Days In 2025 When It's Free To Visit All National Parks

It was American writer Wallace Stegner who once called America's national parks "the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst," according to the National Parks Service. In many ways, that sentiment still holds. There are 63 national parks and hundreds more sites managed by the National Park Service, including battlefields, forts, rivers, and even roads, like the Blue Ridge Parkway, also called America's favorite drive. Those national park sites, some of which may cost up to $35 to enter, are completely free on six special days in 2025.

The first free day is on January 20, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Next is April 19, which is the start of National Park Week. A month later, on June 19, the parks are free for Juneteenth National Independence Day. The day was first set aside as a federal holiday in 2021 by President Joe Biden to celebrate June 19, 1865, the day when enslaved people in Texas finally learned about the Emancipation Proclamation, and it became a free national park day in 2024. The next free day comes on August 4 to celebrate another legislative act, the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). This 2020 law allocated nearly $2 billion a year for five years to help with park infrastructure and maintenance; never before in the country's history has more money been funneled into supporting the national parks.

All National Park sites are free on September 27 in honor of National Public Lands Day, which is also one of America's largest single-day volunteer events. If you volunteer on National Public Lands Day at some national park sites, you can get a pass for free to a national park on a day of your choosing; check the National Parks Service website for more information on participating parks. The last free day in 2025 is November 11, which is in recognition of Veterans Day. Keep in mind that veterans and Gold Star families can get free annual national park passes anytime, so there is no need to wait for free days.

A few things to note. If there are timed entry requirements for the park you want to go to, those may also include a small processing fee. Even on the six free days, you'll still need to sign up for your entry time and pay any processing fees. You'll also have to pay for any extras beyond admission to the park for things like campsites or boat launches. The only cost that is voided on free entrance days is the admission fee. 

So whether you're looking to challenge yourself by taking on the iconic climb up El Capitan in Yosemite National Park or you want to see wildlife as you explore some of the less crowded national parks, make sure to mark these entry dates on your calendar. You won't want to miss them!