National parks cut free entry for MLK Day, add Trump’s birthday
Americans will get free admission to national parks on President Donald Trump’s birthday but no longer on Juneteenth and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
There are 63 national parks spread out across the country – and during 10 days in 2026, it’ll be free to visit them all.
The National Park Service recently announced this year’s free-entry days, when the sites that typically charge an entrance fee will offer free admission, though other fees, including timed entry or reservation fees, may still apply.
The free-entry days will, starting in 2026, be limited to “U.S. citizens and residents only,” with nonresidents still required to pay the regular entrance fee and “any applicable nonresident fees,” according to the National Park Service website.
There are a few changes from past years. The list of free-entry days no longer includes Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Juneteenth. However, Flag Day – also President Donald Trump’s birthday – has been added, along with the Fourth of July weekend and the National Park Service’s birthday, USA TODAY reported.
The National Park Service manages 63 national parks and hundreds of other sites, covering more than 85 million acres in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, the agency’s website says.
When are the free-entry days for national parks in 2026?
These are the dates in 2026 when entry to the national parks will be free:
- Feb. 16: Presidents Day
- May 25: Memorial Day
- June 14: Flag Day
- July 3–5: Independence Day weekend
- Aug. 25: National Park Service’s 110th birthday
- Sept. 17: Constitution Day
- Oct. 27: Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday
- Nov. 11: Veterans Day
Will there be any free-entry days for South Dakota state parks in 2026?
All of South Dakota’s state parks and recreation areas will be free to enter during the state’s Open House weekend, which will be May 17-19, according to South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks spokesperson Nick Harrington.
That weekend will also be Free Fishing Weekend, when no fishing licenses are required, though limits and other regulations still apply.
