We are so fortunate to live in a country where we have over 400 beautiful national parks and over 2000 federal recreation sites including national parks. Chances are, no matter where you live in the US you are within driving distance of a park or some kind of recreation area. Every year the National Park Service has free entrance days to all national parks. I like to share the dates every year because it’s such a great deal especially if you have a large family.
Reading over the list I was trying to count how many national parks that I’ve visited. I counted 11 or more, however, there are still so many parks that I would love to visit in my lifetime. I’ve been to some of the most beautiful parks in the country. Glacier, Yellowstone, Mt Rainier, Olympic National Park, Crater Lake National Park, Haleakala National Park in Hawaii, and Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. There’s just something about hiking in the rainforest with moss-covered trees or climbing up to waterfalls and glacial lakes. It soothes my soul and leaves me in awe of this magnificent planet.
These are pictures I’ve taken in different national parks, Mt Rainier National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, and Crater Lake National Park. Amazing places, the pictures don’t do them justice!
2022 National Park Free Entrance Days:
- January 17: Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
- April 16: First day of National Park Week
- August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
- September 24: National Public Lands Day
- November 11: Veterans Day
Due to Covid 19 check the Park Website to determine its operating status before visiting.
I think we need to get out, a lot of us have been working from home for months. Not really going places like we normally do and it really starts to take a toll. Getting out and enjoying nature is the medicine we need. Driving in wide-open spaces or viewing amazing rock formations and volcanic lakes. Enjoy the absolute splendor and beauty that these parks have to offer.
Visiting parks at other times:
If you are visiting parks at other times the fees vary. Go to Entrance Fees by Park for the fee details for each park, they range from $10- $50 or more. If you and your family like to travel to several parks during the year you can buy the America The Beautiful Pass for $80. It gives you free access to all the parks for one year. The pass includes everyone in your vehicle so that is a budget-friendly way to go if you plan on visiting more than 1 park. Last year when we visited Crater Lake National Park, we used our America The Beautiful Pass. It saved us $90 because the entrance fees were $30 for the vehicle and $15 per person, we had 4 people.
There are several kinds of passes including Military, Senior, 4th Grade Pass which is part of the Every Kid Outdoors program. 4th graders and their families get a free pass to national parks for one year. Also, there is an Access Pass for residents with permanent disabilities. There are a lot of budget-friendly options, go to America the Beautiful Passes for all the details and fees.
We need to just get out there!
My family and I have no excuses, we have the America the Beautiful Pass so we just need to get off the couch and get out there (safely) of course. I intend to add more parks to my list. Being out in nature reduces stress and contributes to our physical and emotional well being and it brings us closer together. It’s so good for kids to be able to run and explore and learn and ask questions about a new place or environment. So let’s all get out there as safely as we can!
We love to travel and cruising is one of our favorite ways to see the world. We are very experienced cruisers so I put together 2 articles full of tips on how to book and get the best deal, where to go, how to save money, what to buy and not buy. These are a must-read if you are thinking about trying a cruise but not quite sure how to start. The Best Money Saving Cruise Tips from an Experienced Cruiser and The Best Money Saving Cruise Tips Part 2.
Tell us below in the comments about some amazing national parks that you’ve visited!
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- 2024 National Parks Free Entrance Dates
- 2023 National Parks Free Entrance Dates
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