National Park Service Overhauls Free Admission Days, Adding Trump's Birthday and Removing MLK Day, Juneteenth

National Park Service Revises Fee-Free Calendar for 2026

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced a significant overhaul of its fee-free admission days, effective January 1, 2026. The new policy, enacted by the Trump administration, removes Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the list of days offering free entry to national parks. In their place, President Donald Trump's birthday on June 14 has been added as a fee-free day for U.S. citizens and residents.

Key Changes to Fee-Free Days

Historically, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, observed on the third Monday of January, has often been the first fee-free day of the year for national parks. Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery on June 19, was also a fee-free day in 2025. Both of these holidays will no longer offer free admission.

The newly designated fee-free days for 2026 include:

• President Donald Trump's birthday (June 14), which coincides with Flag Day.
• Presidents Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day weekend (three days)
• The 110th birthday of the National Park Service (August 25)
• Constitution Day (September 17)
• President Theodore Roosevelt's birthday (October 27)
• Veterans Day

Other days removed from the fee-free calendar include National Public Lands Day, the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, the first day of National Park Week, the Bureau of Land Management's birthday, and the first Sunday of National Wildlife Refuge Week.

'America-First Pricing' and International Visitors

These changes are part of a broader 'America-first pricing' policy. Beginning January 1, 2026, free entrance days will exclusively apply to U.S. citizens and residents. Non-U.S. residents will be required to pay standard entrance fees and additional non-resident fees on these dates. An additional $100 non-resident fee will be imposed at 11 popular national parks, and the annual pass for non-residents will increase to $250, a significant rise from the $80 annual pass for U.S. residents. This policy follows a July executive order from Mr. Trump, directing agencies to increase fees for international visitors and grant U.S. citizens and residents 'preferential treatment'.

Reactions and Official Stance

The Department of the Interior, which oversees the NPS, described the new fee-exempted dates as 'patriotic fee-free days.' Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum stated that these policies 'ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations.'

However, the policy shift has drawn criticism from various groups. Civil rights leaders and environmental organizations have voiced opposition, calling the changes 'deeply concerning' and suggesting they send a 'troubling message about who our national parks are for.' Some critics view the elimination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth as downplaying America's civil rights history.