The National Parks Service is celebrating its 100th birthday with a gift for you!

2017 marked the beginning of the National Parks Service's second century in existence, and they would like to kick off the next 100 years by encouraging you and your family to enjoy our country's history and nature by offering free admission for everyone to national parks that usually charge an entrance fee, including four here in Texas.

The remaining National Parks *free entrance days in 2017 are:

  • April 15-16 and 22-23: Weekends of National Park Week
  • August 25: National Park Service Birthday
  • September 30: National Public Lands Day
  • November 11-12: Veterans Day Weekend

Of the 16 national parks in Texas, there are four that normally charge an entrance fee:

According to the NPS, the goal of free entrance days is to make the more than 400 national parks across the country accessible to more people, especially the 118 parks that normally charge an entrance fee.

On top of the free entrance days this year, the National Parks Service will give any fourth grade student a free annual pass through the Every Kid in a Park program. Active duty military and citizens with a permanent disability can also get a free annual pass. Visit the National Parks Service website for details about free and discounted annual passes.

*The fee waiver includes entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Fees for reservations, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.


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