Free, Free, Free!

You know what’s better than visiting the national parks? Visiting the national parks and getting in for free! And every year there are a handful of days where the entrance fee is waived. And you can explore for free!

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Which Days Exactly?

Okay, so for 2023 here’s the list of free days at the national parks. The first one is coming up this month!

• January 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• April 22: First day of National Park Week
• August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• September 23: National Public Lands Day
• November 11: Veterans Day

Side Note about Capitol Reef

Not all of the national parks charge an entrance fee. But four out of five in Utah do. The odd one out is Capitol Reef, which is always free to enter. However there is a scenic route in the park which does charge a toll. (Which you should definitely plan on doing!) This toll will be waived on the free days, just like the entrance fees at the other parks.

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Make Plans!

Ok! Now that you know when the free days are, it’s time to make some plans to visit the national parks! If you plan on visiting on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, then you should consider some of the winter activities available in the parks. (We’ve written about that here.) And if you’re thinking about checking out any of Utah’s fine national parks, then we’ve got guides for all of them! Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion, and of course Capitol Reef. The parks are beckoning, and adventure awaits in 2023! Especially on days that are free!