The National Parks Service marks its 98th anniversary today. All of the parks will be celebrating by offering FREE ADMISSION! Get out there and visit your national parks!
From the NPS website:
It’s our birthday, and we hope you’ll visit a national park and help us celebrate! On August 25, 2014 the National Park Service turns 98 years old. We are waiving entrance fees and inviting everyone to join in the festivities taking place coast-to-coast.
Our big day, August 25, is a free-entrance day, so head to any of the country’s 401 national parks and take in the scenery, learn a little history, or simply enjoy the great outdoors.
Ninety-eight may sound old, but we’re young at heart and celebrating with everyone who shares our youthful exuberance! Parks across the country are offering loads of fun activities. Take the kids on a caving adventure, bike ride, kayak tour, hike, or island safari. Catch a campfire talk, make a painting, or witness a living history demonstration. Search the events calendar to find out what’s happening at a park near you! You can help the kids earn a free Junior Ranger badge at almost any park—just ask at the visitor center.
You can find out more about the National Park Service – and find a National Park near you – on their website HERE.
You can sign the NPS birthday card HERE.
In 1996 Congress authorized national forests through the Federal Lands Recreation Act (REA) to enact recreation fees that would generate revenue which would be funneled directly into forest maintenance plans. As the federal budget has continued to hack and slash at service for America (yet, oddly continues to provide billions in aid to people who don’t like us) the U.S. Forest Service has been sorely pressed to come up with funding to make investments to infrastructure and do necessary repairs – especially to those forests that butt up against urban areas and which see heavy traffic.