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Nature lovers have a new reason to celebrate Trump’s birthday.
The National Park Service (NPS) is changing the fee-free days in 2026, altering policies on when Americans can enter parks for free as well as who qualifies for free entry.
The Department of the Interior officially announced the new calendar on Nov. 25, expanding the number of days for free entry from six to 10 — but also nixing certain holidays from the calendar.
Typically, fee-free days land on a mix of civil rights holidays, public land observances and commemorative days.
In 2025, for example, fee-free days included Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth, the first day of National Park Week, the Bureau of Land Management’s birthday, Great American Outdoors Day, National Public Lands Day, the first Sunday of National Wildlife Refuge Week and Veterans Day.
But now the government is taking a different approach, basing the calendar on what they describe as “patriotic fee-free days” for 2026.
The new fee-free days for next year include:
- Feb. 16: President’s Day
- May 25: Memorial Day
- June 14: Flag Day, which coincides with President Trump’s birthday
- July 3-5: Independence Day weekend
- Aug. 25: 110th Birthday of the National Park Service
- Sept. 17: Constitution Day
- Oct. 27: Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday
- Nov. 11: Veterans Day
Notably missing from these dates include Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, which have been recognized as fee-free days for eight and two years, respectively, and are often when community organizations plan volunteer projects and outdoor programs.
Also not on the 2026 lineup are the first day of National Park Week, Great American Outdoors Day and Public Lands Day.
Aside from the note that they’ll be recognizing “patriotic” fee-free days, federal officials have not addressed why these holidays were cut.
The only day that held over from 2025 into 2026 is Veterans Day.
Another huge shift is the restrictions for international visitors on fee-free days. These benefits no longer extend to international tourists and will only apply to U.S. residents.
International travelers will pay entry fees that will now cost a much higher rate starting Jan. 1, 2026.
Starting in the new year, the annual park service pass will cost $80 for U.S. residents and will rise from $80 to $250 for nonresidents.
Nonresidents without an annual pass will have to pay a fee of $100 per person, in addition to the standard entrance fee, to enter 11 of the most visited national parks, including Arches, Yosemite and Zion.
“These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in a statement.
