The national parks of the U.S. have had a long tradition of waiving entry fees on certain days of the year, with the practice becoming more formalized by the National Park Service in the 2010s.
Exactly which days these were have varied over time, but the Trump administration’s announcement of the Fee Free Days for 2026 have caused a lot of controversy due to it ending long standing traditions.
Several days with no precedent have been added, including Constitution Day (Sep. 17), Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday (Oct. 27) and Flag Day (June 14) which coincides with Trump’s birthday.
But the main source of criticism has been the administration’s decision to remove several days that have been a continuous tradition for over fifteen years, most notably Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
This, combined with the administration’s decision to no longer recognize Juneteenth, has been seen as an attempt to remove two of the U.S.’s most important civil rights holidays; a move that has drawn criticism from many activists and civil rights leaders.
Another concern is that the Fee Free Days only apply to American citizens or permanent residents. Non residents and international visitors will not only be denied free entry, they will also have to pay the standard entrance fee plus $100 per person. If these visitors want to purchase an annual pass it will cost them $250, compared to the $80 cost for American citizens.
Some estimates indicate that the revenue generated by the national parks well exceeded the cost of maintaining them, while the Department of the Interior’s claims that these changes will force international visitors to “contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks.”
It is also unclear how national park workers are supposed to tell if a visitor is an American resident or not, especially with groups that may be a mixture of residents and non residents. There has also been no comment made on how these rules will be enforced in light of the mass layoffs within the national park services in 2025.
Despite the DOI’s claims about “affordable access”, these changes could make it more difficult for Americans to continue enjoying the nation’s parks.
For many individuals and groups it was an annual tradition to take advantage of the Fee Free Days on MLK Day, National Park Week (Apr) or National Public Lands Day. Eliminating these dates as Fee Free Days will force many to either pay more for their visit, or reschedule for another date, both of which may be difficult or impossible depending on individual circumstances.
These changes are seen by many as another attempt to prop up the president’s image at the cost of the nation’s real heritage. In years past the Fee Free Days were a mixture of civil rights holidays, public land observances and commemorative anniversaries, but in 2026 they will be centered almost exclusively on what officials call “patriotic fee-free days.”
Erik Larson, reporter
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