In a move described as part of President Donald Trump’s “modernization” of the National Park Service (NPS), the agency is eliminating Martin Luther King Jr. Day (a civil rights leader) and Juneteenth (the end of slavery in the US) as fee-free entrance days, starting in 2026.
This change is being implemented alongside a new park cost structure that favors American citizens over foreign visitors, following a July executive order from Trump.
The National Park Service (NPS) is adding Flag Day, which is also President Trump’s birthday, as a day when park entrance fees will be waived because it’s “patriotic.”
Also, the NPS noted that foreign visitors will still have to pay entrance fees on these fee-free days.
According to the BBC, for the 2026 calendar year, free entry to US national parks will be offered to US residents on the following days: President’s Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day (also President Trump’s birthday), Independence Day weekend, the 110th Birthday of the National Park Service, Constitution Day, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, and Veterans’ Day.
The Biden administration had previously designated both Martin Luther King Jr Day and Juneteenth as fee-free entry days for US national parks.
However, now, under the new regulations introduced by the Trump administration, the annual park service pass will remain $80 (£60) for US residents.
The cost for non-residents is set to increase significantly, from $80 to $250, according to an announcement last month from the Department of the Interior, which manages the park service. Additionally, non-pass holders will now be charged $100 per person, on top of the standard entrance fee, at 11 of the most popular parks.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum stated, “President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first,” according to the BBC.
“These policies ensure that US 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,” Burgum’s statement continued.
Martin Luther King III and his wife, Andrea Waters King, released a statement to 11Alive, calling the National Park Service’s decision to drop free entry on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth “beyond disappointing.”
They wrote, “Martin Luther King Jr. Day has long been a national moment of reflection and service, established by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support to honor a legacy that still moves our country toward justice and unity.
Our national parks have always offered Americans a sacred place to commemorate that legacy as a community. The decision to remove free entry on this day, as well as on Juneteenth, is beyond disappointing and contradicts the very inclusion these holidays represent. At a time when we should be opening more doors for Americans to come together, it’s troubling to see some closed.”
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The Associated Press reported that the National Parks Conservation Association is particularly concerned that MLK Day is a popular time for community groups. These groups often use the free entry day to conduct volunteer projects at the parks as a day of service.
“Not only does it recognize an American hero, it’s also a day when people go into parks to clean them up,” the NPCA’s spokesperson, Kristen Brengel, told the AP. “Martin Luther King Jr. deserves a day of recognition … For some reason, Black history has repeatedly been targeted by this administration, and it shouldn’t be.”
The BBC noted the Trump administration has previously targeted Juneteenth and MLK Jr Day.
Early this year, Trump’s executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in federal agencies led many to bar celebrations of DEI-related holidays like MLK Jr. Day and Juneteenth, though both remain national holidays.
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