Article Overview: National Park Week
National Park Week is a special celebration of our national parks that happens one week every year and gives folks a host of opportunities to engage with America’s most treasured landscapes.
During National Park Week there are a number of `special events as well as “free days” where admission to all national parks is waived.
National Park Week is a great time to learn more and interact with national park units of all shapes and size! In this article we’ll cover everything you need to know about national park week including:
- What is National Park Week?
- When is National Park Week?
- Where is National Park Week?
- National Park Week Events
- National Park Week Free Days
Ready to go? Let’s get started!
Table of Contents – National Park Week
National Park Week
What is National Park Week?
National Park Week is an annual week long celebration of the national parks that is intended to give folks a time to reflect on how incredible our national parks and national park units are, what they mean to us, and how we can continue to protect these important places.
During the week there are a number of special events as well as “free day(s)” where entrance fees are waived on all national park units.
When is National Park Week?
The official dates for National Park Week 2023 are April 22 – April 30. Each year, National Park Week coincides with Earth Day.
National Park Week Free Days
This year, April 22 is the National Park Week free day meaning entrance fees will be waived for all visitors during that day. With free days come large crowds so if you do decide to visit a national park on a National Park Week free day (or any free day for that matter) pack patience!
I recommend visiting lesser visited national parks and national park units on the free days.
Where is National Park Week?
There is no official location for National Park Week! Celebrate it however you’d like, wherever you’d like to! The goal is to appreciate these special places and the folks who manage them so be as creative as you’d like.
National Park Week Events 2023
Here’s a list of 2023 National Park Week Events:
- April 22 – National Volunteer Week Kickoff
- April 22 – Entrance Free Day
- April 22 – ParkRx Day
- April 25 – Young Conservation Leaders Virtual Event
- April 29 – National Junior Ranger Day
Ways to Give During National Park Week
National Park Week is a great time to give back to your national parks! There are a number of organizations that benefit the parks in various ways (including ours!). Here’s our list of top ways to give back:
- More Than Just Parks – Let’s start with us (why not, right?)! Support our efforts to showcase and conserve the national parks by subscribing to our newsletter (free or paid version).
- National Parks Conservation Association – A top national parks loving organization that’s more political than the congressionally mandated National Park Foundation. Contributions to the NPCA go toward supporting conservation efforts as well as fighting national parks bad guys.
- National Park Foundation – The National Park Foundation was chartered by congress to be the official charity of the National Park Service. It is a non-partisan organization. Contributions to the NPF go toward supporting their efforts to promote and conserve the parks.
National Park Week Resources
If you’re looking for some resources to dive into National Park Week, I recommend you check out the following helpful articles:
Best National Parks Ranked: All 63 US National Parks Ranked By Experts
Free Downloadable National Parks Map & List: List & Map of National Parks By State (+ Printable Checklist)
National Parks Videos: 25 BEST National Park Videos to Watch Now
What is a National Park: What Exactly is a National Park?
Most Visited National Parks: Top 10 Most Visited US National Parks
Least Visited National Parks: Top 10 Least Visited National Parks
Best National Park Road Trips: 10 Best National Park Road Trips
East Coast National Parks: Top 10 Best East Coast National Parks Ranked
West Coast National Parks: 25 Best West Coast National Parks Ranked
Best National Monuments: All 128 US National Monuments Ranked (Best to Worst)
National Park Week FAQ
The official dates for National Park Week 2023 are April 22 – April 30.
National Park Week is a special celebration of our national parks that happens one week every year and gives folks a host of opportunities to engage with America’s most treasured landscapes.
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