On August 25, 1916, former US President Woodrow Wilson enforced the National Park Service (NPS). In celebration of its 105th anniversary, the National Park Service is offering free admission to all of its sites on August 25.
All 423 parks will be open for this promotion, with in-person and virtual activities available for guests. Big South Fork National Recreation Areaย even includes free camping to its visitors, as reported by USA Today. Some sites may still have additional fees or have restrictions due to COVID-19, but most are ready to take in guests for their national birthday.
While some guests are concerned with overcrowding, NPS is already ahead of the curve. The more populated parks such as Yosemite and Glacier National Park are among the parks requiring reservations.
If you cannot make it to the parks, NPS still offers many additional promotions and deals throughout the year. Besides NPS extending free admission to veterans, gold star families, US residents with permanent disabilities, and fourth-graders and their families through the Every Kid Outdoors Program, NPS offers other free admission days throughout the year. In total, NPS has six free admission days during 2021, including January 18 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, April 17 for the first day of National Park Week, August 4 for the first anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, August 25 for the NPS birthday, September 25 for National Public Lands Day, and November 11 for Veterans day. These days offer viewings of the parks throughout various seasons.
If you are interested in reserving a spot, visit recreation.gov.