Not all national parks charge for entry. These 12 are free.
While some sites have raised prices, much of the National Park System (including these 12 parks) remains free to enter.
Eve ChenSome of America’s most popular national parks have gotten much more expensive for foreign tourists to visit with the introduction of “America-first” pricing.
However, hundreds of “parks” within the National Park System offer free entry, regardless of residency.
“Throughout the country, there's more than 430 national parks, so they're often closer than people think,” National Park Service spokesperson Kathy Kupper said, referring to the various sites ranging from national battlefields to national seashores. "There's at least one in every state ... Each one is important to the American story. Each one tells a chapter.”
Most are free to enter – including a third of the 63 parks with national park in their name. However, travelers who are trying to pinch pennies should note that some “free” parks are expensive to reach, while others charge fees for certain experiences.
Here are 12 national parks that you can drive to and visit for free all year-round.
Congaree National Park
Location: South Carolina
What stands out: Congaree features “the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest” left in the Southeast and the ”highest concentration of champion-sized trees anywhere in North America,” according to the park’s website. Its average forest canopy is over 100 feet tall.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Location: Ohio
What stands out: Located about 7 miles from Akron and less than 20 miles from Cleveland, Cuyahoga Valley was one of the nation’s first urban national parks. Its land and waters were restored after decades of industrial pollution and now welcome visitors with 125 miles of hiking trails.
Gateway Arch National Park
Location: Missouri
What stands out: The park is home to the iconic St. Louis Gateway Arch and also tells the story of America’s westward expansion. Visitors can go up the arch on a tram, but unlike the rest of the park, that experience is not free.
Associated fees: Tram rides start at $15 for visitors over the age of 16, with discounts for children over age 2 and America the Beautiful federal lands pass holders.
Great Basin National Park
Location: Nevada
What stands out: Great Basin features one of the highest points in Nevada, among the darkest skies in the country, and some of the oldest trees in the world, Bristlecone Pines.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Location: Tennessee and North Carolina
What stands out: Great Smoky Mountains is consistently the most visited national park for good reason. Its misty mountains are mesmerizing and home to all kinds of plants and wildlife, including fireflies that synchronize for a few weeks each year.
Associated fees: There’s no entry fee, but there are parking fees for vehicles staying in the park longer than 15 minutes. Daily parking costs $5. Weekly parking costs $15.
Hot Springs National Park
Location: Arkansas
What stands out: Unlike other springs that get their heat from volcanic activity, the ones here are heated by the Earth itself to upwards of 140 degrees. The waters were historically heralded for medicinal and therapeutic properties.
Associated fees: While the park doesn’t offer hot springs bathing, two third-party bathhouses on park property offer it for a fee.
Mammoth Cave National Park
Location: Kentucky
What stands out: Mammoth Cave is the longest-known cave system in the world and is still growing. Not only have explorers mapped new areas over the years, but new caves are still forming.
Associated fees: There’s no fee to enter the park, but the only way to enter its caves is through tours, which typically have a fee. Those start at $12 for adults, $9 for kids ages 6 to 12, and $3 for kids ages 3 to 5 on the Discovery Self-Guided Tour. Certain tour fees are waived on select fee-free days for U.S. residents.
New River Gorge National Park
Location: West Virginia
What stands out: The park is a haven for outdoor sports like rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and mountain biking, but also boasts tranquil scenery and Appalachian cultural history.
North Cascades National Park
Location: Washington
What stands out: North Cascades’ picturesque mountains and glaciers have earned it the nickname the American Alps.
Associated fees: There is no entry fee for the park, but visitors have to pay a $5 daily or $30 annual parking fee if they want to park at trailheads originating on U.S. Forest Service land outside the park. Additionally, visitors who want to take visit the Lake Chelan community of Stehekin may pay for a third-party ferry. Stehekin is also reachable by backcountry hike, horseback, private plane or boat, but there are no roads to get there.
Redwood National and State Parks
Location: California
What stands out: Redwoods’ trees are among the tallest in the world. Walking through the towering, old-growth groves has been likened to a spiritual experience.
Voyageurs National Park
Location: Minnesota
What stands out: About 40% of this park is water and nearly all of its campsites have lakefront views. Visitors can also stay right on the water, with third-party houseboat rentals. Like a number of other national parks, Voyageurs is an International Dark Sky Park. Beyond stars, visitors may also see meteors and northern lights.
Wind Cave National Park
Location: South Dakota
What stands out: Wind Cave’s namesake cave is among the longest and most complex caves in the world. It also has arguably the best example of honeycomb-like boxwork cave formations anywhere.
Associated fees: There is no fee to visit the park, but most cave tours start at $14 for visitors age 16 to 61, with discounts for older visitors and children. Some tour fees are waived on fee-free park days for U.S. residents.
Other national parks with free entry
Biscayne National Park in Florida and Channel Islands National Park in California offer free entry, but nearly all of Biscayne is water and the third-party ferry to get to Channel Islands’ islands can be pricey, with roundtrips starting at $72 for passengers ages 13 to 54. Private boats are, however, welcome at both parks, and they both offer free visitor centers on the mainland.
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Kobuk Valley National Park, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska, National Park of American Samoa, and Virgin Islands National Park are also free but even more expensive to reach.
(This story was updated with additional information.)