This weekend, January 14th – 16th, is the first weekend of 2012 that the National Parks will be offering FREE admission for all visitors. They offer several days throughout the year and it’s a great chance to spend the day as a family or with friends and check out a new park or an old favorite.
Here is the list of fee-free days at the National Parks for 2012:
- January 14-16 – Martin Luther King Jr Weekend
- April 21-29 – National Park Week – free admission all week
- June 9 – Get Outdoors Day
- September 29 - National Public Lands Day
- November 10-12 - Veterans Day weekend
*Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.
Mount Rainier National Park:
The picture at the top of the post is one my husband took this summer at Mt Rainier National Park, as we brought my brother, sister-in-law & niece to Mt Rainier. My niece had never seen snow (they live in Ft Lauderdale, FL) so our 3 girls had a blast playing in the snow. And the views are always breathtaking.
We decided to do the full driving loop around the mountain that day and took in a great family-friendly hike along the
Grove of the Patriarch’s trail. I’m not sure if this is open during the winter, but it was a fun little hike in the summer (just over 1 mile long) & it runs along the river, across a beautiful suspension bridge & then over to a grove of large, old growth trees. Our girls had fun putting on a little performance for us in front of the large trees (below). Anytime they find something that looks like a stage, they love to perform for us & our niece got into the action, too!
On another note, our deepest sympathies go to the family of Margaret Anderson, the ranger who was killed at Mt Rainier on New Years Day, putting her life on the line to save countless people at the park that day. My husband is a former State Park ranger, so we have a very special place in our heart for rangers & the selfless work they do to protect those who visit the parks. So, please take a minute to thank a ranger for their efforts & sacrifices if you visit a National Park this weekend!
Tagged as:
Entertainment,
frugal family fun,
frugal living
