Mark your calendars—on six different days in 2024, America’s so-called “best idea” is scheduled to be even better. How could the natural wonders in places like Yosemite or Arches National Park be improved, you ask? Easy—by getting to visit them for free.
Most locations in the National Parks System never charge for entry—only the 109 most popular. Destinations that draw big crowds, like Yellowstone, Acadia, and the Grand Canyon, charge between $20 and $35 per vehicle to get in during the busy summer travel season, and often also require a reservation. That money mostly goes toward habitat restoration, as well as improving accessibility and infrastructure.