Yes, really, for free. In honor of National Public Lands Day, all national parks will be free to visit on Saturday, Sept. 27.

This can save you as much as $50 entry fee at many places. However, they’re really popular, so I highly recommend you plan to arrive at dawn. It will be cooler and the crowds will still be waking up. When the park starts getting crowded, you can take a break and eat your picnic you’ve brought, or head on out.  Don’t forget to bring plenty of water!

Note that the freebies don’t include camping or special tours.  Personally, I like to head out to Joshua Tree on these free days and watch the sun come up over the drive. Don’t tell anyone, though, it will get more crowded.

Here are the nine national parks in California:

Channel Islands (boat ride is not free)
Death Valley
Joshua Tree
Lassen
Pinnacles
Redwood
Sequoia and Kings Canyon
Yosemite

The next national park holiday will be on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Related links

Fun things to do in Southern California that are always free
How to get into awesome museums for free with an EBT card
12 gorgeous botanical gardens you can visit for free
Here’s when you can visit all national parks for free in 2025
10 awesome places in the world you can see for free