National Park Week: Free Admission to National Parks – April 16-24

national park week

 

As the National Park Service (NPS) celebrates 100 years of protecting and preserving the nation’s parks and monuments, all Americans are encouraged to get out and #FindYourPark during National Park Week, April 16 through 24. All National Park Service entrance fees will be waived for the week so choose a park, near or far, and discover what makes it unique!

We had the opportunity last year to visit Zion National Park and it’s a trip we won’t soon forget! If you’ve been thinking of visiting one of our local national parks, April 16-24 is the week to do it!

Some of the closer national parks include :

  • Joshua Tree National Park
  • Death Valley National Park (The wild flowers are blooming!!)
  • Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
  • Grand Canyon
  • Yosemite National Park
  • Pinnacles National Park
  • Zion National Park

To learn more about the national park week or to plan your visit, head here.

Free Admission August 25: National Park Service Birthday

There are 84 million acres of protected land in America’s over 400 national parks – and it all belongs to you and me.  I’m excited to share that on August 25, 2016, the National Park Service turns 100! In celebration of this milestone, all National Parks will be once again offer free admission on that Tuesday. The Centennial will celebrate the achievements of the past 100 years, while at the same time marking the beginning of the next 100 years for the National Parks.

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Photo: NationalParks.org

The National Park Service and National Park Foundation wants people everywhere to take advantage of the opportunities to explore, learn, be inspired and simply have fun in their 407 national parks.  The National Park Foundation’s mission to also promote the National Park Service’s community-based recreation, conservation, and historic preservation programs and how they positively impact local communities.

In celebration of the upcoming National Park Service Centennial, the National Park Foundation and the National Park Service kicked off the Find Your Park movement to inspire all people to support America’s national parks.

Yosemite

Photo: NationalParks.org

The National Parks invite those who already know and love the parks and also the next generation of visitors, supporters, and advocates to join the movement at FindYourPark.com and by using #FindYourPark on social media.

Other upcoming free entry days to the National Parks are the following:

  • September 26: National Public Lands Day
  • November 11: Veterans Day

Don’t miss out on this end of Summer opportunity!

National Park Free Entrance Days

On select holiday periods throughout the year, the National Parks have free admission.  This coming weekend, February 14th through 16th is one of those weekends. Take a look at hoka one one camping equipment and more. These are such an amazing asset to America and people from all over the world come to see these natural wonders.  Below are the California National Parks taking part in this:

  • Cabrillo National Monument
  • Death Valley National Park
  • Joshua Tree National Park
  • Lassen Volcanic National Park
  • Lava Beds National Monument
  • Muir Woods National Monument
  • Pinnacles National Monument
  • Sequoia National Park
  • Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
  • Yosemite National Park

One of the other parks included is Zion National Park in southern Utah. We made a visit this past Christmas and enjoyed the sights. The regular admission price is $25 per car, good for 7 days.

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The weather was crisp and the views were spectacular!

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There are many opportunities for children to explore Zion National Park. During the summer, free ranger programs especially for youth are offered throughout the park, and children ages four and up can complete an activity booklet to become a Junior Ranger in Zion. Easy family-friendly trails such as the Riverside Walk, the Par’us Trail, and Emerald Pools offer hiking opportunities, while the Zion Nature Center has fun activities and exhibits for kids to explore.

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People have called the canyons and plateaus of Zion National Park home for over 10,000 years. The remnants of their time here exist throughout the park and are protected by the National Park Service. These structures, from humble granaries to improbable highways, stand as testaments to the ingenuity of those that came before us.

*Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.