So you want to go see America’s greatest idea? The National Park. Good for you. I think everyone needs to get out and see what’s out there!
What a lot of people don’t realize is that a majority of our national parks are actually free to enter. However, the more popular parks have a gate or an entrance fee. That should not stop you. In 2022, there are five entrance fee-free days
The free admission days are designed to encourage discovery and visitation of the country’s variety of national parks. With at least one in every state, national parks are accessible places to visit to refresh body, mind, and spirit.
The free entrance dates for 2022 are:
- Monday, January 17 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Saturday, April 16 – First Day of National Park Week
- Thursday, August 4 – Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
- Saturday, September 24 – National Public Lands Day
- Friday, November 11 – Veterans Day
The entrance fee waiver for the fee-free days applies only to National Park Service entrance fees and does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.
Like I said earlier, most national parks do not have entrance fees at all. Out of more than 400 national parks, approximately 110 have admission fees that range from $5 to $35. All of the money provided by entrance fees remain in the National Park Service and 80-100% stays in the park where they were collected.
The funds are used to directly support the visitor experience by providing programs and services, habitat restoration, and building maintenance and repair.
In 2020, $170 million was collected in entrance fees. Entrance fees, along with other funding sources such as the Great American Outdoors Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, Federal Transportation Program, and Cyclic Maintenance program, are part of a concerted effort to address the extensive maintenance backlog in national parks.
National Parks Near Las Vegas
- Lake Mead Recreational Area – Fee
- Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument – Free
- Death Valley National Park – Fee
- Zion National Park – Fee
- Bryce Canyon National Park – Fee
- Grand Canyon National Park – Fee
Just Get The Pass!
The annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass is a great option for those who visit multiple parks each year. Those traveling with pass holders can usually also enter parks for free.
Do You Qualify for A Free Pass?
Free annual passes to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks, are available for members of the U.S. Military and their dependents, U.S. Military veterans, Gold Star Families, fourth-grade students, and eligible NPS volunteers.
U.S. Citizens with a permanent disability can obtain a free lifetime pass. U.S. Citizens 62 years and older can purchase an $80-lifetime pass or a $20 annual pass.
Amazon: Get Ken Burns: The National Parks – America’s Best Idea
Tours: National Park Tours from Las Vegas
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