Everything you need to know to plan a national park road trip

About the National Park Service

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act, which established the National Park Service (NPS). Its goal is to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and … leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” 

The NPS now manages 63 national parks and hundreds of monuments, historic sites, seashores, scenic trails, riverways, and more across the U.S. and its territories. According to the NPS, there are more than 20,000 NPS employees who care for both the protected land and its visitors. 

Many of these employees are park rangers, who support programming at national parks, staff visitor centers, and offer guided tours. While programming varies by park, the Junior Ranger program and Every Kid Outdoors are nationwide programs. Local programs can be found on each park’s individual website by navigating to “Things To Do” in the “Plan Your Visit” menu.

List of all 63 U.S. national parks

Cost for visiting national parks

Each national park charges its own vehicle entry—usually around $30—or per-person fee, while a few parks offer free admission year-round. Entrance for children ages 15 and under is free.

National parks with no entrance fees include:

• Biscayne National Park
• Channel Islands National Park
• Congaree National Park
• Cuyahoga Valley National Park 
• Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
• Great Basin National Park
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Hot Springs National Park
• Kenai Fjords National Park
• Kobuk Valley National Park
• Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
• New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
• North Cascades National Park
• Redwood National Park* (some areas of the adjoining state park have a day-use fee)
• Voyageurs National Park  
• Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

The NPS announces entrance-free days for some national holidays and other celebrations each year. For 2023 there are five entrance-free days: Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday (January 16), the first day of National Park Week (April 22), the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (August 4), National Public Lands Day (September 23), and Veterans Day (November 11).

Tickets and reservations at national parks

In recent years, national parks have experienced a record number of visitors. This has led some parks to require advance reservations for entry or certain activities, including shuttles and hikes. To avoid any disappointment, do your research ahead of your visit. Each individual park’s website will have information on whether tickets are required, and many reservations can be made on Recreation.gov. Popular parks with advance ticketing for some or all areas include Acadia, Arches, Glacier, Yosemite, and Zion.

Discounts and passes at national parks

Frequent national park visitors can save big on entrance fees by purchasing an annual America the Beautiful Pass, which is valid at areas managed by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

The pass costs $80 and covers entrance for up to four adults traveling in the same vehicle. Passes expire 12 months from the month of purchase on the last day of the month. The pass can be ordered online, via phone at 888-275-8747, or purchased in person at many federal recreation areas. 

All current U.S. military members and dependents as well as veterans and Gold Star Family members receive free entrance to all parks through a special military pass. Seniors are able to purchase a discounted lifetime or annual senior pass. Those with permanent disabilities are eligible for a free lifetime pass; volunteers with a certain number of service hours are eligible for free annual passes. Children who are in fourth grade receive free access for their families for a full year (September through August) through the Every Kid Outdoors program. More information on all these passes can be found here.