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This is when you can go to national parks for free in 2025

Visit a national park in 2025 during one of these special days for a waved entrance fee

Yosemite National Park in winter
Austin Prock / Unsplash

There are over 400 national parks, monuments, and historical sites in the United States, so if visiting a national park is on your bucket list, 2025 is the year to make it happen! The National Park Service has just announced six free entrance days for the new year so visitors can enjoy the beauty and history of America’s parks without paying an entrance fee.

Here’s a list of free entrance days for 2025

Mount Rainier National Park in the winter
NPS / NPS
  • January 20 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • April 19 – First Day of National Park Week
  • June 19 – Juneteenth National Independence Day
  • August 4 – Great American Outdoors Act Signing Day
  • September 27 – National Public Lands Day
  • November 11 – Veterans Day

All entrance fees for national parks will be waived during these days, but please be aware that all timed entry and reservation systems will still be in place. If you’re itching to go on a particular adventure, like Angel’s Landing at Zion National Park or Cadillac Summit Road at Acadia, you’ll want to be sure to snag your spot and reserve early. Any extra fees associated with these activities will also remain in place.

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If you’re looking for an adventure this coming year, check out one of these national parks:

  • Grand Canyon National Park: View stunning layered red rock canyons that were carved by the Colorado River.
  • Glacier National Park: Known as the “Crown of the Continent,” this park features stunning glaciers, alpine meadows, and pristine mountain lakes.
  • Yosemite National Park: Famous for towering granite cliffs, majestic waterfalls, and ancient giant sequoias in California’s Sierra Nevada.
  • Joshua Tree National Park: A surreal desert landscape where the Mojave and Colorado Deserts meet, filled with iconic Joshua trees and unique rock formations.
  • Yellowstone National Park: The world’s first national park featuring dramatic geothermal features like Old Faithful.
  • Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park: Home to active volcanoes Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. Here, you can view dramatic lava landscapes.
  • Acadia National Park: A coastal treasure in Maine, full of rugged cliffs, scenic drives, and the highest point on the Atlantic coast.
  • Mount Rainier National Park: Dominated by the towering Mount Rainier, this park is a haven for wildflower meadows, glaciers, and lush evergreen forests.
Sarah Joseph
With a bright sense of adventure and a heart for the mountains, Sarah is always thrilled to share nature with others through…
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