You can visit national parks for free this Saturday. Here’s what to know

It won’t cost you extra money to visit national parks on one day this weekend.

More than 120 National Park Service sites typically charge a fee that ranges from $5 and $35. On Saturday, Sept. 24, however, those sites will be free to visit.

Park officials are celebrating National Public Lands Day. The day is organized each year to encourage people to get outdoors, help preserve and show appreciation for public lands.

“National Public Lands Day is special because it provides all lovers of the environment — old and new — an opportunity to show our appreciation for these unique places,” the National Park Service said on its website.

Some parks also offer volunteer work projects on National Public Lands Day. Several national parks host clean-ups and trail maintenance projects during the day.

Sept. 24 is one of five fee-free days the National Park Service planned for 2022. The next and final fee-free day of the year will be Friday, Nov. 11, for Veterans Day.

“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,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said in a previous news release. “National parks are for everyone and we are committed to increasing access.”

More people have been visiting the national parks than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, 237 million people visited national parks, according to the park service.

In 2021, the National Park Service said it had one of the busiest summer seasons on record after the coronavirus pandemic halted many vacation plans in 2020. More than 297 million people visited national parks last year.

This story was originally published September 20, 2022 at 10:53 AM.