2024 Fee Free Days in the National Parks

Cape Cod National Seashore

The Department of the Interior has released the 2024 dates when entry to 108 fee-based National Parks Service units will be FREE! The other 321 units are free to enter every single day. Sadly, the number of free days still remains well below the 2016 highwater mark of 16 days, but putting these on the calendar now can support budget friendly travel in the new year. This is especially so if you plan to visit parks with a $35 entry fee, like Acadia, Yosemite, Glacier, and others.

  • January 15 (Monday) - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

  • April 20 (Saturday) - First Day of National Park Week

  • June 19 (Wednesday) - Juneteenth

  • August 4 (Sunday) – Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act

  • September 28 (Saturday) - National Public Lands Day

  • November 11 (Monday) - Veterans Day

Though, the best deal going for public lands is still to purchase the America the Beautiful pass for only $80. Find out more about this valuable pass here. For a complete listing of parks that typically charge a fee for entry, click here.

As a reminder, any fourth grade student can get a free annual pass through the Every Kid in a Park program that admits them and their family, and active duty military and citizens with a permanent disability can also get free yearly passes.

Which parks and what dates are you thinking about?

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Parks & Points & Poetry 2021

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Parks&Points&Poetry

Parks & Points & Poetry 2021

In April of 2021, we will again host our annual online poetry series in honor of National Poetry Month. We invite poetry submissions that reflect upon nature, outdoor exploration, and accompanying moments of adventurousness or self-reflection. The guidelines for submission and the FAQ are as follows:

Guidelines

Submit 1-3 poems, the name of the location (park, public land, or designated outdoor space) that inspired the poem or poems, and a short bio to amy@parksandpoints.com, anytime between March 8, 2021 and March 31, 2021. Please submit all of your work in ONE email. Copy and paste into the email body is preferred, though attachments are also acceptable.

FAQ

1. Does my work need to be about a U.S. national park?

No. Although we cover national parks on Parks & Points, this series is about exploring and celebrating the power of nature and the outdoors, and poems can be inspired by a variety of venues and landscapes. That said, we will include the name of the location with each published poem, be it a national park, forest, lakeshore or seashore, a state park or natural area, or an outdoor urban space, so please include this information with your submission.

2. Can I submit just one poem?

Yes! You can submit one poem you love, or up to three (3).

3.  When will I know if my work has been accepted for publication?
 
We intend to let writers know during the first week of April, give or take a day or two depending on the volume of last minute submissions.

4. Can I publish my work elsewhere if it is published on Parks & Points?

You retain the rights to your work, but we ask that you credit Parks & Points as the first publisher in subsequent publications of the same poem(s).

5. Will I be compensated?
 
We will offer an honorarium of $10 per published poem.

More questions? Email amy@parksandpoints.com.

Discover and read poems from the Parks & Points & Poetry series

2021 Fee Free Days in the National Parks

2021 Fee Free Days - 1.jpeg

The Department of the Interior has released the 2021 dates when entry to 108 fee-based National Parks Service units will be FREE! The other 314 units are free to enter every single day. Sadly, the number of free days remains well below the 2016 highwater mark of 16 days, but putting these on the calendar now can support budget friendly travel in the new year. This is especially so if you plan to visit parks with a $35 entry fee, like Acadia, Yosemite, Glacier, and others.

  • January 18 (Monday) - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

  • April 17 (Saturday) - First Day of National Park Week

  • August 4 (Wednesday) – One year anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act

  • August 25 (Wednesday) - National Park Service Birthday

  • September 25 (Saturday) - National Public Lands Day

  • November 11 (Wednesday) - Veterans Day

Though, the best deal going for public lands is still to purchase the America the Beautiful pass for only $80. Find out more about this valuable pass here. We’d suggest looking at Avios, British Airways rewards program, and American Airlines Reduced Mileage Awards for getting to some of the more hard to reach parks like Glacier and Yellowstone. For a complete listing of parks that typically charge a fee for entry, click here.

As a reminder, any fourth grade student can get a free annual pass through the Every Kid in a Park program that admits them and their family, and active duty military and citizens with a permanent disability can also get free yearly passes.

Which parks and what dates are you thinking about?

12 Scenic Swimming Holes In National Parks and National Forests

Within national parks, monuments, and forests, there are plenty of natural swimming holes offering striking and idyllic scenery and an opportunity for off-the-trail fun. Cool down in the summer heat or soak your tired muscles at these twelve gorgeous swimming holes, some of which are part of the National Park Service, and some part of the U.S. Forest Service.

Find out more by clicking here or on the banner photo.

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