Visitors to America’s national parks and other federal recreation sites will enjoy free entrance on Monday, Aug. 4, as the nation marks the five-year anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA).
The Great American Outdoors is widely considered a generational investment in America’s public lands. This bipartisan legislation has funded repairs to critical infrastructure and improved access to national parks, wildlife refuges, recreation areas, and Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools.
For the past five years, Great American Outdoors Day has been celebrated on August 4. As part of the celebration, entrance fees are waived at all fee-collecting sites managed by the Department of the Interior, including national parks. Other fees, such as overnight camping, cabin rentals, group day use and access to special areas, still apply.
“The Great American Outdoors Act is improving our nation’s most popular and iconic public land sites,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “It has been my honor to witness the important work GAOA has completed over the past five years, and I encourage everyone to visit their nearest public land to celebrate the anniversary.”
Since 2021, GAOA’s Legacy Restoration Fund has funded 396 projects across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and multiple U.S. territories. These projects have repaired or replaced more than 3,800 assets, including recreation facilities, water and utility systems, BIE-funded schools, hunting and fishing infrastructure, historic structures and other critical infrastructure.
Each year, Interior’s GAOA-funded projects support an average of 17,000 jobs and contribute about $1.9 billion to the national economy, benefiting gateway and local communities by supporting outdoor recreation and tourism.
GAOA has also backed restoration at sites linked to America’s founding, including Independence Hall in Philadelphia and the Dorchester Heights Monument in Boston, with the aim of preparing them for the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
In addition, the law provides permanent, full funding of $900 million each year for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which expands public access, enhances recreational opportunities, protects watersheds and wildlife habitat, and preserves ecosystems across the country.
More information about GAOA’s impact can be found on the Interior Department’s Great American Outdoors Act website.
