National Parks To Waive Entrance Fees August 14 and 15

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on August 1, 2010 - 12:35am

Interior Secretary Salazar has waived all national park entrance fees for the weekend of Aug. 14-15. Photo of Gifford Barn in Capital Reef National Park by Kurt Repanshek.

Another weekend in the national parks free of entrance fees will be marked August 14 and 15, a weekend that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar hopes will lure more visitors to the parks.

The upcoming fee-free weekend is just the latest in a series that dates back to last summer, when the Interior secretary took note of the weak economy and scheduled three weekends without entrance fees in the parks.

“This fee-free weekend provides an opportunity for individuals and families alike to take an affordable vacation or to explore a nearby park they have never visited before,” Secretary Salazar said the other day. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of the free admission to visit not only our greatest natural wonders but also our nation’s historic and cultural icons.”

Across the National Park System's 392 units a number of special events will be offered to visitors:

* Ranger-led programs with free instruction and equipment loans for those who want to get wet. Enjoy snorkeling at Cape Cod, kayaking at DeSoto, or canoeing in Congaree or Big Cypress. Prefer to simply chill out near the water? Bring your blanket to one of the 50 parks with beaches.

* Watch history come to life at military encampments and firing demonstrations at Antietam, Gettysburg, Fort Laramie, Fort McHenry, Fort Vancouver, Fort Stanwix, Fort Matanzas, Kings Mountain, Wilson's Creek, Kennesaw Mountain, and Yorktown.

* Dance or tap your toes to the sounds of the Pig War Band at San Juan Island, Cajun music at Jean Lafitte, Ojibwe music at Grand Portage, mountain music on the Blue Ridge Parkway, folk songs at Carl Sandburg, classical music at Saint-Gaudens, or dulcimer music on the Natchez Trace Parkway.

The entrance fees being waived at the 146 sites usually charge for admission range from $3 to $25. There are 246 other parks that do not have entrance fees so you can plan a free visit year-round. The fee free waiver does not include other fees collected in advance or by contractors—such as fees charged for camping, reservations, tours and use of concessions.