Michigan is home to one national park, two national lakeshores, one national historic park, part of a national scenic trail, one national heritage area, and one national battlefield park. While some of these sites are free to visit year-round, others charge a daily admission feee. Each year the National Park Service announces a handful of “fee free” days that allow visitors to come and enjoy these parks without paying an entrance fee. These dates are spaced out throughout the year and offer a chance for a low-cost park visit in all seasons.

For those of us here in Michigan, the parks most affected by these fee free days are Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan. Here is a list of the six fee free days for 2025, these are great days to check out our beautiful parks for the first time if you’ve never been! The National Parks Service also offers discounted or free passes for seniors, disabled citizens, military veterans, Gold Star families, fourth grade students, and more.

January 20 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day

April 19 – First Day of National Park Week

June 19 – Juneteenth National Independence Day

August 4 – Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act

September 27 – National Public Lands Day

November 11 – Veterans Day

Current admission fees for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore are $25 for a weekly vehicle pass or $45 for an annual pass. Entrance fees for walk-in, motorcycle, and snowmobile are lower. Additional fees are charged for campground reservations, kayak trips, and lighthouse tours. Passes can be purchased online ahead of your visit, or at the Munising Falls Visitor Center or Grand Sable Visitor Center when you arrive (park is cashless, so credit or debit card is required for online or in-person purchase).

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore charges a fee of $25 for a weekly vehicle entrance pass or $45 for an annual pass. Additional fees are charged for campground reservations and visits to the Manitou Islands. This park is also cashless, so you need to purchase passes online ahead of your visit or have a credit/debit card on you when you arrive. At the park, passes can be purchased at the Phillip A. Hart Visitor Center, Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, Dune Climb, or The Homestead.