You Can Visit U.S. National Parks for Free on These Days in 2023
The National Park Service just announced its annual list of parks offering free entry on special days. Bonus points if you’re a fourth grader.
We’re here for national parks!
The U.S. National Park System is notably one of “America’s best ideas” (well, at least if Ken Burns has anything to say about it). When the U.S. Congress established Yellowstone as the first national park in 1872, it was to democratize the outdoors and instill a sense of stewardship, camaraderie, and even peace amongst people. This marked the beginning of the U.S. National Park System and eventually snowballed into a worldwide movement to protect outdoor spaces and historical landmarks (have you seen Barack Obama’s take on everything from Tsavo to Chilean Patagonia?)
The National Park Service has just announced its annual list of parks offering free entry on special days, which normally require a fee to get in. With more than 400 parks across the country, the options are almost endless.
Exploring Death Valley National Park, California.
The 2023 everyone days are:
Mon. Jan. 16: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday
Sat. Apr. 22: First day of National Park Week
Fri. Aug. 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Sat. Sep. 23: National Public Lands Day
Fri. Nov. 11: Veterans Day
If the five annual free days don’t fit your schedule, some of the national parks are fee-free every day of the year. We also highly recommend the annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass which allows unlimited entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks (visiting about two to three of them via car would pay the pass off).
Free National Parks Year Round
North Cascades National Park / Washington
Redwood National Park + Channel Islands National Park / California
Great Smoky Mountains National Park / Tennessee
Kenai Fjords National Park, Kobuk Valley National Park, Lake Clark + Wrangell-St. Elias National Park / Alaska
Voyageurs National Park / Minnesota
Hot Springs National Park / Arkansas
Congaree National Park / South Carolina
Great Basin National Park / Nevada
New River Gorge National Park / West Virginia
Have a Fourth Grader?
The National Park System is offering a free pass to the national parks for their entire fourth-grade year through their Every Kids Outdoors program. It’s is a great way to spark curiosity in kids about the outdoors, learn about the national parks and get outside into wildlife refuges, marine sanctuaries, and forests.
Even better, the Junior Ranger Booklet incentivizes kids to become stewards of the parks with downloadable activity books and virtual badges.
A park ranger helps a visitor at Death Valley National Park, California, USA.
Greening Your National Park Visit
Visitors play a vital role in protecting and conserving our national parks, whether it’s a day trip to a nearby park or a road trip through several parks, there are many ways to make your visit a sustainable one:
Leave No Trace by encouraging us to reduce environmental impacts + protect the natural world.
Leave rocks, shells + plants as you found them. Instead, purchase locally made goods that support the community as a souvenir.
Properly dispose of waste. If no waste or recycling bins are available, pack up your trash and take it with you when you leave the area.
Keep your hike on a designated trail to avoid harming plant or wildlife and ensure safety.
Treat wildlife with respect—do not follow, approach, or feed any animals you may encounter.
