Arizona National Parks FREE Days in 2019!
Updated with 2019 free National Parks and National Monuments dates.
We love a good roadtrip! Here are all the National Parks free dates for 2019, plus a list of all the National Parks and National Monuments in Arizona—listed by driving distance from Phoenix.
Free Days for National Parks 2019:
- Monday, January 21 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Saturday, April 20 – First Day of National Park Week/National Junior Ranger Day
- Sunday, August 25 – National Park Service Anniversary
- Saturday, September 28 – National Public Lands Day
- Monday, November 11 – Veterans Day
The National Park Service offers FREE entrance to all National Parks and some National Monuments on many days in 2019. Get FREE entrance to these Arizona National Parks and Arizona National Monuments.
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Arizona National Parks and National Monuments FREE Days in 2019!
See all free National Parks and National Monuments days by state here.
Are any of your kiddos in fourth grade? Print out your Every Kid in a Park pass from the National Park Service, and get free entrance any day of the year! (Some AZ State Parks like Saguaro State Park in Tucson have been honoring the Every Kid in a Park pass; call ahead or show your pass at the State Park entrance gate—it can’t hurt to try!) Note: the Every Kid in a Park program has been quietly cancelled; the program links are no longer working; . Check here to see if the Every Kid in a Park pass has been renewed: Print your Every Kid in a Park pass here.
Here are all 21 of the National Parks, Monuments, and Memorials in Arizona that are participating in FREE entrance days in 2019, listed in order of distance from Phoenix.
We love to make daytrips all around Arizona—we’ve visited the Grand Canyon in one day—twice! You can knock out many of these bucket list Arizona National Parks and National Monuments on a daytrip from Phoenix—no hotel stay needed.
Here, the free entrance days for AZ National Parks & National Monuments are listed in order of distance from Phoenix at the 101/17 junction in 3 sections:
NORTH of Phoenix,
SOUTH of Phoenix,
EAST of Phoenix!
Click any destination name to go directly to the National Park Service site for that location. Other links on this page may include affiliate links.
Arizona National Parks and Monuments FREE Days NORTH of Phoenix
In order of distance one way from Phoenix starting at 101/17 junction.
Montezuma Castle ($15 per adult—huge fee increase for 2019. Kids 15 and under free.)
- 7-day pass includes both Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle.
- Montezuma Castle is 78 miles from Phoenix.
- Also visit Montezuma Well (always free).
Tuzigoot National Monument ($15 per adult—huge fee increase for 2019. Kids 15 and under free.)
- 7-day pass includes both Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle.
- Tuzigoot National Monument is 91 miles from Phoenix.
Walnut Canyon National Monument ($10 per person 16 and up; kids are free.)
- Walnut Canyon National Monument is 138 miles from Phoenix.
- Also visit Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and Wupatki National Monument.
Should I get a National Parks Annual Pass?
There are more AZ National Parks & Monuments listed below but I want to insert a note here that if you have to visit the three Flagstaff area National Monuments on a day you have to pay, it will be cheaper to buy one Flagstaff Area National Monuments Annual Pass for $45 that covers entrance for four adults if you have older teens (16 and up).
Flagstaff Area National Monuments Annual Pass ($45):
- Walnut Canyon (would pay $40 for 4 people over 16).
- Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monument joint entrance free $25.
- You’ll break even if you have little kids, or save $20 if you have teens 16 and up.
- We recommend visiting these three areas when you can get in free! Montezuma Castle is definitely the most exciting destination in the group, but it’s only worth at max a 30-minute visit with kids. My kids (as little kids and as teens) were done looking at the ruins after about 5 minutes on each of our three visits.
America the Beautiful Pass ($80):
- Consider buying the America the Beautiful Pass if you’ll break even in one year on walk-in and vehicle entrance fees for ALL the National Parks & National Monuments you’ll visit. Remember that kids ages 15 and under enter free.
- Remember that the Senior Lifetime Pass (age 62+) gets ANY four adults in for free (you don’t have to name the extra people, just the main person who buys the pass). So if you travel with grandparents, buy them the pass, and get two grandparents, two adults, and all kids in free.
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Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument ($25 per vehicle)
- $25 per vehicle covers both Sunset Crater and Wupatki.
- Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is 146 miles from Phoenix.
- Also visit Wupatki National Monument and Walnut Canyon National Monument.
Wupatki National Monument ($25 per vehicle)
- $25 per vehicle covers both Sunset Crater and Wupatki.
- Wupatki National Monument is 165 miles from Phoenix.
- Also visit Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and Walnut Canyon National Monument.
Grand Canyon South Rim ($35 per vehicle or $20 per person age 16+)
- Grand Canyon South Rim is 210 miles from Phoenix; navigate to Desert View Watchtower.
Petrified Forest National Park ($20 per vehicle or $10 per person age 16+)
- Petrified Forest National Park is 242 miles from Phoenix.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area—Lake Powell ($30 per vehicle or $15 per person age 16+)
- Glen Canyon is huge, and includes Lake Powell, several visitor centers, and Lee’s Ferry.
- Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center at Lake Powell is 251 miles from Phoenix.
- Carl Hayden Visitor Center and dam at bridge near Page at Lake Powell is 259 miles from Phoenix.
- You can tour the Glen Canyon Dam for $5 per person. Tour fee not waived on free National Parks days.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area $25 per vehicle or $15 per person.
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area is 258 miles from Phoenix.
Grand Canyon North Rim ($35 per vehicle or $20 per person age 16+)
- Grand Canyon North Rim is 336 miles from Phoenix; navigate to North Rim Visitor Center.
Pipe Spring National Monument ($10 per per person age 16+)
- Note that Pipe Spring may still charge the $3 tribal use fee on fee-free days (included in the normal entrance fee), and that Pipe Spring does not have fee free days listed for 2019; call to check.
- Pipe Spring National Monument is 336 miles from Phoenix.
Keep reading below for the list of AZ National Parks & National Monuments SOUTH of Phoenix.
Arizona National Parks and Monuments FREE Days SOUTH of Phoenix
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument ($10 per person age 16+)
- Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is 71 miles from Phoenix.
- Note that Case Grande is very similar to Montezuma Castle; if you’ve seen one, you’re probably good.
Saguaro National Park ($20 per vehicle or $10 per person age 16+)
- Saguaro National Park is 124 miles from Phoenix.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument ($25 per vehicle or $15 per person age 16+)
- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is 137 miles from Phoenix.
Tumacacori National Historical Park ($7 per person age 16+)
- Tumacacori National Historical Park is 176 miles from Phoenix.
Coronado National Memorial (free every day)
- Coronado National Memorial is 224 miles from Phoenix.
Chiricahua National Monument (free every day)
- Chiricahua National Monument is 251 miles from Phoenix.
Keep reading below for the National Monuments EAST of Phoenix.
Arizona National Parks and Monuments FREE Days EAST of Phoenix
Tonto National Monument ($7 per person age 16+)
- Tonto National Monument is 110 miles from Phoenix.
Navajo National Monument (free every day)
- Navajo National Monument is 266 miles from Phoenix.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument (free every day)
- Canyon de Chelly National Monument is 298 miles from Phoenix.
Parashant National Monument (free every day)
- NOTE: NO facilities or visitor center! This is remote, not recommended for families unless your family is cool traveling without potties.
- Parashant National Monument is 382 miles from Phoenix by route of Las Vegas, or a 3-hour drive from Lake Mead or Glen Canyon Recreation Area.
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