National parks waive fees on Memorial Day

The National Park Service said U.S. residents will not be charged entrance fees on Monday, May 25, 2026, at all National Park Service sites that normally collect them. The agency announced the Memorial Day waiver in a May 21 release and said the move is intended to make it easier for families, veterans and communities to visit parks on the holiday. (nps.gov) The waiver applies to entrance fees only, not every charge a visitor may encounter. Other costs, including timed-entry or reservation fees, may still apply depending on the site. (nps.gov) ### Does this mean every national park is completely free on Memorial Day? The National Park Service said the Memorial Day policy covers “all National Park Service sites that normally charge an entrance fee,” not every fee at every location. That means visitors who would normally pay at a gate or entrance station can enter without that charge on May 25. The agency also said some parks may still require separate timed-entry reservations or other booking-related payments. At high-demand sites, that distinction matters because a free entrance day does not automatically eliminate reservation systems already in place for crowd control or access management. (nps.gov) ### Who qualifies for the Memorial Day fee waiver? The May 21 National Park Service release said the free entrance policy is for U.S. residents. Park fee pages across the agency’s website repeat that 2026 fee-free days apply to “US citizens and residents only,” reflecting a broader access policy the Interior Department announced for this year. (nps.gov) The Interior Department said in a November 2025 release that 2026 would include a series of resident-only patriotic fee-free days. Memorial Day is listed as one of eight such dates in 2026. (nps.gov) ### Why did the Park Service announce the waiver this week? Jessica Bowron, identified by the Park Service as comptroller exercising the delegated authority of the director, said in the agency’s release that Memorial Day is a time to remember that “freedom has always carried a cost.” The Park Service framed the waiver as part of the holiday’s commemorative purpose as well as a way to encourage visits to historic and natural sites. (nps.gov) The Park Service’s Memorial Day page also describes the holiday as a time to reflect on American values by visiting historic places and enjoying the outdoors. (nps.gov) That page separately states that U.S. residents will not be charged entrance fees on May 25, 2026. ### How broad is the policy across the park system? National Park Service fee pages say all agency sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission on the listed 2026 fee-free dates. Many park units do not charge admission in the first place, so the practical effect is concentrated at the subset of parks and sites that normally have entrance fees. (nps.gov) The Washington Examiner described the move as covering all 63 U.S. national parks. The Park Service’s own language is broader and more precise: it applies to all National Park Service sites that normally charge an entrance fee. (nps.gov) ### What should visitors check before they go? The National Park Service said visitors should look up site-specific fee and pass information because reservation or timed-entry requirements may remain in place even on a fee-free day. Individual park fee pages carry the same warning and list the 2026 free-entry dates. (nps.gov) June 14, 2026, is the next fee-free date after Memorial Day, according to National Park Service fee pages. The 2026 calendar also includes July 3-5, August 25, September 17, October 27 and November 11. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2)