National Park Service Adds Trump’s Birthday as Fee-Free Day
The National Park Service (NPS) has eliminated Juneteenth and Martin Luther King Jr. Day as fee-free admission days, instead designating President Donald Trump’s birthday as a new fee-free day. This change affects over 11 sites managed by the NPS in Georgia, such as the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area and Kennesaw Mountain.
In addition to Trump’s birthday, other new dates for free admission in 2026 include Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day weekend, and special birthdays for the NPS and Theodore Roosevelt. Significant previously designated fee-free days like National Public Lands Day and anniversaries related to the Great American Outdoors Act have also been removed from the list.
Alongside these changes, nonresidents will face a new fee structure, including a $100 charge for each individual aged 16 and older, alongside standard entrance fees at several parks, though this does not apply to locations in Georgia. The directive has garnered criticism, emphasizing a shift in the NPS’s approach to commemorating important historical milestones and promoting inclusivity.
This decision, particularly the elevation of a controversial figure’s birthday while sidelining civil rights milestones, has sparked backlash from various communities advocating for the equitable representation of all Americans in national spaces.