From the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone Park, and the Everglades to Acadia, national parks across the U.S. attract more than 300 million visitors every year. The national park system contains 417 diverse and spectacular sites, including parks in Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands.
Every year, the National Park Service offers free entry on designated days, and this year is no different. Here are 2018’s free entry days, as well as ways to gain free or reduced entry throughout the year, and how to cut the overall cost of your visit to the national parks. (See also: 11 Incredible UNESCO World Heritage Sites Right Here in the U.S.)
Free entry days for 2018
Last year saw 10 separate dates designated as National Park free entry days, while in 2016, the number of free days stood at 16. Unfortunately, this year has seen the number of free entry days cut down to just four, representing a 75 percent decrease in just three years.
However, despite their decline in volume, these days still represent an amazing opportunity to visit parks that normally charge a fee of up to $25, for absolutely nothing. The four national park free entry days for 2018 are:
January 15 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
April 21 – First day of National Park Week
September 22 – National Public Lands Day
November 11 – Veterans Day
What’s not included
While the entry fee for all of the national parks is waived on these days, that doesn’t mean that everything in the parks will be free. Many of the amenities are outsourced to private companies, and these companies are not obliged to reduce or waive their fees.
As a result, you may have to pay for things like entrance to museums, privately run attractions, and parking lots.The National Park Service says, “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.”
Check in advance with the park you plan to visit as to whether the activities you’re interested in are available for free, in order to avoid any disappointment.
How to get reduced entrance fees throughout the year
If you can’t make it to the parks on the fee-free days, here’s how to get reduced entrance fees throughout the year.
Purchase an annual pass
For $80 you can buy an annual pass, good for entry to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, which includes all of the national parks. You’re able to purchase annual passes in person at any of these federal recreation sites,…
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