Free entry to national parks on June 19th
As travelers that like to frequent national parks, we always like to highlight ways that more people can enjoy these American treasures. While many national park sites charge an entry fee, especially those that are the most popular, there are several days a year where there is free entry to national parks. On June 19th, all national parks sites will have free entry in recognition of Juneteenth. Juneteenth marks the effective end of slavery in the U.S. More information on the history of Juneteenth can be read here from the National Museum of African-American History & Culture.
The National Park System covers more than 400 locations across the United States. Of the 400 national park sites, just over 100 charge an entry fee. These fees usually range from $20 to $35 per vehicle.
Sites that normally charge a fee
A full list can be found here, but we wanted to highlight some of the most popular to consider adding to your list:
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Yosemite National Park
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Haleakala National Park
- Yellowstone National Park
- Glacier National Park
- Zion National Park
- Olympic National Park
- Acadia National Park
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
- Arches National Park
- Mount Rainier National Park
Planning ahead
In addition to June 19th, here are the remaining days this year with no entrance fees:
August 4 – Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
September 28 – National Public Lands Day
November 11 – Veterans Day
Note that the free entry doesn’t just cover national parks. Historical parks, national seashores, memorials, and monuments that normally require an entry fee are also fee-free on the days listed above.
More national park posts
It’s one of our travel goals to visit all of the national parks in the U.S. As of April 2024, we’ve visited 21 of the existing 63 national parks. For inspiration and guides, check out our other posts on national parks:
- Earn points and miles on national park visits
- Free entry to national parks
- National parks requiring reservations in 2024
- What to do at Congaree National Park
- How to spend one day at Petrified Forest National Park
- Things to do at Channel Islands National Park
- Things to do at New River Gorge National Park
