Free Entrance Day: National Park Service Birthday

On August 25, every national park that charges an entrance fee waives it for the day, one of a handful of fee-free days the National Park Service sets each year. The date marks the agency's founding: the Organic Act created the National Park Service on August 25, 1916, which makes 2026 its 110th birthday. The waiver covers entrance fees only, and for 2026 it applies to U.S. citizens and residents; timed-entry and reservation fees, camping, and tours are still charged.