For travelers and residents alike, one of the best things about the Southwest USA is its phenomenal national parks. These amazing parklands preserve the stunning landscapes, wildlife, plants, woodlands, and rivers that make this region like no other.
Many of the largest and most popular national parks charge entrance fees, which are used to maintain and protect the parks. But the National Park Service has declared 17 "fee free days" during 2011, in order to encourage more people to discover and enjoy this great natural heritage.
On fee free days, visitors will have access to more than 100 national parks and monuments, historic sites and recreation areas which normally charge admission fees. Charges for camping, reservations, recreation rentals and other concessions which are run by outside operators will still apply, but many of these will also offer discounts, as will most park service concessions.
2011 Fee Free Days in US National Parks
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend in January kicked off the first fee free national park days in 2011. The biggest block of dates in the program takes place this spring, during National Park Week.
National Park Week runs from April 16 through April 24, 2011. In addition to free admission at all 394 national parks, many parks will also offer special events and programs during the week.
Other fee free days throughout the year include:
- June 21, first day of summer
- September 24, Public Lands Day
- November 11-13, Veterans' Day weekend
Enjoying Fee Free Days at Southwest National Parks and Monuments
Here are a few ideas for making the most of fee free days at US national parks throughout the Southwest:
Eight national parks in Colorado offer fee free days. Drive across the Continental Divide on America's highest continuous paved road in Rocky Mountain National Park. Or discover some fascinating prehistoric fossils at Dinosaur National Monument.
There are fee-free days at eleven national parks in Utah. Visit Arches, Bryce Canyon and other parks in the region to see some of the country's most amazing natural rock formations. Or hike into the rugged backcountry and camp overnight at Canyonlands National Park.
New Mexico's ten national parks range from prehistoric Native American ruins at several parks to the phenomenal White Sands National Monument. Visit Carlsbad Caverns to see one of the country's most extensive underground cave systems with fascinating cave formations.
Arizona has some 16 national parks and monuments offering fee-free days. Discover the wealth of desert plants and wildlife on a walk in Saguaro National Park. Or rent a houseboat for an overnight sail at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Among California's eleven national parks, explore the forbidding Death Valley National Park, which straddles the border with Nevada. Or discover lesser-known wonders like Lassen Volcanic National Park.
For more information about fee free days in US national parks, or about individual parks in your area, visit the US National Park website.
Donna Dailey - Donna Dailey is an award-winning travel writer & photographer. Her work appears in newspapers, magazines, websites and guidebooks ...
