This upcoming Saturday, September 24th, all sites managed by the National Parks Service will be completely free to enter. While entrance fees aren’t generally incredibly expensive (some get as high as $35 per vehicle while others are only around $5 per vehicles), this Saturday’s special is meant to honor National Public Lands Day.
Falling on, obviously, September 24th, National Public Lands Day is meant to be a day of volunteering.
According to the National Parks Service, the day generally represents the “largest single-day volunteer effort. It celebrates the connection between people and green space in their community, inspires environmental stewardship, and encourages use of open space for education, recreation, and health benefits.”
The day’s activities and volunteer efforts are usually organized by the National Environmental Education Foundation, encouraging individuals to get out there and do some good.
Following September 24th, the National Park Service will offer one more free entrance day for 2022 on Veterans Day, November 11th. Three other free entrance days, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday (January 17th), the first day of National Park Week (April 16th), and the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (August 4th), have already come and gone in 2022.
So, if you’re looking for something to do, maybe you can go out and get your hands dirty while doing some volunteer work! Or, if that’s not your thing, you can just go and enjoy the benefits of a free entrance day at your closest national park!
As always, prepare for crowds and, more importantly, follow the National Park rules and regulations. You DO NOT want to end up like this individual.
Image Credit: National Park Service on Instagram