The National Park Service just made a scheduling decision that's generating some serious heat. Starting next year, two major civil rights holidays—Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth—will no longer be free admission days at national parks. Taking their place on the calendar? President Donald Trump's birthday on June 14.
Out With Civil Rights Holidays, In With Presidential Birthdays
Beginning January 1, 2026, visitors won't get free access to national parks on MLK Day or Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Americans. These holidays have long been recognized for community service and public education, and their removal from the free-admission calendar hasn't gone unnoticed.
Trump's birthday, which happens to fall on Flag Day, will become one of the new free-admission days. The 2026 lineup also includes Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Veterans Day, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday, and the Park Service's anniversary on August 25.
The Backlash Is Swift and Sharp
Cornell William Brooks, a Harvard Kennedy School professor and former NAACP president, didn't mince words on social media: "The raw & rank racism here stinks to high heaven."
Kristen Brengel, spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association, pointed out the practical impact of losing MLK Day. "Not only does it recognize an American hero, it's also a day when people go into parks to clean them up," she said, noting that the holiday is widely used for volunteer projects in parks.
Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada was equally direct: "The President didn't just add his own birthday to the list, he removed both of these holidays that mark Black Americans' struggle for civil rights and freedom. Our country deserves better."
Peter Baker, Chief White House Correspondent for The New York Times, highlighted the contrast on X, emphasizing that the Trump administration added free park admission on Trump's birthday while simultaneously removing it for MLK Day and Juneteenth.
International Visitors Will Pay More Too
This isn't the only fee change coming to national parks. Last month, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that international tourists would face steeper costs in 2026. Foreign visitors will pay $250 for annual passes while U.S. residents continue paying $80. Non-residents without passes will also face a $100 surcharge at the 11 most-visited parks.
The stated goal? Funding park maintenance while creating more resident-only patriotic fee-free days—including Flag Day, which just happens to be Trump's birthday.