National Park Week Kicks Off WIth Free Entry On April 22

National Park Week starts April 22, and the National Park Service is celebrating by waiving entry fees at all national parks for the first day of the nine-day-long holiday.

The National Park Service parks, programs and partners will host events and activities through April 30 to encourage people across the country to visit one of the 424 national park sites throughout the U.S. Events include National Junior Ranger Day, featuring activities for kids, and ParkRX Day, which celebrates the healing power of parks.

(​MORE: Avoid Crowds At These Least-Visited National Parks)

National Park Week is always held in mid-April in conjunction with Earth Day as a celebration of the most treasured landscapes and landmarks in the U.S. The first National Park Week was designated in 1991 by George H.W. Bush in honor of the NPS’s 75th anniversary.

Aug. 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act

Visitors can also enter U.S. national parks and sites without the entry fee on Aug. 4 in celebration of the Great American Outdoors Act, which passed in 2020 and provides funds to improve infrastructure and expand recreation opportunities at national parks as well as for other public lands.

Sept. 23: National Public Lands Day

Sept. 23 is National Public Lands Day, and the NPS celebrates once again by offering free entry at all NPS parks and sites. This day has been celebrated the fourth Saturday of every September since 1994, and is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort, as hundreds of thousands of volunteers head to public land both locally throughout the country to help restore and preserve it. Visitors are encouraged to volunteer at a national park on this day.

(​MORE: 5 Things To Never Do In A National Park)

Nov. 11: Veterans Day

Last but not certainly not least, you can visit any national park for free on Veterans Day (Nov. 11). Many battlefields, military parks and historic sites that commemorate the service of American veterans have become or are part of national parks, making Veterans Day a great time to visit.

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