You Can Visit Any National Park for Free on These Days in 2022

If you're already planning a vacation for 2022, you can't go wrong with a trip to one of America's national parks. Whether you want a relaxing day trip or a rugged adventure, you'll find what you're looking for at one of the 423 properties in the U.S. national park system. In addition to showing you a good time, a national park vacation will also save you money if you plan it right. These are the dates to visit a national park if you want to enter free of charge.

On select days each year, the National Park Service waives entrance fees for all the sites it manages. Some free days are significant to U.S. history, like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January and Veterans Day in November. Others are specific to the system and its mission. National Public Lands Day falls on September 24, and April 16 kicks off National Park Week this year.

You can read the full list of free national park days in 2022 below:

• January 17 // Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• April 16 // First day of National Park Week
• August 4 // Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• September 24 // National Public Lands Day
• November 11 // Veterans Day

Visitors arriving at a national park on these days will receive a waiver for the normal entrance fees. That waiver won't cover additional costs for activities such as camping, transportation, and guided tours, though.

Some of the country's most popular parks charge up to $35 to enter on a typical day. Other properties are free no matter what day of the year you visit. If you're planning a national park excursion in this year, these are some of the best sites to visit in all 50 states.