Welcome to the ultimate "Park Party" calendar for 2024! Picture this: stunning landscapes, breathtaking vistas, and thrilling adventures—all for free! That's right, pack your bags, grab your hiking boots, and mark your calendars for the most epic celebrations in the great outdoors. Washington State and all National Parks across the country are throwing open their gates on special entrance fee-free days, inviting you to join in the festivities. It's time to explore, discover, and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature without spending a dime. So, when's the best time to visit? Well, get ready for an adventure-filled year ahead because these fee-free days are where the fun begins!
On each of these significant days of celebration or commemoration, parks waive entrance fees.
The following are 2024 State Park free days:
- Jan. 1 — First Day Hikes; New Year’s Day
- Jan. 15 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- March 9 -- Billy Frank Junior's Birthday
- March 19 — State Parks’ 110th Birthday
- April 22 — Earth Day
- June 8 — National Get Outdoors Day
- June 9 — Free Fishing Day
- June 19 — Juneteenth
- Sept. 28 — National Public Lands Day
- Oct. 10 -- World Mental Health Day
- Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
- Nov. 29 — Autumn Day
Details about State Park Fee Free Days. Note that free days apply only to day use (not overnight stays or rented facilities), and a Discover Pass is required on these days to access lands managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Sno-Park permits are still required on free days at designated Sno-Parks during the winter season.
The following are 2024 free days at National Parks:
- January 15: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- April 20: First day of National Park Week
- June 19 - Juneteenth National Independence Day
- August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
- September 28: National Public Lands Day
- November 11: Veterans Day
Details about National Park Free Days. There are more than 400 parks available to everyone, every day. The entrance fee waiver for fee-free days does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.