5 days in 2023 when all US national parks are free

Put these dates in your diaries. Over 400 US national parks are free to visit on five days this year

Visiting one of America’s iconic national parks is always a great idea and it’s even sweeter when it’s free. The National Park Service (NPS) has announced five days in 2023 when entrance fees will be waived at every site around the USA. 

There are over 400 NPS-managed sites across the US representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the unincorporated territories of American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The list includes all 63 national parks as well as hundreds of other units such as national monuments, historic sites, preserves, reserves, rivers, parkways and recreation areas.

“National parks are America’s best idea, and there are more than 400 parks available to everyone, every day. The fee-free days provide a great opportunity to visit a new place or an old favourite, especially one of the national parks that normally charge an entrance fee.”

– NPS

While most NPS sites are free to enter year-round, many of the most famous – and most visited – national parks charge an entrance fee. In recent years, America’s public lands have reported record numbers of visitors which forced several national parks to introduce reservation systems to counteract the unsustainable rise.

While some national parks have lifted their reservation systems, others will still be in place during the fee-free days and are likely to be even busier than usual. Use the NPS website to plan your visit and check whether you will need to make a reservation.

Fee-free US national parks

The following 109 NPS-managed sites usually charge a fee but will be waiving it on the five nationally designated days this year. Those not on the list below are already free.

1. Acadia National Park, Maine
2. Adams National Historical Park, Massachusetts
3. Antietam National Battlefield, Maryland
4. Arches National Park, Utah
5. Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland-Virginia
6. Badlands National Park, South Dakota
7. Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico
8. Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, Colorado
9. Big Bend National Park, Texas
10. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
11. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
12. Cabrillo National Monument, California
13. Canaveral National Seashore, Florida
14. Canyonlands National Park, Utah
15. Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts
16. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
17. Capulin Volcano National Monument, New Mexico
18. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
19. Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Florida
20. Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah
21. Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
22. Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia
23. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland-West Virginia-DC
24. Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia-Tennessee
25. Christiansted National Historic Site, Virgin Islands

26. Colonial National Historical Park, Virginia
27. Colorado National Monument, Colorado
28. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
29. Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve, Idaho
30. Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia
31. Death Valley National Park, California-Nevada
32. Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska
33. Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming
34. Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado-Utah
35. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
36. Everglades National Park, Florida
37. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado
38. Fort Davis National Historic Site, Texas
39. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Maryland
40. Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia
41. Fort Smith National Historic Site, Arkansas-Oklahoma
42. Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, South Carolina
43. Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Oregon-Washington
44. Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri
45. George Washington Memorial Parkway’s Great Falls Park, Virginia
46. Glacier National Park, Montana
47. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona-Utah
48. Golden Spike National Historical Park, Utah
49. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
50. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

51. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Colorado
52. Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
53. Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida-Mississippi
54. Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii
55. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, West Virginia-Virginia-Maryland
56. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
57. Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, New York
58. Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado-Utah
59. Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana
60. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
61. Joshua Tree National Park, California
62. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia
63. Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Arizona-Nevada
64. Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
65. Lava Beds National Monument, California
66. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Oregon, Washington
67. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana
68. Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
69. Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona
70. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
71. Muir Woods National Monument, California
72. Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah
73. Olympic National Park, Washington
74. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
75. Padre Island National Seashore, Texas

76. Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial, Ohio
77. Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
78. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
79. Pinnacles National Park, California
80. Pipe Spring National Monument, Arizona
81. Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota
82. Prince William Forest Park, Virginia
83. Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, Hawaii
84. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
85. Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, New York
86. Saguaro National Park, Arizona
87. Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, New Hampshire
88. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, California
89. San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
90. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, California
91. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
92. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan
93. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Arizona
94. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
95. Thomas Edison National Historical Park, New Jersey
96. Tonto National Monument, Arizona
97. Tumacácori National Historical Park, Arizona
98. Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona
99. Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico
100. Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, New York

101. Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi, Louisiana
102. Walnut Canyon National Monument, Arizona
103. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, California
104. White Sands National Park, New Mexico
105. Wright Brothers National Memorial, North Carolina
106. Wupatki National Monument, Arizona
107. Yellowstone National Park, Idaho-Montana-Wyoming
108. Yosemite National Park, California
109. Zion National Park, Utah

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