UNITED STATES — Each year, the National Park Service (NPS) celebrates National Park Week with a series of events and programs across its 429 national park sites. This year, the celebration kicks off on Saturday, April 19, with entrance fees waived at parks across the country.
National Park Week takes place from Saturday, April 19 to Sunday, April 27, encouraging the public to get to know their favorite park.
“Discover what the NPS does to preserve natural and cultural heritage and provide recreational opportunities in communities across the country — and even the world,” NPS wrote on its website.
According to the NPS, this year’s theme is National Park Playlist, “celebrating musical connections of the national parks and the American story.” Featured park playlists include nature and wildlife sounds, podcasts, music from the parks and kid songs. Each day of National Park Week, the NPS offers a challenge for visitors to create their own playlist of favorite songs, trips or park memories. The public can also learn about what the NPS does to preserve the nation’s musical heritage.
Starting off the week’s events is National Junior Ranger Day on Saturday, April 19. Kids of all ages are invited to attend Junior Ranger programs so they can connect to the many places across the NPS.
“No matter what age you are, you are invited to explore, learn and protect on National Junior Ranger Day,” the NPS wrote.
Here are some ways to celebrate National Junior Ranger Day:
- Look to see if a park is hosting any Junior Ranger Day activities. View Junior Ranger events by state via the calendar.
- Participate in an online Junior Ranger program, such as Junior Paleontologist and Night Explorers.
- Visit the NPS Kids Portal to plan a park experience, learn about free 4th Grader access and groove out to Junior Ranger Radio.
Visitors can also gain free admission on June 19 for Juneteenth National Independence Day, on Aug. 4 in honor of the Great American Outdoors Act, on Sept. 28 to observe National Public Lands Day and on Nov. 11 for Veterans Day.
Yellowstone National Park will open the North and West Entrances and select park roads for the season on Friday, April 18. Additional roads within the park will open throughout May, weather permitting.
Grand Teton National Park is not technically open for the season quite yet, but Teton Park Road is open to cyclists, joggers, walkers, rollerbladers and more until the park opens to motor vehicles on May 1. Those who wish to recreate on the park road still need to pay an entrance fee, so Saturday will offer the chance to enter for free.
