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Natural Parks. Cool vacation. Happy family on vacation in Usa. Canyon Village. Yellowstone National Park. Wyoming.
Paola Giannoni/istockphoto

If you’ve been aching to become one with Mother Nature, your moment is arriving. This Saturday, April 22, is not only Earth Day, but the first Day of National Park Week — ahh, serendipity. To celebrate, the National Park Service is waiving entry fees at all national parks. 

@goodtripadventures Take advantage of Earth Day and National Park Week this year with a free park entry & tons of ways to commemorate our beautiful planet! 🌎 #earthday #nationalparkweek #leavenotrace #packitinpackitout #earthday2023 #greenscreen ♬ Storytelling – Adriel

Entry fees to the 109 fee-charging parks (the other 315 offer free entry) range in price, but can cost up to $20 per person depending on the park. According to the National Park Service, fees help fund repairs, maintenance, and enhancements to the parks that charge them. 

While the fees might be put to good use, they can make an already pricey trip even more expensive. When you factor in travel expenses, food and water, supplies and equipment for outdoor activities, and charges for extra expeditions, those entry fees can become monetarily menacing.

Gallery: Inspiring National Parks to Explore in Every State

In addition to Saturday, there are three other upcoming free-entry dates for the national parks, but the April 22 date might be the best time to bonus up, especially if you like extracurricular activities. During National Park week, certain parks host fun events and activities, including a history exhibit at Grand Canyon National Park and yoga at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site.

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Meet the Writer

Rachel is a Michigan-based writer who has dabbled in a variety of subject matter throughout her career. As a mom of multiple young children, she tries to maintain a sustainable lifestyle for her family. She grows vegetables in her garden, gets her meat in bulk from local farmers, and cans fruits and vegetables with friends. Her kids have plenty of hand-me-downs in their closets, but her husband jokes that before long, they might need to invest in a new driveway thanks to the frequent visits from delivery trucks dropping off online purchases (she can’t pass up a good deal, after all). You can reach her at [email protected].