Fees are an important part of managing public lands, as many recreation opportunities, including OHV recreation opportunities, may be lost absent an opportunity to pay for them outside of the federal budget’s appropriations process. However, the Fee-Free program is a way to thank the millions of public lands visitors and to encourage more people to experience the great outdoors.
BRECKSVILLE, Ohio (Jun 2, 2009) – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that the National Park Service will offer three fee-free weekends this summer to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit these national treasures. There are 391 national parks located across the country in 49 states.
“National Parks also serve as powerful economic engines for local communities and we hope that promoting visitation will give a small shot in the arm to businesses in the area,” he said.
The 147 National Park Service sites across the country that charge fees for entry will waive these entrance fees during the weekends of June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16, 2009, Salazar said.
Meanwhile, many park partners including tour operators, hotels, restaurants, gift shops, and other vendors will offer additional discounts and special promotions on those dates. More information on the fees and discounts can be found at http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm .