US Politics
National park entry to be free next year on Trump’s birthday – but not Juneteenth or MLK Day
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The National Park Service has revised its list of free entrance days, dropping Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth — two federal holidays that were added under President Joe Biden’s administration.
In their place, June 14 — which is both Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s birthday — has been included.
The change has already sparked criticism, with Cornell William Brooks, the former head of the NAACP, writing on X: “The raw & rank racism here stinks to high heaven.”
The NPS revealed the updated list of free admission days this week. The days are patriotic in nature, including Presidents’ Day (February 16), Memorial Day (May 25), Independence Day weekend (July 3-5), Constitution Day (September 17) and Veterans Day (November 11).
Roughly 100 of the country’s 400 parks have entrance fees, with the costs varying by park, according to CBS News. Standard entrance passes for Grand Canyon National Park and Yellowstone National Park — two of the nation’s most popular attractions — run between $20 and $35.
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NPS also announced that, starting in 2026, entry free days will only apply for American citizens and residents. “Nonresidents will pay the regular entrance fee and any applicable nonresident fees,” the federal agency said.
It comes after Trump issued an executive order in July, directing the Interior Department to raise entry fees for foreign tourists in order to increase revenues.
“The Secretary of the Interior shall take appropriate actions to grant American residents preferential treatment with respect to any remaining recreational access rules, including permitting or lottery rules, consistent with applicable law,” the order added.
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In its budget proposal, which was released in May, the Interior Department estimated that such changes would bring in over $90 million per year.
In November, the department also unveiled a new annual parks pass that will cost $80 for U.S. citizens and residents and $250 for nonresidents.
“These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support [NPS], continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations,” Secretary Doug Burgum wrote on X at the time.
