State & Regional

Final 2025 national park fee free day honors veterans, families

KPCW | By Sydney Weaver

Published November 7, 2025 at 2:37 PM MST

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Zion National Park hikers hoping to beat the crowds on park trails wait their tun in line to catch a free shuttle at first light in 2021. Every bus leaving the Zion Canyon Visitor's Center in the morning is filled to capacity, carrying some 60 people in each car of the two-car shuttle. "This is nothing," said shuttle host Celeste Fuentes about the endless rows of hikers. "Sometimes it's all the way to the parking lot."

National parks are working to remain as accessible as possible, despite the ongoing government shutdown.

That includes offering free entry days throughout the year.

Visitors to Utah’s “Mighty 5” and other national parks have one more chance to get in free. This month it's in honor of Veterans Day.

On Nov. 11, all National Park Service sites will offer free admission. Other fees within a park will still apply.

KUER reports Zion National Park saw nearly 20,000 visitors a day in October. But, because of the government shutdown, has lost an estimated $1.5 million in missed entrance fees.

Since Oct. 4, Utah has stepped in to help cover some of the federal funding gaps. The state has been providing $8,000 a day to keep visitor centers open at the five national parks in Utah.