Visit Our National Parks for Free this Summer!
by Allie Comeau on June 4, 2009 
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The only thing better than visiting a national park… is visiting a national park for free! For three weekends this summer, the National Park Service is letting everyone in for free.
In an attempt to get people outdoors and to boost local economies, the National Park Service is offering three fee-free weekends this summer. Get in free at any national park the weekends of: June 20 and 21, July 18 and 19, and August 15 and 16.
“National parks serve as powerful economic engines for local communities, and we hope that promoting visitation will give a small shot in the arm to businesses in the area,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said.
Why not take the whole family on a fun and affordable national park mini-vacation? You could plan a hiking or backpacking weekend, a sightseeing excursion, a whitewater adventure, a mountain biking expedition or a laid-back car camping trip. We’re lucky to have such an outstanding number of national parks – get out and enjoy them for free this summer!
Because these three weekends will undoubtedly be busy, I’d suggest making your travel plans and camping reservations now to make sure you’ll have a spot. (If you can’t make it on to a park one of the free weekends this summer, park admission varies from $3 – $25 so it’s still an affordable option.)
For a list of the top national parks in each state, visit Gorp or find a park near you on the National Park Service’s website. For useful information about family camping, visit our Family Camping 101 guide.
