About a quarter of the country’s 400-plus national parks charge a nominal entrance fee (between five and 35 bucks), and much of that money goes to much-needed upkeep, as park sites have a huge backlog of maintenance needs.
But this week, the National Park Service announced that on six dates next year they will waive the fee at all sites that require cash to enter. So if you’ve been planning a visit to Shenandoah National Park or Cumberland Island National Seashore, here are the 2024 free entrance days.
January 15: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
April 20: First day of National Park Week
June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
September 28: National Public Lands Day
November 11: Veterans Day
A full list of participating parks can be found here.
Frequent national park visitors should also consider an annual America the Beautiful pass, which for $80 covers entrance fees at lands managed by the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as day use fees at lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Photo credit: NPS Photo/Susie Sernaker
