Everyone Can Get Into National Parks for Free This Weekend

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Anyone who has spent time in a U.S. National Park knows they're incredible spaces worth visiting and revisiting frequently. Luckily for, well, pretty much everyone, you can get into National Parks for free on September 22 for National Public Lands Day.

Every year the National Parks open their proverbial doors for a handful of days to make sure everyone has an opportunity to see the spectacular wilderness still available in the United States. In 2018, there are four free days, a bit fewer than the 10 free days in 2017. September 22 will be the third of this year's run, with the final day landing on November 11 in honor of Veterans Day. (Many national cemeteries, such as Shiloh and Gettysburg, are managed by the Parks Service.)

Some people react to free days by asking why they aren't always free. The parks are underfunded and expensive to care for, preserve, restore, and staff. Nonetheless, many parks are free or have free activities. For instance, Mammoth Cave National Park -- home of the longest cave system in the world -- has tons of "surface activities" like biking, canoeing in the Green River, stargazing, and enjoying the wildlife. All of the surface activities are free every day of the year.

Moreover, the fees parks usually charge are an incredible deal. If you go to Zion National Park on a non-free day, it's $35 for an entire carload of people to enjoy the park for a week.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/everyone-can-get-into-national-parks-for-free-this-weekend/ar-AAAsCBH?li=BBnbklE

[OhioBlue]

1. Thank you. They are also free all year for 4th graders and their families.

[dsc]

4. why 4th graders in particular?

[OhioBlue]

5. It is the "every kid in a park" program (an Obama initiative)

To introduce and encourage children and families to explore the national park system. Teachers or parents can print out a "pass" for their 4th graders which gives them a certain VIP status to enter national parks free or at reduced rates.

I am not sure why 4th grade was chosen, I can only guess that ages 9-11 were chosen as a good target age when kids were somewhat independent, and while they still liked to spend time with their families lol...

[GeorgeGist]

2. We have come so far.

[Stuart G]

3. Thank YOu...!!!..Some National Parks..Define the word, "Incredible"

maybe, "Beyond Incredible" I remember getting to the "Everglades National Park": in Florida I was walking down a sidewalk, and about 5 feet away was a alligator, sunning itself..or maybe 10 feet. In Yellowstone about 39 years ago, I was camping out in one of the campsites. And someone said, "The moose is here"..So I got up and walked over to this fence, oh about 4 feet tall..and this moose, stuck it's head over the fence, and was getting fed by the campers. (and it was a huge moose) Now, it seems that this moose came to the spot most nights and he did indeed get fed.

....So many more stories, but I have been to many National Parks, and they are indeed wonderful, beautiful, and enjoyable. Hikes, rivers, streams, mountains, valleys, all kinds of animals, tall ones, and short ones...large trees, and small trees, and very old trees. One park is about 30 miles north of San Francisco, forgot the name..and it has huge, wide, and very old trees. Redwoods I think..This is indeed a beautiful and wonderful country, with as wide a variety of geography, animals, and people as "any country in the world. and this is also an .... Incredible Country!!!! We need to appreciate it..!!!!!!!