Great Parks Announces No Motor Vehicle Permit Required on "Community Days"
Great Parks is expanding access to its more than 18,000 acres of open space with its 2026 Community Days, which are days on which guests can enter its parks and conservation areas without a Motor Vehicle Permit. These days only apply to motor vehicles, as admission to Great Parks is always free for walkers, joggers, bicyclists and anyone entering the parks without a motor vehicle.
Motor Vehicle Permits do not need to be displayed on these dates in 2026:
- Jan. 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Feb. 17 – Random Acts of Kindness Day
- April 22 – Earth Day
- May 16 – Kids to Parks Day
- June 6 – National Trails Day
- June 19 – Juneteenth
- July 17 – Great Parks’ Birthday
- Sept. 26 – National Public Lands Day
- Nov. 11 – Veterans Day
- Nov. 27 – Opt Outside Day
Motor Vehicle Permit fees support ongoing safety and conservation efforts in Great Parks. The annual permits cost $10 for Hamilton County residents and $16 for non-residents. They can be purchased online at GreatParks.org and at many Great Parks destinations.
Great Parks also makes Motor Vehicle Permits available to certain guests, including active military and some armed forces veterans, participants in the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library’s Discovery Pass program, and Hamilton County residents with a valid food assistance card (Ohio Direction Card or Ohio EBT card). Discounted permits are available to students currently enrolled in a Hamilton County college or university.
MVPs are not required to enter Otto Armleder Memorial Park or Fernbank Park, which are co-managed by Great Parks, the Cincinnati Park Board and the Cincinnati Recreation Commission.