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If you’re a National Park freak like I am, you probably already own an America the Beautiful pass, or one of the related interagency passes that allow you to get into National Parks for free (or at least cheaper). However, if you’re new to the National Park system, those entrance fees might be slowly blowing that travel budget as you realize how many of your public lands you still have to visit. Luckily, there are a select few National Parks that don’t have an entrance fee attached.
As I traveled the country, these parks all surprised me in different ways. Their landscapes were some that I’d never expect to all be connected somehow by interstate highways, and although a lot of them are smaller parks, there’s a reason they’re protected by the National Park Service. At first, I was disappointed to find out that not all National Parks were like Yosemite, with its entrance gate that suddenly leads you to what feels like a different world, but the truth is, in a country with landscapes as diverse as the United States, it’s important to recognize that beautiful nature comes in all shapes and forms, and sometimes, you need to surrender to the fact that a National Park might include the town built around it, or serve as a highway between two states. When you do this, the result is a certain kind of magic.
These are my top five fee free National Parks:
Lake Kabetogama, Voyageurs National Park, MN
#5: Congaree National Park, SC
Honestly, I really like all of these places, so putting this only at #5 was super hard. Congaree is an incredibly unique Park known for its swamp. The famous boardwalk loop will take you through all of its unique landscapes, and it’s a great park for seeing bugs, spiders, and other, larger wildlife, such as armadillos, owls, and snakes. This is also a great park to take kids to, as the boardwalk is easy to walk, and is stroller and wheelchair accessible. There are of course other trails in the park as well, but as this is a swamp, it’s important to hike at your own risk. Congaree does offer a great campground as well, so you can spend as much time soaking in this unique environment as you want.
Tip: It’s still super important to support our parks while we visit because, although they’re federally protected, they don’t get very much funding. If you can, think about purchasing something from the National Park gift shops located inside visitor centers, and if you can’t, simply make sure you Leave No Trace, so that it’s just as beautiful for the next person who comes along.
Congaree National Park, SC
#4: Mammoth Cave National Park, KY
Mammoth Cave is the largest cave in the world, stretching over 600 miles long under the ground. The park doesn’t charge admission due to it being the location for over one hundred historic cemeteries, but they do charge a small fee to get into the cave. For only $6 you can explore the cave on a self guided tour of their lit area, and for only a bit more you can go on a ranger guided tour, and experience even more of the cave itself. If you really don’t want to pay anything, though, there are plenty of nearby hiking trails for you to explore, and you can definitely view the natural entrance to the cave for free (although, at that point, you might as well pay the $6 to go in). The cave itself is a crisp 52 degrees Fahrenheit, so bring a sweatshirt! The park does also offer an awesome campground, so be sure to get there early if you need a spot to stay!
Mammoth Cave National Park, KY
#3: North Cascades National Park, WA
North Cascades National Park is a fantastic mountainous park that’s free because it’s so interspersed with National Forest land. The Park itself is home to quite a few campgrounds, but they’re all spread out along the highway, so do some research about what part of the Park you’d like to call home before you get up there. While there is no cell service or internet in most of the area, I did get some service at the Newhalem Visitor Center, so for a solo traveler, that’s the campground I’d recommend. North Cascades has tons of great trails, and is dog friendly.
North Cascades National Park, WA
#2: Voyageurs National Park, MN
While Voyageurs doesn’t really have its own campground, it’s surrounded by State and National Forests, which provide plenty of spots in the woods for people who need to stop for the night. Voyageurs doesn’t have a ton of hiking trails (all of them can basically be done in one day), but the landscape is absolutely gorgeous. Right across the lake lies Canada, and the views are to die for. You’ll be surrounded by forest your entire trip here, and needless to say, there’s plenty of wildlife to be found. There’s also cell service throughout the whole park, and plenty of access to nearby lakes for boats, kayaks, and paddle boards.
Voyageurs National Park, MN
#1: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Bet you didn’t know that the Smokies were free to visit! It’s no question that Great Smoky Mountains National Park would end up in my #1 slot for this category. The National Park with the most annual visitors in the country, the road that goes through the park itself actually serves as a road that people use to commute, and spans from North Carolina to Tennessee. The Smokies are an incredibly biodiverse landscape that’s home to black bears, a huge selection of plants, and of course, the fog that give the Smokies their name. The drive through the Smokies is one of the most magical out of all the National Parks I’ve been to, and the hiking offers fantastic views like the one pictured below. As one of the big and famous National Parks, the Great Smoky Mountains should absolutely be near the top of your list. I mean, who wouldn’t want to see one of the most incredible landscapes in the country for free?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN and NC
While National Parks tend to cost between $20 and $35 just for admission, these are great for the new National Park explorer. Here, you’ll be able to get out, and enjoy the outdoors for practically nothing, making it so you can enjoy your time in the parks just a little more.
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