Our Parks Act Mandates Free National Park Entry on All Federal Holidays

The new "Our Parks Act" is straightforward: it guarantees free entry to National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges on every single Federal holiday. If a park or refuge usually charges an entrance fee, the Secretary of the Interior is now barred from collecting it on those specific days, referencing the list of holidays laid out in 5 U.S.C. 6103. Essentially, if you have the day off for a Federal holiday, your access to some of the country’s best public lands just became cost-free.

Your Holiday Plans Just Got Cheaper

This provision is a clear win for public access. If you’re a family of four, an entrance fee to a major National Park can easily run $35 or more. Removing that financial barrier on days when people are already off work—like Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Veterans Day—makes it easier to plan an affordable, enriching outing. For the busy professional trying to maximize a long weekend, this bill ensures that taking the kids to a nearby National Wildlife Refuge for a hike won't hit the wallet, encouraging more people to actually use the public lands they already pay for with their taxes.

The Cost of Free Access

While the benefit to visitors is clear, it’s worth noting the practical impact on the agencies running these sites. National Parks and Wildlife Refuges rely on those entrance fees—often for maintenance, repairs, and staffing. Mandating free entry on all Federal holidays means the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will see a dip in revenue on those specific, high-traffic days. This isn't a massive budget overhaul, but it does mean those agencies will need to cover the operational costs of managing large crowds on holidays without the typical fee intake. The hope, of course, is that the increased visitation and goodwill outweigh the minor loss in fee revenue.

Clarity and Implementation

One thing that makes this bill clean is its clarity. By tying the free entry days directly to the existing list of Federal holidays in the U.S. Code, there’s no confusion about which days count. This low level of vagueness means implementation should be smooth: park rangers simply stop collecting fees on those specific dates. The impact is immediate and focused: more people get to enjoy the parks for free, making it easier for everyday Americans to connect with nature without worrying about the cost of admission.