Published: Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Parks offer three free weekends
WASHINGTON -- Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Tuesday that entrance fees at 147 national parks and monuments will be waived three weekends this summer: June 20-21, July 18-19 and August 15-16.
"During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families," Salazar said at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. "I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation's crown jewels this summer and especially to take advantage of the three free-admission weekends."
Most Americans live less than a day's drive from a national park, Salazar said. Last year, national parks attracted more than 275 million visits, generating an estimated $10.6 billion for local economies and supporting more than 213,000 jobs, he said.
For the Park Service, the free weekends will mean a loss of an estimated half-million dollars a day from entrance fees that range from $3 to $25. A total of 147 parks and monuments charge entrance fees; the nation's other 244 parks are already free.
Kendra Barkoff, a spokeswoman for Salazar, said the lost revenue should be more than offset by an increase in park tourism. Many tour operators, hotels, restaurants, gift shops and other vendors near national parks will offer other discounts and special promotions on the free weekend dates, she said.
The waiver applies only to entrance fees and does not affect charges for camping, reservations, tours or concessions, Salazar said.
"During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families," Salazar said at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. "I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation's crown jewels this summer and especially to take advantage of the three free-admission weekends."
Most Americans live less than a day's drive from a national park, Salazar said. Last year, national parks attracted more than 275 million visits, generating an estimated $10.6 billion for local economies and supporting more than 213,000 jobs, he said.
For the Park Service, the free weekends will mean a loss of an estimated half-million dollars a day from entrance fees that range from $3 to $25. A total of 147 parks and monuments charge entrance fees; the nation's other 244 parks are already free.
Kendra Barkoff, a spokeswoman for Salazar, said the lost revenue should be more than offset by an increase in park tourism. Many tour operators, hotels, restaurants, gift shops and other vendors near national parks will offer other discounts and special promotions on the free weekend dates, she said.
The waiver applies only to entrance fees and does not affect charges for camping, reservations, tours or concessions, Salazar said.
Story tags »
• Vacations • Tourism • Camping • ParksFree parks
National parks, monuments and historic sites in the Northwest where entrance fees will be waived on the weekends of June 20-21, July 18-19 and August 15-16:
Washington
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Lewis & Clark National Historical Park, Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park and Whitman Mission National Historic Site
Oregon
Crater Lake National Park and Lewis & Clark National Historical Park
Idaho
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Yellowstone National Park
Find out more
For lists of participating parks in other states, click on "100 National Parks" online at:
www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.
Associated Press
Comments
(