(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, December 08, 2014 ) MT. RAINIER, Wash. – There are nine more reasons to enjoy national parks next year! The National Park Service will offer free admission to every visitor on nine days in 2015. The 2015 entrance fee-free days are:
◦ January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day ◦ February 14-16: Presidents Day weekend ◦ April 18 & 19: National Park Week’s opening weekend ◦ August 25: National Park Service’s 99th birthday ◦ September 26: National Public Lands Day ◦ November 11: Veterans Day
“Every day is a great day in a national park, and these entrance fee free days offer an extra incentive to visit one of these amazing places,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “As we prepare to celebrate the National Park Service’s centennial in 2016, we are inviting all Americans to discover the beauty and history that lives in our national parks.”
A national park may be closer to home than you think. National Park Service sites are located in every state and in many major cities, including New York City which is home to ten national parks. They are places of recreation and inspiration and they are also powerful economic engines for local communities. Throughout the country, visitors to national parks spent $26.5 billion and supported almost 240,000 jobs in 2013.
Generally, 133 of the 401 National Park Service have entrance fees that range from $3 to $25. While entrance fees will be waived for the fee free days, amenity and user fees for things such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours will still be in effect.
Other Federal land management agencies that will offer their own fee-free days in 2015 are: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Forest Service. Please contact each for dates and details.
The National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Forest Service also participate in the America the Beautiful National Parks Pass and Federal Recreational Lands Pass programs. These passes provide access to more than 2,000 national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, grasslands, and other federal lands. Four passes are available:
◦ Free annual pass to current military members and their dependents ◦ Free lifetime pass for U.S. citizens with permanent disabilities ◦ $10 lifetime senior pass for U.S. citizens aged 62 and over ◦ $80 annual pass for the general public.
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About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.
