Is there an entrance fee?

NPS lists this park as fee-free, so there is no entrance fee. Confirm on the official park page before your trip.

What are the opening hours?

NPS lists the Birthplace Unit Visitor Center and Grounds as open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm eastern time. The Boyhood Home Unit grounds are listed as open daily from dawn to dusk.

What is the busiest month?

In 2025, the busiest month was July with 27,848 recreation visits. January had the fewest at 5,371.

Where pets are allowed, NPS requires a leash no longer than six feet, and pets are not allowed in public buildings. Each park can close more areas to pets.

All parks › Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): July^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 212,899^[3]
Visitor centers: 2^[4]

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park is a National Park System unit in Kentucky^[5]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park, so there is no entrance fee^[1].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park^[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

The park has two units with different hours. At the Birthplace Unit, NPS lists the Memorial Building as open 9:00 am to 4:30 pm eastern time, and the Visitor Center and Grounds as open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm eastern time^[6]. NPS lists closures on 2026-11-26, 2026-12-25 and 2027-01-01^[6]. The Boyhood Home Unit grounds at Knob Creek are listed as open daily from dawn to dusk, and the Knob Creek Tavern Visitor Center keeps different hours^[7]. In 2025, July had the most recreation visits at 27,848 and January had the fewest at 5,371^[2]. NPS describes Central Kentucky as having four distinct seasons, with a hot and humid summer and a moderately cold winter^[8].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, July, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	5,371
February	7,156
March	23,670
April	22,954
May	25,964
June	26,679
July	27,848
August	26,179
September	20,429
October	6,924
November	10,249
December	9,476

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	251,188
2022^[3]	265,707
2023^[3]	239,950
2024^[3]	249,166
2025^[3]	212,899

Pets and dogs

The national NPS pet rule says where pets are allowed they must be kept in a crate or cage, or held on a leash of six feet or less, and they are not allowed in public buildings^[9]. Each park can close more areas to pets^[9]. NPS marks pets as permitted for some activities here, such as the Boundary Oak Trail and attending a ranger program^[10].

Before you go

NPS lists no entrance fee, but fees and hours can change, so confirm on the official park page before you go^[1].
Check which unit you are visiting, because the Birthplace Unit and the Boyhood Home Unit have different hours^[6]^[7].
NPS lists two visitor centers, one at the Birthplace and the Knob Creek Tavern Visitor Center^[4].
Planning a picnic or a bookstore stop? NPS lists both among things to do^[10].

Questions people ask

Is there an entrance fee?: NPS lists this park as fee-free, so there is no entrance fee^[1]. Confirm on the official park page before your trip.
What are the opening hours?: NPS lists the Birthplace Unit Visitor Center and Grounds as open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm eastern time^[6]. The Boyhood Home Unit grounds are listed as open daily from dawn to dusk^[7].
What is the busiest month?: In 2025, the busiest month was July with 27,848 recreation visits^[2]. January had the fewest at 5,371^[2].
Are dogs allowed?: Where pets are allowed, NPS requires a leash no longer than six feet, and pets are not allowed in public buildings^[9]. Each park can close more areas to pets^[9].

Facts and sources

NPS lists Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 251,188, 2022: 265,707, 2023: 239,950, 2024: 249,166, 2025: 212,899. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Visitor centers listed by NPS: 2 (Visitor Center at Abraham Lincoln Birthplace, Knob Creek Tavern Visitor Center). National Park Service
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Historical Park) in Kentucky. National Park Service
Operating hours, Birthplace Unit: Memorial Building: open 9:00 am - 4:30 pm eastern time. Birthplace Unit Visitor Center and Grounds: open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm eastern time. Listed exceptions: Park is Closed 2026-11-26 to 2026-11-26 (closed); Park is Closed... National Park Service
Operating hours, Boyhood Home Unit: The Boyhood Home Unit at Knob Creek Grounds: open daily dawn to dusk. Knob Creek Tavern Visitor Center hours are different than the park unit. National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 14 things to do at Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park: Picnic at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace, View the Lincoln Family Bible, Shop at the Birthplace Bookstore, Watch the Park Film at the Birthplace, Become a Jr. Ranger at the... National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.