National Park Service waives fees May 25

The National Park Service said on May 21 that sites which normally charge entrance fees will waive them on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. The agency said the offer applies to U.S. residents at all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee, while other charges — including timed-entry or reservation fees — may still apply. The announcement came in a Memorial Day release that called May 25 one of eight “patriotic fee-free days” in 2026. Jessica Bowron, the comptroller exercising the delegated authority of the National Park Service director, said in the release that Memorial Day “reminds us that freedom has always carried a cost.” The agency said the fee waiver is intended to make it easier for families, veterans and communities to visit parks and reflect together. ### Which parks are actually free on May 25? (home.nps.gov) Monday, May 25, is the fee-free day for National Park Service sites that normally collect entrance fees. The waiver does not mean every cost disappears: the Park Service said timed-entry charges, reservation fees and other amenity fees can still remain in place depending on the site. The Park Service’s Memorial Day notice did not frame the waiver as a weekend-long policy. (home.nps.gov) The free admission applies on Memorial Day itself, not automatically for the full holiday weekend. ### Why are parks warning people about crowds anyway? Zion National Park said on May 21 that Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of its busy summer season. The Utah park told visitors to expect heavy traffic, limited parking, shuttle bus lines and long waits, and said advance planning would make trips safer and smoother. (home.nps.gov) Zion said it recorded more than 95,000 visits during Memorial Day weekend in 2025. (home.nps.gov) The park added that the total was higher than the annual visitation at 165 National Park Service sites that year, underscoring how concentrated holiday demand can be at marquee destinations. ### What is Zion telling visitors to do before they go? Springdale, Utah, is where Zion based its latest holiday advisory, and the park’s message was practical rather than ceremonial. (nps.gov) Visitors were told to arrive early, use the shuttle system, prepare for hot weather and check conditions before traveling. The National Park Service said Zion drew nearly 5 million visits in 2025. (publicnow.com) That broader annual traffic helps explain why the park is warning travelers before the holiday rather than waiting for backups to form at entrances and shuttle stops. ### Why is Maryland using reservations at state parks? Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources said six state parks require day-use reservations beginning Memorial Day weekend. (nps.gov) The parks are Greenbrier, Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck, North Point, Sandy Point and Swallow Falls, according to the state’s May 20 reminder. (article.wn.com) Maryland said more than 67,000 reservations were made between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day in 2025 under the earlier system, and the associated call center handled more than 4,000 calls. The department said that resulted in a sharp reduction in traffic backups and zero unexpected capacity closures at participating parks. (news.maryland.gov) ### So what should visitors check before leaving home? May 25 is the date to check first, because that is when National Park Service entrance fees are waived at participating federal sites. Travelers still need to verify whether their destination has separate timed-entry rules, shuttle systems or reservation requirements. Maryland visitors heading to one of the six named state parks this weekend need a day-use reservation before arrival, the state said. (news.maryland.gov) Zion visitors can find the park’s Memorial Day weekend advisory on the National Park Service website, and federal visitors can use the Park Service’s Memorial Day announcement to confirm the fee-free policy for Monday, May 25. (home.nps.gov)