US National Park Service Ends Free Entry on Key Civil Rights Dates

Sun Dec 07 2025 00:12:27 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The US National Park Service has announced the removal of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from its fee-free entrance days, replacing them with a new fee structure that prioritizes US citizens.

In a recent policy shift, the US National Park Service will no longer offer free entry on Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Juneteenth, starting in 2026. Under the new regulations introduced by the Trump administration, holidays celebrating civil rights will be replaced with patriotic fee-free days, including Flag Day, coinciding with Trump's birthday. The changes also include higher fees for non-residents and a fee structure designed to benefit American visitors. This move has sparked discussions about the implications for inclusivity in national park access.

The US National Park Service (NPS) is removing Martin Luther King Jr Day and Juneteenth from its list of fee-free entrance days.

This move is part of President Donald Trump's initiative to 'modernize' the park service, which, beginning in 2026, will also change the parks' cost structure to favor American citizens over foreign visitors, following a July executive order from Trump.

In addition to removing the two holidays commemorating civil rights leader MLK Jr and the end of slavery in the US, the agency is adding Flag Day, coinciding with Trump's birthday, as a 'patriotic' fee-free day.

People who are not US citizens will still have to pay fees on these fee-free dates, according to the NPS.

For the 2026 calendar year, US residents will be granted free access to national parks on President's Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day/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.

Previously, both Martin Luther King Jr Day and Juneteenth were designated fee-free entry days by the Biden administration.

Under the Trump administration's new rules, US residents will continue to pay $80 (£60) for an annual park service pass.

The Department of the Interior, which oversees the park service, announced last month that the annual pass will cost non-residents $250, while individuals without the pass will pay $100 per person, in addition to the standard entrance fee, at 11 of the most visited parks.

President Trump's leadership always puts American families first, said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. These policies ensure that US 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, Burgum stated further.

In May, the department estimated in its budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year that surcharges for foreign visitors would generate over $90 million annually.

This isn't the first instance of the Trump administration targeting Juneteenth and MLK Jr Day. On the first day in office this year, Trump issued an executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs from federal agencies, which led to multiple agencies restricting celebrations of holidays perceived as linked to DEI, including MLK Jr Day and Juneteenth. However, both dates remain national holidays.

In June, the Trump administration held a military parade in Washington DC to commemorate the US Army's 250th anniversary, which coincided with both Flag Day and Trump's birthday.

The BBC has reached out to the White House for comment.