National Parks In Colorado: Free Entrance Day Coming Soon

Martin Luther King Jr. Day isn't just a federal holiday and day of service — it's also a chance to visit national parks that normally charge entrance fees. The next fee-free day scheduled by the National Park Service is Monday.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day provides one of the few opportunities each year to visit national parks for free after fee increases took effect Jan. 1 at various locations. The additional revenue will be used to fund deferred maintenance across the system of 419 parks, historic and cultural sites, and monuments.

The National Park Service lists online all parks requiring entrance fees and the amount of the fees. Entrance fees will be waived at the following Colorado parks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

• Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - 9800 Highway 347,
  Montrose. Hours: Always open.
• Colorado National Monument - 1750 Rim Rock Drive, Fruita. Hours: Always open.
• Dinosaur National Monument - 4545 Hwy 40, Dinosaur. Hours: Vary; find seasonal and regional hours here.
• Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument - 15807 Co Rd 1, Florissant. Hours: Feb. 1 to Nov. 9 - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Nov. 18 to Jan. 31 - 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve - 11999 State Highway 150, Mosca. Hours: Always open.
• Hovenweep National Monument - McElmo Route, Cortez. Hours: Always open.

The other fee-free days in 2020 are:

• Saturday, April 18: First Day of National Park Week/National Junior Ranger Day
• Tuesday, Aug. 25: National Park Service Birthday
• Saturday, Sept. 26: National Public Lands Day
• Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day

See the full list of national parks in Colorado. Many parks are free year-round.