America’s roster of national parks is magnificent. With 63 total destinations with full-fledged national park status, you could spend your entire life visiting each one and never experience the same scene twice. There are mountains, deserts, swamps, coral reefs, and islands, plus a wide array of wildlife — from the elk and pronghorn in Grand Teton National Park to the tortoises and bighorn sheep in Joshua Tree.
While most national parks require visitors to pay an entry fee — some of the most popular parks charge up to $35 for each vehicle — a select few are completely free to visit all year round. It’s important to note, however, that you may be required to pay for parking or additional activities within each park.
In 2025, the following national parks are free to all visitors:
If the park you had in mind isn’t listed above, there are a few other cost-conscious ways to plan your visit. All national parks (and all federal recreation sites, for that matter) can be accessed with the $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass. The pass is good for an entire year and covers one private vehicle fee — or four per-person fees. For those travelers planning to visit more than one or two parks in a year, the initial investment will quickly pay for itself.
If you’re wondering why the National Park Service charges entry fees in general, keep in mind that, according to the park service, at least 80 percent of the recreational fee funding stays at the park where it was originally collected. This money goes toward improving the visitor experience. The other 20 percent is allocated to the free-to-enter parks or those that only receive a minute amount of revenue.
