Visit America's national parks for free on these six days in 2024
It's time to plan that visit to your dream national park destination. For a few days each year, every national park in America is free to visit — including hundreds of national monuments, seashores, historic sites and more.
Less than a quarter of them have entry fees, but those that do charge up to $20 per person or up to $35 per vehicle. Revenue from these fees stays in the National Park Service to cover visitor services, including enhancing accessibility, restoring wildlife habitat and more.
"National parks are places that awaken senses, inspire curiosity, encourage reflection, and foster joy," National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said in a statement. "The entrance fee-free days expand opportunities for people to visit their national parks and experience the beauty and history of our country."
There's a new addition to the entrance fee-free days next year: Juneteenth, which became recognized as a federal holiday in 2021.
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National park free entry days for 2024
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
Fees for certain activities like camping and fishing will still be in place. Additionally, parks operated in partnership with outside parties may charge other types of fees. For instance, Waco Mammoth charges an access fee for its dig shelter. That park is jointly managed by the Park Service, the City of Waco, Texas, and Baylor University. Visitors can find site-specific details on park websites.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National parks will offer free entry these six days in 2024
