2017 Free Entrance Days At US National Parks

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Category: Outdoors News

The National Park Service has announced the "free entrance" days for 2017. On these days no fee will be charged to enter federal parks, monuments and recreation areas. Camping and fees will not be waived.

So, for example, at Lake Powell you will be able to enter the National Recreation Area without having to pay the normal fee, but if you are pulling a boat you will still have to pay the boat fee. If you want to camp in a designated campground, you will still need to pay the camping fee.

Here are the dates:

  • January 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • February 20: Presidents' Day
  • April 15-16 and 22-23: Weekends of National Park Week
  • August 25: National Park Service Birthday
  • September 30: National Public Lands Day
  • November 11-12: Veterans Day Weekend

The Park Service provided this information:

The National Park Service just turned 100 years old! Celebrate the start of our second century by visiting a park in 2017. During ten days of the year, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone.

National parks are America’s Best Idea, and there are more than 400 parks available to everyone, every day. The fee-free days provide a great opportunity to visit a new place or an old favorite, especially one of the 124 national parks that normally charge an entrance fee. The others are free all of the time. Plan your visit and enjoy our country’s history and nature.

 
The fee waiver includes entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.
 
Fee-free days make parks accessible to more people. However, national parks are always economical, with entrance fees that range from $3 to $30. In addition, any fourth grade student can get a free annual pass through the Every Kid in a Park program, and active duty military and citizens with a permanent disability can also get free passes. For more information about the variety of discounted passes available, please visit the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass page.