The National Park Service is facing major backlash after rolling out new rules that remove Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from next year’s list of free entry days.
Those two holidays have long been some of the most accessible moments for families, students, and communities across the country to visit national parks without paying an entrance fee.
Now they’re gone.
According to the updated 2026 schedule, visitors will no longer have free access to national parks on MLK Day or Juneteenth. Instead, the new list adds Donald Trump’s birthday on June 14 as a free entry day.
The date also falls on Flag Day, which the administration highlighted as part of a push for what they described as patriotic celebrations.
Removing holidays tied directly to Black history while elevating Trump’s birthday sends a troubling message. Park access programs have historically been tied to education and cultural recognition, and many see the shift as dismissive of that purpose.
For years, MLK Day has been one of the most popular fee-free dates, giving countless families and school groups a chance to experience national landmarks without financial stress. Juneteenth, added in more recent years, became equally significant as a day to honor freedom, resilience, and the legacy of enslaved Black Americans.
Those days won’t be recognized in the 2026 lineup.
