All US National Parks Are Free on This Day—Here’s Why
April 10, 2025
2,589
Every spring, the National Park Service (NPS) offers Americans and visitors a chance to experience the natural and cultural beauty of the nation’s parks at no cost.
As part of National Park Week, all national parks that typically charge entrance fees will waive them on April 19, 2025, providing a free day for the public to explore and connect with these national treasures.
The fee-free day not only makes parks more accessible but also serves as a gateway to broader celebrations during National Park Week, an annual event designed to raise awareness about the NPS’s mission and the diverse offerings of more than 400 national park sites across the United States.
When Is National Park Week 2025?
National Park Week 2025 will take place from April 19 through April 27.
According to the National Park Service, the theme for 2025 is “National Park Playlist,” which invites visitors to explore musical connections to America’s parks and history.
The celebration also aligns with other national observances including Earth Day on April 22 and National Volunteer Week from April 20 to 26.
Visitors take photos at the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park on March 2, 2025 in Gardiner, Montana. Visitors take photos at the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park on March 2, 2025 in Gardiner, Montana. William Campbell/Getty Images
When Are All National Parks Free?
Entrance fees will be waived on Saturday, April 19, to mark the opening day of National Park Week. This includes admission to all national park sites that normally charge a fee, such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon.
Is There a Catch?
However, the NPS clarifies that while entrance is free, other costs may still apply. “Visitors still need to pay user fees associated with camping, boat launches and other amenities while in the park,” the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) said in an April 2 blog post.
What Other Events Are Happening on National Park Week?
In addition to the free entry day, several events are planned throughout the nine-day celebration. April 19 also marks National Junior Ranger Day, where children can participate in educational activities and earn badges at participating parks.
Earth Day on April 22 will highlight conservation efforts across various national parks, including programs focused on environmental education and hands-on restoration work.
For those unable to visit a park in person, the National Park Foundation is offering virtual experiences, including digital tours.
“Many parks offer digital tours and webcams you can experience anytime, anywhere,” according to the Foundation’s official site.
Visitors are encouraged to follow and contribute to the celebration using the hashtags #NationalParkWeek and #NationalParkPlaylist on social media. As the National Park Service puts it, “There’s a record collection of things to do and see during National Park Week.”
A legjobb élmény biztosítása érdekében olyan technológiákat használunk, mint a cookie-k az eszközadatok tárolására és/vagy eléréséhez. Ha beleegyezik ezekbe a technológiákba, akkor olyan adatokat dolgozhatunk fel ezen az oldalon, mint a böngészési viselkedés vagy az egyedi azonosítók. A hozzájárulás elmulasztása vagy visszavonása bizonyos funkciókat és funkciókat hátrányosan érinthet.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
