The National Park Service is giving guests opportunities to visit its parks for free. They are having nine days throughout the year of complimentary admission to America's national parks. The first free day is Monday, January 20th.
"The entrance fees aren't that expensive, but the National Park Service wants to eliminate any barrier to enjoying the parks," spokesperson Kathy Kupper said according to USA Today. For many of the parks, children 16 and younger are already able to enter for free and adult fees can range from $3 per person to $25 per vehicle for a car full of people. The free park days eliminate all fees at 133 facilities. The other 268 park and monuments within the national system already don't charge entrance fees.
"Most Americans live within an hour or two of a national park," Kupper said. "Yosemite is not too far from San Francisco, Olympic National Park is reasonably close to Seattle, Joshua Tree is near Los Angeles and the Everglades are easy to reach from Miami," says Kupper.
The goals of the free park days is not only to make it more affordable, but to remind people of the spectacular views, history and activities that are offered in these locations. Visitors should be aware that although entrance fees are waived, activity fees may still apply on free days.
The free entrance days for the National Parks are:
*Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
*Feb. 15-17, Presidents Day Weekend
*April 19-20, opening weekend of National Park Week
*Aug. 25, National Park Service Birthday
*Sept. 27, National Public Lands Days
*Nov. 11, Veterans Day
If you can't make it that day or want to visit multiple parks, the National Parks Service also has an $80 annual pass which gives guests entrance to all national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, and other Federal lands. Active duty military member and their dependents can also receive a free America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
