Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, August 8, 2020.
Darwin Fan | Moment | Getty Images
Visitors to national parks will be able to enter for free on April 20 as the federal government waived entrance fees to mark the start of National Parks Week.
National Parks Week will be held for nine days from April 20th to April 28th.
The National Park Service oversees 429 park sites in the United States, 63 of which are national parks. The rest are, for example, national monuments, national battlefields, and national historic sites.
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Admission is always free at most facilities. However, 108 parks do not, including some of the most popular parks like Grand Canyon, Zion, Rocky Mountain, Acadia, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Joshua Tree, and Glacier National Park.
Admission fees, which typically range from $20 to $35 per vehicle, will be waived on April 20th.
Fee structures vary. Some parks may charge per person rather than per vehicle. Also, prices for motorbikes, etc. may vary.
Joshua Tree National Park, California
Casey Kiernan | Moments | Getty Images
April 20th is one of six days in 2024 when admission to all national parks will be free. They include:
- January 15th: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
- April 20: First day of National Parks Week
- June 19th: Juneteenth
- August 4: America’s Great Outdoors Act Anniversary
- September 28: National Public Lands Day
- November 11: Veterans Day
Please note additional entry requirements
April 27, 2023, Yosemite National Park, California.
Tama Mario | Getty Images News | Getty Images
However, there are some caveats. All parks are free on these days, but some require additional reservations for admission. These reservations usually come with an additional fee.
For example, California’s Yosemite National Park requires reservations to drive in and out of the park during peak hours (5 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time) on many days this year. Examples include holidays and weekends from April 13th to June 30th, and every day from July 1st to August 16th.
Yosemite visitors must make an online reservation in advance to gain entry. The price is $2, non-refundable and valid for 3 consecutive days.
Additionally, Mary Cropper, travel advisor and senior U.S. specialist at Audrey Travel, previously told CNBC that depending on your travel itinerary, even if you plan to visit on a free admission day, you may not be able to visit a national park. He said it may make economic sense to buy an annual pass. .
An $80 annual pass gives you unlimited admission to national parks and other federal recreation areas. Depending on your group, you may be able to get an annual pass at a discount or even for free.
For example, if you plan to visit multiple parks in one trip, a pass is likely a better option, Cropper said.
“You want to do the math,” she said.
