ESTES PARK, Colo. — National Park Week will kick off with a fee free day this weekend.
The National Park Service (NPS) will waive entrance fees on Saturday, April 16, but camping and all other administrative fees will still be in effect.
Colorado is home to four National Parks: Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes and Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
The free day is one of five planned in 2022. The next is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 4 for the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act.
NPS said its five free admission days "are designed to encourage discovery and visitation of the country’s variety of national parks."
National Park Week in 2022 runs from Saturday, April 16 to Sunday, April 24. Visitors are encouraged to begin their trip with a stop at NPS.gov or the NPS app.
"Whether on an entrance fee-free day or throughout the year, we encourage everyone to discover their national parks and the benefits that come from spending time outdoors," said NPS Director Chuck Sams. "National parks are for everyone and we are committed to increasing access and providing opportunities for all to experience the sense of wonder, awe and refreshment that comes with a visit to these treasured landscapes and sites."
Free entrance dates for 2022:
- Monday, Jan. 17 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Saturday, April 16 – First Day of National Park Week
- Thursday, Aug. 4 – Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
- Saturday, Sept. 24 – National Public Lands Day
- Friday, Nov. 11 – Veterans Day
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