Today is Veterans Day, and what better way to commemorate the day than a visit to one of the numerous national parks in the United States? Luckily for us, would-be explorers get free entry today to all of the parks managed by the National Parks Service to mark the holiday.
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Some of the 400 U.S. national parks typically charge a small entry fee, but there are six free entry days each year—and Veterans Day is the last one of 2024. Some of the parks you can snag free entry to include Maine's beautiful Acadia National Park, Pennsylvania's Valley Forge National Park, the site of a key Revolutionary War battle, or gaze at Half Dome in California's Yosemite National Park. While we may think of all national parks as grand, sweeping vistas, there's a good chance there's a smaller and still great site near you to check out today. Visit the NPS' Find a Park tool to find somewhere to explore.
Keep in mind that free entry days don't include fees that may come up through activities at some parks like camping, tours, or boat tickets. To gain free entry year-round, pick up an $80 America the Beautiful Pass, which grants holders one year of free entry to national parks and federal lands.
How to get free entry to the National Parks for Veterans Day 2024
To get free entry today, simply go to your park of choice.
Do veterans get free entry to the National Parks year-round?
Yes. Active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces, their families, Gold Star families (the immediate family of a service member who died during their military service), and veterans can get free passes that grant them free entry to spaces managed by the National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The passes cover entry and day-use fees.
Active duty service members can get a Military Annual Pass for free at any of the above sites in person as long as they valid ID, or order one online.
Vets and Gold Star families can get Military Lifetime Passes. Veterans should order a pass online or pick up passes in person at the parks and bring ID to show their affiliation with the U.S. Armed Forces. Gold Star families need to print and bring a Gold Star Voucher to the park.