MLK Day Is Free In America’s National Parks

by Kraig Becker on

If you’re one of the lucky few who gets Martin Luther King, Jr. Day off work and you’re not sure what you’re going to do with that extra time, perhaps you should plan a visit to your favorite national park. After all, MLK Day is the first fee-free day of the year and we wouldn’t want to squander any opportunity for a free visit to the parks.

Considering the day is dedicated to Dr. King, it should come as no surprise that we would recommend a visit to his national historic site in Atlanta and Memorial in Washington, D.C. And since 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of his famous “I Have A Dream” speech, either location will make a fitting destination for those looking to honor his legacy.

Of course, the fee-free holiday is simply a good excuse to go to a national park, and there are obviously plenty of other things we can do to take advantage of the day. For instance, visitors to the Grand Canyon can go camping along the South Rim, while fans of winter weather will enjoy snowshoeing along one of the many trails in Glacier. If you’re craving something a bit warmer then Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park may be more your speed, while water lovers will no doubt enjoy a paddle along one of the Everglades canoe trails.

If you’re a fan of the national parks, and enjoy taking advantage of these fee-free days, then you’ll definitely want make sure you visit your favorite park on Monday. The next free-entry days don’t come until April 22-26 in celebration National Parks Week. That seems like an awfully long way off at this point.

[Photo Credit: National Park Service]

National Park Service announces fee-free days for 2012

by Kraig Becker on

The National Park Service has announced the dates of its fee-free days for 2012, continuing a recent, and very popular, tradition of waiving entry fees to national parks throughout the year. Next year, travelers will have 17 such days during which they can visit their favorite parks while saving a few dollars in the process.

Earlier this week, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the fee-free days would include January 14-16 (Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend), April 21-29 (National Parks Week), June 9 (Get Outdoors Day), September 29 (National Public Lands Day), and November 10-12 (Veterans Day Weekend).

In addition to those 17 fee-free days for next year, there are still a few free days left for 2011 as well. All of the national parks will once again allow entry to travelers without paying on Veterans Day weekend, which is November 10-12.

For a complete list of the more than 100 parks that take part in the fee-free program click here.

The concept of not charging for entry to the parks was designed to inspire people to visit these amazing destinations. Considering that attendance has been at record levels the past few years, I’d say it has been successful. Announcing the dates this early also helps travelers to plan around these days, both to take advantage of the free entry or to avoid the crowds that inevitably come with them. Either way, it’s a great opportunity to experience a national park, and I’m glad the NPS is continuing the practice again in 2012.