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Free Entrance Days in the National Parks
January 20, 2020 @ 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Free Entrance Days in the National Parks
NPS photo
Come experience the national parks! On five days in 2020, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in 2020:
- January 20: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- April 18: First day of National Park Week
- August 25: National Park Service Birthday
- September 26: National Public Lands Day
- November 11: Veterans Day
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 favorite, especially one of the national parks that normally charge an entrance fee. The others are free all the time. The entrance fee waiver for fee-free days does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.
The annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass allows unlimited entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks that normally charge an entrance fee. There are also free or discounted passes available for senior citizens, current members of the military, families of fourth-grade students, and disabled citizens. Learn more about the variety of passes offered by the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass series.
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
NPS Photo
In honor of the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., National Park Service sites planned free admission for everyone on Monday, January 20, 2020, as the first fee free day of the year. Commemorated on the third Monday of January, it is also a day of service when hundreds of volunteers participate in service projects at parks across the country.
Visit parks connected to the life and legacy of Dr. King:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, Georgia – Walk through Dr. King’s neighborhood in Atlanta that influenced his life and visit his birthplace, home, church, and gravesites.
- Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, Alabama – Retrace the steps of the 1965 Voting Rights March led by Dr. King on this 45-mile long trail.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, District of Columbia – Reflect on the words of Dr. King at his memorial near Lincoln Memorial, where he shared his dream for the nation in one of the most famous speeches in American history.
Check out volunteer opportunities inspired by a day of service or attend a ranger program to learn more about the history of Dr. King and the pursuit of civil rights in America.
