How to Get Into National Parks Free
Exciting news from the U.S. Department of Interior! They have announced 6 days where there will be no fees to enter the national parks. This means that entrance to all the National Park Service sites will be fee-free!
The 6 fee-free days in 2021 are:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Monday, January 18
- First day of National Park Week – Saturday, April 17
- Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act – Wednesday, August 4
- National Park Service Birthday – Wednesday, August 25
- National Public Lands Day – Saturday, September 25
- Veterans Day – Thursday, November 11
Mark your calendars and start planning your camping trip!
“Throughout the country, every national park provides a variety of opportunities to get out in nature, connect with our common heritage and experience the vast array of benefits that come from spending time outdoors. Hopefully the fee-free days will encourage everyone to spend some time in their national parks.”
Margaret Everson, Counselor to the Secretary
Visiting the National Parks
There are over 400 NPS sites across the United States. So there is definitely one near you!
This fee-free day is a great way to experience one of the national parks that would normally charge an entrance fee. Approximately 100 parks charge a fee ranging between $5-$35. The other 300 or so are always free.
Unfortunately, this fee-free day does not cover any fees associated with recreational activities like camping, boat launches, transportation, or tours.
Good news for military, Gold Star families, and fifth graders! These groups have free access to the national parks as well. There are also discount passes available for seniors.
Planning your trip to the National Parks
When planning your trip (or trips) to the national parks, make sure you use RV LIFE Trip Wizard. With the visual RV trip planner, you can see your route, plan your campgrounds, gas stops, and points of interest along the way.
Receive unbiased information from campground reviews from over 20,000 campgrounds across the U.S. You can also set your driving times and distances! Use it with the RV LIFE App to get RV-safe GPS directions based on your RV’s specific details.
- Here are the top picks from RV LIFE: Visit These Top 10 U.S. National Parks In 2020.
- Looking for a quiet national park to visit? We have got you covered: Camp In Peace & Quiet At The 3 Least-Visited National Parks.
- Finally, check out Your Ultimate Guide To The National Park-To-Park Highway.
