DENVER — To celebrate the birthday of the National Park Service, all sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission.
Colorado is home to four National Parks: Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, and Rocky Mountain. The Centennial State also has more than 10 historic sites, trails, and monuments that are managed by the National Park Service.
The National Park Service was officially established on August 25, 1916! 🦬🎂
— National Park Service (@NatlParkService) August 25, 2021
For 105 years, the NPS has been entrusted with the care of national parks. Today, entrance fees are waived for everyone to come out to enjoy their parks!
More: https://t.co/0AwvPu7cJq#NPS105pic.twitter.com/RdNrabqAGT
The National Park Service turns 105 years old on Wednesday, August 25. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act into law, which then created the National Park Service.
The service’s birthday is one of the handful of days where National Parks provide free entry for visitors. The others are as follows:
It is important to check how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the National Park of your choice before heading out for a day on the trails. On August 16, the NPS announced it is requiring masks indoors and in crowded outdoor areas at all national parks.
“Visitors to national parks are coming from locations across the country, if not across the world. Because of this, and recognizing that the majority of the United States is currently in substantial or high transmission categories, we are implementing a service-wide mask requirement to ensure our staff and visitors’ safety,” said NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge in a news release.
[Related: An Explosion In Visitors Is Threatening The Very Things National Parks Try To Protect]
In Rocky Mountain National Park, visitors still have to secure a timed entry permit or camping reservation to enter the park, even on free admission days.
More closures and alerts are available on the National Park Service website here.
Examining an argument for reparations
Learn about the federal agency created to protect the parks.
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