Explore National Parks for FREE in 2023
Are you just starting to plan your 2023 adventures or are you already deep in researching? Don't forget to add the FREE days at our national parks as well as national monuments to your lists. There are over 400 sites to explore completely for free, I guarantee there is something for everyone!
The first day, January 16th in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be here before you know it! Time to start planning now. Winter is one of the best times to avoid huge crowds at NPS sites so I highly encourage you to get out there and explore.
And if you happen to have a 4th grader, don’t forget that every day is free for them through August 31, 2023!
Why visit US National Parks on free days?
Cost savings - Visiting a national park can be expensive, especially if you are planning to visit multiple parks. Free days allow you to visit a park without having to pay the entrance fee, saving you money.
Accessibility - National parks can be expensive for some families, and free days make it easier for everyone to visit and enjoy the natural beauty of these places.
Education - National parks offer a unique opportunity to learn about the history and natural resources of the United States. Free days can encourage more people to visit and learn about these important places.
Recreational opportunities - National parks offer a wide range of recreational activities, including hiking, camping, fishing, and more. Free days allow more people to take advantage of these opportunities and enjoy the great outdoors.
Give back - Many people find that this is the perfect time to give back to the NPS and volunteer their time - cleaning up trash, helping with trails, or making improvements to the park. Contact your local park to see how you can lend a hand.
Why are US National Parks so important?
US national parks are important for a variety of reasons:
Conservation - National parks protect and preserve some of the most beautiful and important natural resources in the United States. These include forests, mountains, lakes, rivers, and wildlife. By preserving these resources, national parks help to ensure that future generations can enjoy them as well.
Educational opportunities - National parks offer a unique opportunity to learn about the history and natural resources of the United States. Many parks have visitor centers, ranger-led programs, and other educational resources that help visitors learn about the park and its history.
Recreational opportunities - National parks offer a wide range of recreational activities, including hiking, camping, fishing, and more. These activities allow people to get outside, enjoy the natural beauty of the parks, and get some exercise.
Economic benefits - National parks also provide economic benefits to the local communities that surround them. Many parks have lodges, restaurants, and other amenities that provide employment and generate income for the local economy.
Cultural significance - Many national parks have cultural and historical significance as well. They may contain artifacts, structures, or landscapes that are important to the history and culture of the United States.
What days can I get into US National Parks for free?
January 16: Celebrating the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
April 22: First day of National Park Week
August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
September 23: National Public Lands Day
November 11: Veterans Day
Which US National Parks can I visit on free days?
These are just a few of the 400 federal lands you can visit on free entrance days:
Alaska
Denali National Park & Preserve
Arizona
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Grand Canyon National Park
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Petrified Forest National Park
Pipe Spring National Monument
Saguaro National Park
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Tonto National Monument
Tumacácori National Historical Park
Tuzigoot National Monument
Walnut Canyon National Monument
Wupatki National Monument
Arkansas
Fort Smith National Historic Site
California
Cabrillo National Monument
Death Valley National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lava Beds National Monument
Muir Woods National Monument
Pinnacles National Park
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Yosemite National Park
Colorado
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Colorado National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Hovenweep National Monument
Mesa Verde National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Florida
Canaveral National Seashore
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
Dry Tortugas National Park
Everglades National Park
Gulf Islands National Seashore
Georgia
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Cumberland Island National Seashore
Fort Pulaski National Monument
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Hawai'i
Haleakalā National Park
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Pu'uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
Idaho
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
Yellowstone National Park
Maine
Acadia National Park
Maryland
Antietam National Battlefield
Assateague Island National Seashore
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Massachusetts
Adams National Historical Park
Cape Cod National Seashore
Michigan
Isle Royale National Park
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Minnesota
Pipestone National Monument
Mississippi
Gulf Islands National Seashore
Vicksburg National Military Park
Missouri
Gateway Arch National Park (formerly Jefferson National Expansion Memorial)
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
Montana
Glacier National Park
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Yellowstone National Park
Nevada
Death Valley National Park
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
New Hampshire
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park
New Jersey
Thomas Edison National Historical Park
New Mexico
Bandelier National Monument
Capulin Volcano National Monument
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Valles Caldera National Preserve
White Sands National Park
New York
Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
North Carolina
Wright Brothers National Memorial
North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Ohio
James A. Garfield National Historic Site
Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Oklahoma
Fort Smith National Historic Site
Oregon
Crater Lake National Park
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
Puerto Rico
San Juan National Historic Site
South Carolina
Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
South Dakota
Badlands National Park
Tennessee
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Texas
Big Bend National Park
Fort Davis National Historic Site
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Padre Island National Seashore
Utah
Arches National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Golden Spike National Historical Park
Hovenweep National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument
Zion National Park
Virgin Islands
Christiansted National Historic Site
Virginia
Assateague Island National Seashore
Colonial National Historical Park
George Washington Memorial Parkway's Great Falls Park
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Prince William Forest Park
Shenandoah National Park
Washington
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Olympic National Park
West Virginia
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Wyoming
Devils Tower National Monument
Grand Teton National Park
Yellowstone National Park
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GPS-enabled app: The tours are GPS-enabled, which means that visitors don't have to worry about getting lost or missing important locations. The app provides turn-by-turn directions, ensuring that visitors can navigate the parks with ease.
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