The Trump administration has dropped Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the fee-free days at National Parks for 2026.
The Department of the Interior (DOI) recently announced its “resident-only patriotic fee-free days” for 2026, and missing from the list were MLK Day, which has been a National Park fee-free day since 2018, and Juneteenth, which was introduced as a fee-free day in 2024.
In place of these days commemorating American history, civil rights and equality, the Trump administration has instead opted to celebrate additional former presidents’ birthdays and Flag Day, which is also President Donald Trump’s birthday.
Newsweek has contacted the National Park Service (NPS), the DOI and The King Center via email for comment outside of regular working hours.
Why It Matters
MLK Day is a federal holiday that celebrates the civil rights leader’s contribution and legacy of promoting equality and justice in the country, while Juneteenth, also a federal holiday, commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.
The removal of these days as fee-free National Park days follows the Trump administration’s pause on certain days of remembrance, including MLK Day and Juneteenth, earlier this year, as part of the president’s ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Trump was criticized by some earlier this year for hosting military parades on June 14th—the day of his 79th birthday—although he said the spectacle was not about his birthday and was instead to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.
What To Know
The DOI announced 2026’s fee-free National Park days in a broader update on its aims to modernize park access and prioritize affordability for American families, which is in keeping with Trump’s “America-first” policies.
For 2025, the fee-free days in National Parks included:
- MLK Day on January 20
- The first day of National Park Week, on April 19
- Juneteenth on June 19
- The anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, August 24
- National Public Lands Day, September 27
- Veterans Day, November 11.
But for 2026, the fee-free days look very different. The list is now:
- Presidents’ Day on February 16, which commemorates the birthdays of former Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln
- Memorial Day on May 25
- Flag Day on June 14, which is also Trump’s birthday
- Independence Day weekend from July 3 to 5
- The 110th birthday of the National Park Service on August 25
- Constitution Day on September 17
- Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, October 27
- Veterans Day, November 11.
According to the National Park Foundation, it is the NPS, alongside the DOI, that designates which days each year will be fee-free, with the aim of encouraging Americans to visit the parks on those special days.
The days chosen are usually a combination of federal holidays, public lands observances, and commemorative days. For next year, the days chosen seem to fall in line with the Trump administration’s “America-first” policies.
The department also announced the launch of new digital “America the Beautiful” passes, which will allow Americans to buy and use their passes on mobile devices, and the DOI said it would provide “faster entry and smoother visitor entry.”
The new passes also feature Trump’s face, according to People, alongside a portrait of George Washington.
The DOI also said there will be new fees brought in for foreign visitors. Americans will pay an annual cost of $80, while the annual pass will cost nonresidents $250.
Nonresidents without an annual pass will pay a $100 per person fee to enter 11 of the most visited parks in addition to the standard fee.
What People Are Saying
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in a statement: “President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first. These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations.”
Mary Frances Berry, a professor of American social thought and history at the University of Pennsylvania, told Newsweek: “The removal of MLK day and Juneteenth from fee free days just helps to accelerate the trend toward reducing information about our nation’s struggle toward liberty and justice for all. And all this as we prepare to celebrate the Declaration of Independence.”
Tyrhee Moore, the executive director of Soul Trak Outdoors, a nonprofit that connects urban communities of color to the outdoors, told SFGATE: “This policy shift is deeply concerning. Removing free-entry days on MLK Day and Juneteenth sends a troubling message about who our national parks are for. These holidays hold profound cultural and historical significance for Black communities, and eliminating them as access points feels like a direct targeting of the very groups who already face systemic barriers to the outdoors.”
What Happens Next
The first of the fee-free National Park days for 2026 will be Presidents’ Day on February 16, skipping MLK Day on January 20.
