Five Fun, Free Ways to Celebrate National Park Week

Hiking Safety Tips in Bryce Canyon
National Park Week is approaching fast, which means visitors will come from far and wide to see the National Parks on their bucket list. Beginning April 15th and ending April 23rd, the National Park Service will be celebrating National Park week. National Park Week is especially good news for frugal outdoor enthusiasts since National Park Week Weekends mean park entry is free of charge. For the two weekends during National Park Week, visitors can enjoy the beauty of Bryce Canyon, and any other National Park, for free.
For guests visiting on the weekends of April 15th and April 22nd, there is no entrance fee to the more than 400 parks across the country. This is great news for those who enjoy saving money. However, there is even better news for these budget conscience travelers. During National Park Week, there are several events and activities being held in the parks that make a visit even more worthwhile. The following are five great ways to get the most out of National Park Week.

Explore every inch of the park
Anyone who has been to Bryce Canyon National Park, or any other park across the country, knows that one day is not enough to see the whole park. These land areas are massive and hold many unique surprises. Rather than taking a glance at the most popular areas, guests can really delve into the park to get the most out of their experience. To explore Bryce Canyon, Ruby’s Inn will shuttle visitors to popular areas and they are even offering special deals and savings during National Park Week. There are hidden gems in every National Park, and free days during National Park Week are the perfect time to discover them.

Celebrate Earth Day
Our Earth is the most important thing we have. No matter our differences, we are all sharing this planet. Since everyone calls Earth home, we must do everything we can to protect it. On Earth Day, which is April 22nd, awareness is being brought to the fact that Earth cannot sustain us if we do not give back to it. To give back to the Earth and celebrate Earth Day, many National Parks are holding special events and activities for guests. Since Earth Day aligns with the last free weekend of National Park Week, visitors can enjoy many of these activities free of charge. There is no better way to celebrate and honor Earth than to spend the day outside enjoying its beauty.

Enjoy Junior Ranger Day
To kick off National Park Weekend, on April 15th Junior Ranger Day will be celebrated throughout the parks. For aspiring rangers and young outdoor enthusiasts, Junior Ranger Day will be a big hit. On this special day, kids of all ages have the chance to earn their Junior Ranger Badge, making their Junior Ranger status official. At Bryce Canyon National Park, securing a Junior Ranger badge requires kids to complete three tasks: attend a Park Ranger presentation, complete work booklet activities, and pick up litter at one of the overlooks or on a hiking trail. Once those activities are complete, kids will be officially inducted as Junior Rangers and presented with their badge. The Junior Ranger Day at each park differs, but each one offers kids the opportunity to make a difference in a National Park and be proud of their accomplishment.

Visit many parks
If visiting a National Park in Utah, guests will be able to visit not one, but five, National Parks. No matter which park is the destination, it will be surrounded by many other areas controlled by the National Park Service. Those who live in or are planning to travel to Utah during National Park Days are in for a real treat. On Both free weekends, there are ten different parks, monuments, or recreation areas that are offering free admission. This means that every guest will find somewhere exciting to explore.

The areas participating in free admission for National Park Week weekends are:
  • Arches National Park
  • Bryce Canyon National Park
  • Canyonlands National Park
  • Capitol Reef National Park
  • Cedar Breaks National Monument
  • Dinosaur National Monument
  • Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
  • Golden Spike National Historic Site
  • Natural Bridges National Monument
  • Zion National Park


Fill a Park Prescription
Park Prescription Days is an innovative initiative which highlights the health and healing powers of the outdoors. The founders of Park Rx believe deeply in the wellness benefits provided by public outdoor spaces. While there are currently no participating parks in Utah, nineteen other states have parks that are participating in the second annual Park Prescription Days. For park goers who believe in the many benefits of getting outdoors, a visit to a local park to celebrate and be a part of Park Prescription Days may be just what the doctor ordered.

Enjoy National Park Week
Living in such a beautiful country gives outdoor enthusiasts many opportunities to be awestruck by mother nature. With over 400 National Parks and countless state and local public areas, everyone has the opportunity to get out and explore. During National Park Week free weekends, there is no excuse to not visit one of the incredible parks in the U.S. Visitors can hike, bike, rappel, and raft their way through nature’s untouched beauty without spending a dime.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

I agree to these terms.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.