How to Visit National Parks for Free in 2025

From the towering mountains of North Cascades and underwater ecosystem of Biscayne to the geothermal marvels of Yellowstone and vast dunes of White Sands, the national parks encompass some of the best of what the U.S. has to offer.

However, national park entrance fees can be expensive — the most popular parks charge up to $35 per vehicle. Fortunately, the National Park Service (NPS) offers fee-free days to outdoor lovers throughout the year.

Whether you’re planning a vacation on a budget or just want to save a few bucks, on these dates you can hike, swim or simply enjoy the views without the usual entrance fee. Here are the free national park days in 2025, plus some other tips and tricks to save money at national parks throughout the rest of the year.

There are five days in 2025 where the Forest Service waives recreation fees at most day-use sites on lands managed by the agency.

Here are those days when you can visit any U.S. national park without paying a fee:

• Jan. 20, 2025: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

• April 19, 2025: First day of National Park Week.

• June 14, 2025: National Get Outdoors Day.

• June 19, 2025: Juneteenth.

• Aug. 4, 2025: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act.

• Sept. 27, 2025: National Public Lands Day.

• Nov. 11, 2025: Veterans Day.

» Learn more: ​​The best East Coast national parks

These five days a year aren’t the only way to score free entrance to the national parks. Here are some other ways to gain access for free year-round.

Show your military ID

Whether you’re active military or a veteran, you can get a free annual pass to enter the national parks. A Military Annual Pass is for those currently serving in a branch of the U.S. armed forces and their dependents.

You must present proof of eligibility (e.g. a military ID or other valid form of identification) but you can obtain it in person at a park or online (for a small fee).

Veterans with a valid ID and Gold Star Families (with a valid voucher) can get a free Military Lifetime Pass. Obtain one at a federal recreation site or the United States Geological Survey online store for a minimal processing fee.

Visit with a fourth-grader

One way to gain free access to national parks in 2025 is to go with a fourth-grade student. To obtain the pass, you must have a valid paper voucher from the Every Kid Outdoors website (a digital copy on a phone won’t cut it). When presented at a national park property, it can be exchanged for a free 4th Grade Pass, which will grant the student and their family entry to the parks for the entire school year plus the following summer.

Show proof of permanent disability

Those who can show proof of permanent disability, along with citizenship or residency, can get a free lifetime Access Pass to enter all national recreation areas. You can apply online, in person at a park or by mail for this pass. It also has the added benefit of offering discounts of up to 50% on some park-operated amenities like camping and interpretive services.

Log those volunteer hours

If you’re passionate about volunteering, you may want to consider doing so at participating Interagency Pass Program federal agencies, which include the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Once you rack up 250 volunteer hours (over one or several years), you can pick up a free annual pass.

» Learn more: Parks on points: popular Arizona and Utah national parks

Buy 63 packs of OFF! Deep Woods insect repellent

When you purchase the OFF!® Deep Woods 63-Pack on Amazon (which will cost you more than $500), you'll receive:

• 63 cans of OFF!® Deep Woods 4oz insect repellent (that's one for each of the 63 U.S. national parks).

• A free America the Beautiful Annual Pass.

You're going to really need a lot of bug spray to make this one make sense, so most people shouldn't bother chasing this deal. However, if you, say, run a camp or other venue where bug spray is essential, then it might be worth checking out, while supplies last.

Not all national parks charge entrance fees — many are free year-round.

Note that if you want to see the caves at Great Basin, Mammoth Cave or Wind Cave national parks, you’ll need to pay a fee to join a tour. The same goes for riding the elevator to the top of Gateway Arch.

» Learn more: ​​The cheapest ways to rent an RV for a month

• Buy an annual pass: If you plan to visit more than two or three national parks in a year that charge an entrance fee, it may be worth it to purchase an annual pass. It costs $80, so if you visit three parks that charge $30 entrance fees, the pass will save you money.

• Load up the car: Many parks charge an entrance fee “per vehicle,” not per person. That means your entrance fee or annual pass covers everyone in a single vehicle, so consider carpooling to save money. At parks that charge “per person,” four adults are covered by an annual pass, but more than that will be charged the per-person rate. 

• Go with a senior: If you or someone you know is over the age of 62, a lifetime pass costs $80 or an annual pass costs $20 — an excellent value.

• Check for timed entry and reservation requirements: Several of the more popular parks require timed entry reservations during parts of the year or to visit specific areas of the park. These often need to be purchased in advance, so check before you go to make sure you won’t be turned away when you arrive.

» Learn more: ​​Glacier National Park 3-day itinerary

According to data analyzed by RVshare as part of RVshare’s 2025 Travel Trend Report, the top national park destination for 2025 is Grand Canyon National Park. That park ties with a few others as the most expensive.

Entrance fees costs $35 per private vehicle, and you can put up to 15 people in one van. Motorcycles get a slight discount at $30 — albeit a motorcycle likely isn't carrying in 15 people. For pedestrians entering on foot or bike, the entrance fee is $20. All of those admission fees cover seven consecutive days.

Acadia National Park in Maine, which — according to RVshare — is the top rising destination in 2025, has the same price structure as the Grand Canyon, making it also among the most expensive parks.

But visit those parks (or any others) on one of these free 2025 days to avoid that fee entirely.