In honor of National Public Lands Day, entrance fees across national parks all over the United States will be waved this Saturday, September 26.
According to the National Park Service's official website, National Public Lands Day was first established in 1994 and has since then been held annually on the fourth Saturday in September. "[The day] celebrates the connection between people and green space in their community, inspired environmental stewardship and encourages use of open space for education, recreation and health benefits," reads the website.
You can check out the full list of participating parks right here. Although some of these destinations never charge an entrance fee, many that usually do (Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park in California, for example) will be offering complimentary entries in an effort to encourage visitors to spend time outdoors and revel in nature.
In more ordinary times, National Public Lands Day also involves a slew of in-person events that cater to the cause. Needless to say, this year things will look a bit different: although some in-person gatherings will still take place (check out the Biscayne Beach paddlecraft clean-up at Biscayne National Park in Homestead, Florida, for example), most will be hosted virtually. Visit a park's specific website to find out which events will take place at what time.
The annual commemoration is only one of the few throughout the year that the National Park Service dubs "free entrance days." If you miss your chance this September, you've got November 11—Veterans Day—to look forward to in 2020.
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