Yosemite National Park is Celebrating Founder’s Day on August 25th (which, coincidentally, is National Parks Day, too!).
Park entrance fees are waived for the Day! All other fees associated with camping, lodging, or activities within the park are not waived. The fee waiver is good for Sunday, August 25, Founder’s Day, only.
From the National Park Service website:
Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra.
First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.
If you can’t make it to Yosemite, remember: August 25th is National Parks day, and many parks are offering free park admission on that day! Check with your local park and see if it’s free!
On this day in 1864 President Lincoln signed a bill drafted by both houses of the 38th Congress of the United States officially creating the Yosemite Grant. While Yellowstone ultimately became the first National Park, this was the first instance of park land being set aside for preservation and public use by the federal government. The grant was the result of citizens like Galen Clark and Senator John Conness advocating heavily for protection of the area. John Muir later led a successful movement to establish a larger national park encompassing not just the Yosemite Valley, but surrounding mountains and forests as well.