This was a hell of a year, leaving many of us scrambling to unwind in one of the country’s treasured natural places. If you’re looking to get outside without dropping cash at theentrance station (which can cost as much as $35 per car, depending on the park), you’re in luck. We’ve compiled a list of all the days the national parks are free in 2021, with tips onhowyou can get involved and celebrate duringthese park-centric holidays.
January 18:Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
Dr. King’s legacy in the parks system was cemented when he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech atop the steps of the in 1963, flanked by rangers and throngs of supporters. These dayshis birth home and childhood neighborhood in Atlanta are a designated , and the 45-mile-long path of the voting rights march of 1965was appointedas the . Celebrated on the third Monday in January, this National ParkService holiday is also designated as a day of service, with abundantparks-related .
April 17: TheFirst Day of National Park Week
first startedin 1991 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the NPS. Since thenit has grown into a full-blown extravaganza of special events, digital programs, and family-friendly ranger talks designed to inspire stewardship and encourage more people to go outside and . Celebrate by exploring a new location, donating to the (anonprofit that cohosts the week), or staying home, kicking up your feet, and enjoying one of these .
August 4:The Anniversary of the Signing of the Great American Outdoors Act
Though the last four years were often tumultuous and destructive to our nation’s public lands, there was one piece of bipartisan legislation that stood out among the fray. Aimed at tackling the $12 billion dollar , the Great American Outdoors Act was signed on August 4, 2020, fully financing the Land and Water Conservation Fund and pledging $9.5 billion dollars over five years to address infrastructure needs. This new, fee-free day is being permanently introduced for the first time in 2021.
August 25:The National Park Service’s Birthday
When many of the national parks were first founded, they struggled to securethe funding and protection they desperately needed to ensure that future generations could enjoy them. Shepherds set their sheep loose to graze in Yosemite’s meadows, and vandals ravaged Yellowstone. Oftenit fell to the and its to police the parks. Eventually, it was determined that a centralgovernment agency was needed to finance and manage them effectively. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation that would establish the . This year marks the , with virtual and in-person celebrations taking place across the country.
September 25:National Public Lands Day
Organized annually by the , National Public Lands Day is held on the fourth Saturday ofSeptember and is the largest single-day volunteer event for the country’s public lands. Thisdateis intended to inspire environmental stewardship, utilizing the hashtag , and most visitors who choose to will receive a free one-day national park pass to come back and recreate in nature on their own time. Last yearover 77,000 people participated in the organization’s 296 virtual and in-person events.
November 11:Veterans Day
The military has always played an integral role in maintaining and upholding our national parks. From mounted soldiers guarding giant sequoias to reserve officers of the U.S. Army leading Civilian Conservation Corps camps during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, many of the natural wonders we’re privileged to visit today exist in their pristine state because of militaryinvolvement. The Park Service also protects a large number of , leaving no shortage of places where you canexplore and pay tribute on this day. In October, the Department of the Interior announced that all U.S. veteransand Gold Star familiesshall also receive to the parks, encouraging them to decompress in more than 2,000 federal recreation areas.