WASHINGTON, DC (LOOTPRESS) – The Trump administration has revised next year’s calendar of entrance fee-free days at national parks, eliminating holidays honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and Juneteenth while adding President Trump’s birthday, according to information released by the National Park Service (NPS). The shift marks the latest action by the administration as it continues challenging efforts to recognize the nation’s history of racism on federal lands.
Under the updated schedule, June 14 — President Trump’s birthday, which also coincides with Flag Day — will now be designated as a fee-free day. Other new additions include the 110th anniversary of the National Park Service on August 25, Constitution Day on September 17, and the birthday of President Theodore Roosevelt on October 27. The changes will go into effect January 1.
The new policy also introduces steep price increases for non-U.S. residents. Under what the administration calls “America-first pricing,” international visitors at 11 of the country’s most popular national parks will pay an additional $100 on top of the standard entrance fee. The annual pass for non-residents will rise to $250, while U.S. residents will continue to pay $80.
These moves follow a July executive order directing federal agencies to raise fees for international visitors and provide citizens with “preferential treatment” regarding recreational access, including permit lotteries.
In a statement announcing the revised calendar, the Department of the Interior described the dates as “patriotic fee-free days” and praised the changes as part of “Trump’s commitment to making national parks more accessible, more affordable and more efficient for the American people.” The department did not respond to NPR’s request for further comment.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the policy, saying, “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.”
The updated calendar comes on the heels of earlier administration directives encouraging park visitors to report signage or exhibits that portray historical or contemporary Americans in a negative light — part of a broader effort to reshape the presentation of U.S. history on public lands.
