Overview
- The National Park Service published the 2026 free-entry schedule featuring Presidents Day, Memorial Day, June 14 (Trump’s birthday/Flag Day), Independence Day weekend, the NPS birthday, Constitution Day, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, and Veterans Day.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth were removed from the list after being designated free-entry days under the previous administration.
- Free entry applies to U.S. citizens and lawful residents, and foreign visitors face higher costs, including an annual pass rising to $250 from $80 starting in January 2026.
- The Interior Department said the new dates are patriotic and reflect Trump’s commitment to making parks more accessible, affordable, and efficient for Americans.
- Democrats and civil-rights figures criticized the changes, with Senator Catherine Cortez Masto objecting to the removals and former NAACP leader Cornell William Brooks calling the move racist.