National parks are a great resource for the ordinary outdoorsman. Public lands provide us with so many recreational, educational, and outdoor activity opportunities. And the chances are that there is at least one park near you that is operated by the National Park Service.
But park entry isn’t always cheap…not to worry!
“On four days in 2018, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone.” nps.gov
The National Park Service is offering four free national park entry days this year. All national parks that normally charge an entrance fee will be free on these dates. While there will be fewer free national park entry days this year than last year, these days are still an excellent opportunity to get to know a park near you.
2018 free National Park entry days
- January 15: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- April 21: First day of National Park Week
- September 22: National Public Lands Day
- November 11: Veterans Day
More than just “National Parks”
These free national park entry days apply to locations operated by the National Park Service. If it has “national” in the name, and is operated by the park service, then it is free on these dates…national monuments, recreation areas, and more! There are more than 400 parks in the system!
If you want to verify that your local “national” park (monument, etc.) is participating, you can go here and check the list. Parks that are always free are not listed.
