The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has announced significant modifications to its fee-free entrance day program, eliminating Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth while introducing new patriotic-themed free access days. This restructuring forms part of President Donald Trump’s broader initiative to modernize park service operations, implementing changes first outlined in a July executive order that prioritizes American citizens over foreign visitors.
Beginning in 2026, the revised schedule will grant U.S. residents complimentary access on President’s Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day (which coincides with President Trump’s birthday), Independence Day weekend, the 110th Birthday of the National Park Service, Constitution Day, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, and Veteran’s Day. The removal of the two civil rights commemorations marks a substantive policy shift from the previous Biden administration’s approach.
The Interior Department, overseeing NPS operations, has simultaneously introduced a tiered pricing system that substantially increases costs for international visitors. Non-residents will now pay $250 for an annual pass—more than triple the $80 rate for U.S. residents—while individual entry fees at eleven high-traffic parks will reach $100 per person plus standard entrance charges.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the changes, stating: ‘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.’
The department’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal projects that the new surcharges for foreign visitors will generate over $90 million annually. This policy alignment continues the administration’s pattern of deemphasizing diversity-focused initiatives, following Trump’s Day One executive order banning DEI programs in federal agencies that had previously limited celebrations of holidays perceived as DEI-related.
Although Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth retain their status as federal holidays, their removal from the NHS fee-free calendar represents another chapter in the administration’s cultural policy shifts. The changes take effect in the 2026 calendar year, coinciding with the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations.