Connect with Nature in 2024

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The Department of the Interior is committed to ensuring that everyone, no matter their zip code, can access and enjoy the benefits of green spaces and our public lands. With at least one Interior managed site in every state and most metropolitan areas there are many opportunities to get outdoors and connect with nature.

Plan your visit for one of the seven fee free days offered in 2024 or pick up an interagency public lands pass for access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites. Don’t forget to plan ahead and recreate responsibly!  

Enjoy Fee Free Entrance Days 

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Fee-free days offer an incredible opportunity to visit a public lands site or national park that normally charges an entrance fee. Each fee free day commemorates a significant date to celebrate the public lands that the Department manages. 

January 15 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) 

• Enjoy Bureau of Land Management’s wilderness areas, national conservation lands, national monuments, etc. 
• Visit Fish and Wildlife Service’s wildlife refuges, marine national monuments, wetlands, etc. 
• Find your national park, historic site or monument managed by the National Park Service. 

February 19 (President’s Day) 

• Drop by the Bureau of Reclamation’s Lake Berryessa, New Melones Lake and Stony Gorge recreation areas in California. 

April 20 (First Day of National Park Week) 

• Find your national park, historic site or monument managed by the National Park Service. 

June 19 (Juneteenth National Independence Day) 

• Enjoy Bureau of Land Management’s wilderness areas, national conservation lands, national monuments, etc. 
• Visit Fish and Wildlife Service’s wildlife refuges, marine national monuments, wetlands, etc. 
• Find your national park, historic site or monument managed by the National Park Service. 

July 16 (Bureau of Land Management’s birthday) 

• Enjoy Bureau of Land Management’s wilderness areas, national conservation lands, national monuments, etc. 

August 4 – Great American Outdoors Day 

• Find your national park, historic site or monument managed by the National Park Service. 

September 28 (National Public Lands Day) 

• Enjoy Bureau of Land Management’s wilderness areas, national conservation lands, national monuments, etc. 
• Visit Fish and Wildlife Service’s wildlife refuges, marine national monuments, wetlands, etc. 
• Find your national park, historic site or monument managed by the National Park Service. 

October 13 (first Sunday of National Wildlife Refuge Week) 

• Visit Fish and Wildlife Service’s wildlife refuges, marine national monuments, wetlands, etc. 

November 11 (Veterans Day) 

• Enjoy Bureau of Land Management’s wilderness areas, national conservation lands, national monuments, etc. 

Find a Public Lands Pass that Works for You 

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If you plan on visiting multiple sites this year, we recommend checking out The America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series. The public lands pass series includes several options that provide access to National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service and US Army Corps of Engineers sites across the country. Proceeds from pass sales are used to improve and enhance visitor recreation services.

In addition, there are affordable or free pass options for seniors aged 62 or older, 4th grade students, current military and dependents, Gold Star families and veterans, individuals with permanent disabilities and volunteers with more than 250 hours.

If you would like an interagency pass mailed to you before your trip, please visit the USGS Online Store to explore and select your pass options. Please consider the start date of your trip and factor in a minimum of 3 weeks to allow for processing and shipment of the pass.

If you would like to get your pass in-person, please search the list of Places to Get Interagency Passes.

In 2024, all passes will have one signature line for a single passholder. A pass covers the passholder and all occupants in a personal vehicle at sites that charge per vehicle or, the passholder and up to three additional adults (16 and over) at sites that charge per person. Children ages 15 or under are admitted free.

Whether you enjoy hiking, biking, climbing, camping or learning about history we hope you get outdoors and connect with nature in 2024!