These are the days national parks will have free admission in 2023
Every year, nearly 300 million people visit the 423 national park sites in the U.S.
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WASHINGTON – If your journey takes you to one of more than 400 national park sites across the county in 2023, then it could be the year of your great adventure.
The National Park Service announced it is waiving entrance fees for all parks on certain days of the year.
The free admission is designed to encourage Americans to venture out and explore the country’s 63 National Parks and 360 designated sites.
Entrance fees will be waived on the following dates in 2023:
- Jan. 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- April 12 – First day of National Park Week
- Aug. 4 – Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
- Sept. 23 – National Public Lands Day
- Nov. 11 – Veterans Day
Rangers said the waiver of the fee does not cover the cost of amenities or activities at the recreational sites.
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![Yellowstone National Park 2022]()
Image 1 of 3An elk rests in the foreground as mountains tower above rolling hills in the background at Yellowstone National Park in 2022. (Robert Ray)
![Rocky Mountain National Park]()
Image 2 of 3COLORADO, UNITED STATES - 2016/07/17: Entrance sign for Rocky Mountain National Park. (Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)
![Zion National Park]()
Image 3 of 3SPRINGDALE, UT - MAY 14: A sign hangs at the entrance to Zion National Park on May 14, 2020 in Springdale, Utah. (George Frey/Getty Images)
If you are a frequent visitor of parks, the NPS suggested buying an $80 annual pass that provides access to more than 2,000 federally-managed recreational areas across the country.
Around 300 million people visited national park sites in the U.S. in 2021, with Appalachia’s Blue Ridge Parkway, Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park and California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area taking the top honors as the most visited destinations.
It’s estimated that 80% to 100% of the entrance fees remain at the parks where the money is collected.