Is there an entrance fee at Natchez National Historical Park?

NPS lists the park as fee-free, with no entrance fee.

Do I need a reservation for a Melrose tour?

NPS says tour reservations should be made on Recreation.gov.

Are dogs allowed at Natchez National Historical Park?

NPS lists pets as permitted at 3 of the 6 things to do, and leashes must be no longer than six feet.

All parks › Natchez National Historical Park

Natchez National Historical Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Q: What is the busiest month at Natchez National Historical Park?

In 2025 the busiest month was May with 8,243 visits.

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

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): May^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 41,356^[3]
Visitor centers: 3^[4]

Natchez National Historical Park is a unit of the National Park System in Mississippi^[5]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee^[1].

Entrance fees and passes

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

When to visit and hours

NPS lists Melrose as open 7 days a week, with guided mansion tours five times a day^[6]. Tour reservations are made on Recreation.gov^[6]. NPS also notes the Natchez Visitor Center is closed while a new HVAC system is installed^[6]. The park lists closures on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day^[6]. In 2025 the busiest month was May with 8,243 visits and October had 0^[2]. NPS describes summer temperatures from 70 F to 95 F and winter temperatures from 40 F to 63 F^[7].

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

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	728
February	999
March	2,810
April	2,416
May	8,243
June	6,845
July	6,302
August	4,875
September	2,865
October	0
November	1,598
December	3,675

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	56,264
2022^[3]	64,691
2023^[3]	61,179
2024^[3]	21,520
2025^[3]	41,356

Pets and dogs

Under the national NPS pet rule, pets must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet where they are allowed^[8]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings, though service animals are excepted^[8]. NPS lists pets as permitted at 3 of the 6 things to do, which are the Natchez Civil War Sites Driving Tour, Forks of the Road and Fort Rosalie^[9].

Before you go

Confirm hours and tour times on the official NPS park page before you go^[6].
Reserve Melrose tours on Recreation.gov^[6].
NPS lists 3 visitor centers, and the Natchez Visitor Center is currently closed^[4]^[6].
NPS says the second floor of the William Johnson House remains closed^[6].
NPS advises visitors to bring plenty of water on very sunny days, because heat exhaustion is common without preparation^[7].

Questions people ask

Is there an entrance fee at Natchez National Historical Park?: NPS lists the park as fee-free, with no entrance fee^[1].
Do I need a reservation for a Melrose tour?: NPS says tour reservations should be made on Recreation.gov^[6].
Are dogs allowed at Natchez National Historical Park?: NPS lists pets as permitted at 3 of the 6 things to do, and leashes must be no longer than six feet^[9]^[8].
What is the busiest month at Natchez National Historical Park?: In 2025 the busiest month was May with 8,243 visits^[2].

Facts and sources

NPS lists Natchez 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: 56,264, 2022: 64,691, 2023: 61,179, 2024: 21,520, 2025: 41,356. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Visitor centers listed by NPS: 3 (Natchez Visitor Center, Melrose Visitor Center, William Johnson House Visitor Center). National Park Service
Natchez National Historical Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Historical Park) in Mississippi. National Park Service
Operating hours, Natchez National Historical Park: The Natchez Visitor Center is currently closed due to the installation of a new HVAC system. Melrose is open 7 days a week with guided tours of the mansion at 10:00, 11:00 am, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00.... National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Natchez 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 6 things to do at Natchez National Historical Park: Explore Melrose, Natchez Civil War Sites Driving Tour, Natchez Visitor Center, Visit the William Johnson House, Visit Forks of the Road, See Fort Rosalie. Pets permitted on 3 of them (Natchez... 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.