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The Trump administration is reshaping when Americans can enter national parks for free — adding President Donald Trump’s birthday as a free day while eliminating Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, a move that is already drawing criticism from civil rights leaders.
Although presidents often revise the list, the changes draw criticism from civil rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers, who say the deletions undermine holidays that honor the history and contributions of Black Americans.
The change in free admission days marks a notable departure from the 2025 calendar, which relied heavily on celebrations of public lands and respect for civil rights.
This year’s lineup included Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth, National Public Lands Day and the kickoff to National Parks Week – all of which disappear on the 2026 calendar.
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Visitors to Yosemite National Park take a look at the El Capitan rock formation and Bridalveil Falls from Tunnel View in California’s Yosemite Valley. (Craig Kohlruss/Fresno Bee/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
In their place, the Trump administration added a series of dates that were historically themed or aligned with the president. President Donald Trump’s birthday, June 14, becomes a free day for the first time, as do Constitution Day, the 110th anniversary of the National Park Service and Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday.
The agency is also moving some observances to federal holidays with broader national recognition, including Presidents Day, Memorial Day and a three-day Independence Day weekend.
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The Trump administration is changing the days the public can access national parks for free in 2026, adding President Donald Trump’s birthday to one day and removing Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth. (Rick Bower/AP Photo)
Veterans Day remains the only postponed date in both years, underscoring how the off-day calendar is being dramatically reshuffled as 2026 approaches.
FOX 5 in Washington reported that some civil rights leaders had expressed opposition to the changes.
National Parks Conservation Association spokeswoman Kristen Brengel told the station that the elimination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is concerning, adding that the day has become a popular day of service for community groups who use it to conduct volunteer projects in parks.
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Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., also weighed in on the changes in a post on X Friday.
“Let’s be clear here: MLK Jr. Day and Juneteenth were both free admission days last year,” she wrote. “The president didn’t just add his own birthday to the list, he removed these two holidays that mark Black Americans’ struggle for civil rights and freedom. Our country deserves better.”
Fox News Digital has contacted the White House about the changes.
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An entrance sign for Colorado Rocky Mountain National Park. (John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The Home Office is linking the new free days scheme to a wider overhaul of how visitors access national parks from January 1, 2026.
The agency is rolling out fully digital America the Beautiful passes – including annual, military, senior, fourth-year and access passes – which can be purchased and viewed on mobile devices through Recreation.gov. Visitors will be able to activate passes instantly and still link them to physical cards if necessary.
Officials say updated validation tools and new training for park staff aim to speed up lines and simplify the visitor experience across the system.
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Yellowstone National Park sign and entrance. President Trump added his birthday to the list of dates when people can enter national parks for free. (iStock)
“President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. “These policies ensure that American taxpayers, who already support the national park system, continue to benefit from affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations.”
The department is also refreshing the design of annual passes with new patriotic illustrations that will appear on both digital and physical versions.
Along with the digital rollout, the administration announced it was changing its pricing structure to emphasize lower costs for U.S. residents and higher prices for international visitors.
The annual pass will remain $80 for Americans but will increase to $250 for non-residents. Foreign visitors who don’t have passes will pay $100 more per person at 11 of the most visited national parks.
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The agency is also expanding access for motorcyclists by allowing all America the Beautiful passes to cover two motorcycles instead of one.
Interior officials say the increased revenue from the nonresident fee hike will go toward facility upgrades, maintenance projects and visitor services throughout the park system.
