WASHINGTON DC (LOOTPRESS) — In celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), all National Park Service (NPS) entrance fees will be waved on Monday, August 4. GAOA’s National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) is making a significant impact by funding $6.65 billion in critical maintenance and repair needs in national parks across the country.
GAOA, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump in 2020, is making transformative investments in national park infrastructure, such as roads, trails, campgrounds, visitor centers, staff housing, and utility systems, that enhance park facilities, increase recreational access, and improve the visitor experience. Between 2021 and 2025, GAOA LRF provided up to $1.3 billion per year to the NPS for repair projects to keep parks operational and accessible for public enjoyment and inspiration. The funding is provided by royalties from offshore oil and gas leases and not taxpayer dollars.
GAOA LRF funding has touched national parks in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and multiple U.S territories. It is supporting more than 180 large-scale infrastructure projects, including extensive improvements to iconic roads in Yellowstone, Shenandoah, Glacier, Theodore Roosevelt, Great Smoky Mountains, and Grand Teton national parks. It has renovated campgrounds in Yosemite, Zion, Mount Rainier, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks and upgraded vital safe and functional water and wastewater, HVAC, and electrical systems in Rocky Mountain, Acadia, and Grand Canyon national parks.
It is also funding more than 400 smaller scale historic preservation activities managed by NPS in-house Maintenance Action Teams (MAT). MAT staff are skilled in a variety of traditional trades and deployed across regions to perform specialized maintenance and repair tasks. Many projects involve volunteer groups and Youth Service Corps, inspiring and training the next generation of maintenance professionals. These teams are helping preserve places that tell our nation’s stories, including Pearl Harbor National Memorial, Saratoga National Historical Park, Antietam National Battlefield, and Andersonville National Cemetery. GAOA funding is helping many historic sites prepare for the upcoming celebration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
These projects are just a small sample of GAOA’s lasting legacy which is making sites safer for visitors, restoring important historical locations, and creating recreational opportunities.
