenth celebrates the final emancipation of enslaved African Americans, which took place in Texas in 1865, three years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Consider a visit to Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument or Mammoth Cave National Park – where enslaved Black people and later generations of Black guides helped develop modern cave exploration.
Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act – August 4
Passed in 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) provides funding to improve infrastructure and expand opportunities for recreation in national parks and other public lands. Providing billions of dollars to make significant enhancements to America’s national wonders, the GAOA is critical to ensuring preservation and education for current and future park visitors. Go rafting in Glacier National Park, cycle the paved Shark Valley loop in the Everglades, try fishing in Denali or Voyageurs, or stay up late to enjoy the starry skies in Death Valley.
National Public Lands Day – September 28
Established in 1994, National Public Lands Day is held the fourth Saturday in September and is traditionally the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort celebrating the connection between people and green space in their community. Hike a portion of the Appalachian Trail or Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail. Paddle California’s Trinity and Klamath Rivers or Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways. It’s also the perfect opportunity to look for volunteer opportunities in your nearby parks and nature areas. As an added benefit, when you volunteer in the parks on September 28, you’ll receive a one-day pass to use on another park visit in the future.
Veterans Day – November 11
The final fee-free day of the year falls on Veterans Day to commemorate and honor the service of American veterans. Choose a battlefield, military park, or historic site to visit on November 11 and learn about the men and women who gave their lives in defense of our country. Take a trip to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota to learn about the iconic sculpture of four legendary presidents, or the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor to see where World War II began for the U.S in 1941.
National Park Sites that Normally Charge An Entrance Fee
Alabama
Little River Canyon National Preserve
Alaska
Denali National Park & Preserve
Arizona
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Grand Canyon National Park
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Petrified Forest National Park
Pipe Spring National Monument
Saguaro National Park
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Tonto National Monument
Tumacácori National Historical Park
Tuzigoot National Monument
Walnut Canyon National Monument
Wupatki National Monument
Arkansas
Fort Smith National Historic Site
California
Cabrillo National Monument
Death Valley National Park
Devils Postpile National Monument
Joshua Tree National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lava Beds National Monument
Muir Woods National Monument
Pinnacles National Park
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Yosemite National Park
Colorado
Bent’s Old Forst National Historic Site
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Colorado National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Mesa Verde National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Florida
Canaveral National Seashore
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
Dry Tortugas National Park
Everglades National Park
Gulf Islands National Seashore
Georgia
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Cumberland Island National Seashore
Fort Pulaski National Monument
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Hawai’i
Haleakalā National Park
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
Idaho
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
Yellowstone National Park
Louisiana
Poverty Point National Monument
Maine
Acadia National Park
Maryland
Antietam National Battlefield
Assateague Island National Seashore
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
Massachusetts
Adams National Historical Park
Cape Cod National Seashore
Michigan
Isle Royale National Seashore
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Minnesota
Pipestone National Monument
Mississippi
Vicksburg National Military Park
Missouri
Gateway Arch National Park
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield
Montana
Glacier National Park
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Yellowstone National Park
Nevada
Death Valley National Park
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
New Hampshire
Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site
New Jersey
Thomas Edison National Historical Park
New Mexico
Bandelier National Monument
Capulin Volcano National Monument
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Valles Caldera National Preserve
White Sands National Monument
New York
Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
Statue of Liberty National Monument
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Nationa Historic Site
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
North Carolina
Wright Brothers National Memorial
North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Ohio
First Ladies National Historic Site
James A. Garfield National Historic Site
Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial
Oregon
Crater Lake National Park
Lewis & Clark National Historical Park
Pennsylvania
Steamtown National Historic Site
Puerto Rico
San Juan National Historic Site
South Carolina
Fort Sumter National Monument
South Dakota
Badlands National Park
Texas
Big Bend National Park
Fort Davis National Historic Site
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Padre Island National Seashore
Utah
Arches National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Golden Spike National Historic Site
Natural Bridges National Monument
Zion National Park
Virgin Islands
Christiansted National Historic Site
Virginia
Great Falls Park
Prince William Forest Park
Shenandoah National Park
Washington
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Lewis & Clark National Historical Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Olympic National Park
West Virginia
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Wyoming
Devils Tower National Monument
Grand Teton National Park
Yellowstone National Park
About the Author: Kampgrounds of America
Kampgrounds of America is the largest system of open-to-the-public campgrounds in the world, with over 500 locations across the United States and Canada. Founded in Billings, MT in 1962, KOA’s family of campground brands – KOA Journey, KOA Holiday and KOA Resort – today serve more than a million camping families each year. KOA is dedicated to “connecting people to the outdoors and each other” by providing people with a variety of camping experiences and the information they need to make the most of their camping trip. Read more of their camping and travel resources by visiting KOA.com/blog.
