Free Admission to National Parks in 2023

There will be five FREE admission days to national parks, monuments and historic sites in 2023, one less than in 2022. There are more than 400 National Park Service sites nationwide, with at least one in every state.

The fee-free days continue a tradition of FREE admission days to increase access, promote recreational opportunities, improve visitor facilities and conserve natural and historical treasures in national parks, for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people and also foreign visitors to the USA and to our national park sites.

Approximately 100 charge an entrance fee, with costs ranging from $5 to $35. The other 300-plus national parks sites do not have entrance fees.

On admission free days, only the admission is free.

The fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for camping, boat launches, transportation, special tours, or other activities such as IMAX theaters.

Admission free dates for 2023 are:

January 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

April 22 – First Day of National Park Week

August 4 – Great American Outdoors Day 

September 23 – National Public Lands Day

November 11 – Veterans Day

Timed Entry Requirements at Some National Parks

Some more popular national parks now require advance reservations.

Always check the National Park Service website for the specific rules about the location you want to visit.

Detailed information about what there is to see and do at each park is available on NPS.gov or the NPS app.

It is important to know before you go what is open and available, especially if you are interested in overnight accommodations.

Timed Entry for Arches National Park

Visiting Arches between April 1 through October 31, 2023? You’ll need a Timed Entry Ticket to enter the park.
Tickets for April 2023 will go live on Recreation.gov beginning at 8 am MST on January 10, 2023.

The park will release tickets three months in advance in monthly blocks. Reservations will be required from 7 am to 4 pm daily and will cost $2 per reservation. For those without an early reservation, some next-day tickets will be available at 6 pm daily.

For more information, including a complete schedule of ticket releases, visit go.nps.gov/ArchesTicket.

After the success of the 2022 pilot program, the NPS expects timed entry to continue to reduce congestion, provide more reliable park access, and improve visitor experiences—all while protecting Arches’ extraordinary landscape.

National Parks support 300,000+ US Jobs

In 2021, 297 million people visited national parks and spent $20.5 billion in local communities. This supported 322,600 jobs across the country and had a $42.5 billion benefit to the U.S. economy.

Most national parks are always free to enter.

Only about 100 of the 400+ national parks have an entrance fee. For parks with an entrance fee, the cost ranges from $5 to $35 and the money remains in the National Park Service, with 80-100% staying in the park where collected.

The funds are used to enhance the visitor experience by providing programs and services, habitat restoration, and infrastructure maintenance and repair.

Get a Pass

The annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass  allows unlimited access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks, for the passholder and companions accompanying them.

There are also free or discounted passes available for currently serving members of the

Other federal land management agencies offering their own fee-free days in 2023. They  are the

About the National Park Service

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.

Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

As always, stay safe, plan ahead, and #recreateresponsibly.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 20+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter currently serves as 1st VP of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA) and is a former Board Member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW)

Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.

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