National Park Admission Is Free Tomorrow

Got plans this Saturday? How about ditching brunch and getting outside to explore one of our glorious national parks, free of charge?

Every fourth Saturday of September marks National Public Lands Day, a reminder of the vast and valuable natural resources that create space for community, adventure, and recreation across the country.

The National Parks Service is celebrating by offering free admission to all parks across the country, and with the 50th anniversary of the National Trails and Wild & Scenic Rivers System this year, the timing couldn’t be better for an epic hike or canoe trip to kick off fall. It’s one of only four annual chances for free entry to the parks (the next is Veteran’s Day, in November), and with some, like Zion, the Grand Canyon, and Yosemite, charging up to $25 per vehicle, getting in gratis is a hard deal to pass up.

It also happens to be the largest single-day public lands volunteer effort in the U.S., and there’s a host of activities to get involved in, if you feel so inclined. The theme for this year’s National Public Lands Day is restoration and resilience, and this list of opportunities includes every kind of project, from cleaning up trails to removing invasive plants, followed by a beachfront yoga session.

If you take advantage of National Public Lands Day, be sure to share some social media love with the hashtags #NPSVolunteer, #FindYourPark, and #NPLD, and find out how others are giving back to this big, beautiful planet.