Written by Jason Barnette
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I grew up taking family hikes on the Appalachian Trail and day trips to the Blue Ridge Parkway. But I was 26 years old before I ever set foot inside a national park. Before then, I had no idea the world of scenic vistas, outdoor recreation, and history I’d been missing.
National Park Week is from April 20 to April 28, 2024. It’s an annual celebration hosted by the National Park Service and National Park Foundation. During the event, national park units across the country host special events, draw attention to the purpose of the National Park System, and encourage people to visit a park.
Every year, I use National Park Week as motivation for writing new content. The new articles are travelogues about my national park adventures, road trip itineraries for exploring the parks, and travel guides filled with trips and inside information.
Keep scrolling to learn about this year’s theme, special events, resources for planning a trip, and read the new articles I’ve written about our national parks.
Happy National Park Week!
Quickly Find a National Parks Article
What is National Park Week?
National Park Week is an annual celebration hosted by the National Park Service and National Park Foundation. During the event, national park units across the country host special events, draw attention to the purpose of the National Park System, and encourage people to visit a park.
Historian Wallace Stegner once said the national parks were “the best idea ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.”
The quote has since been reduced to calling the national parks “America’s best idea.”
National Park Week is a 9-day celebration of that idea. It starts with a Free Entrance Day to entice people to visit a park. The week continues with special events, like range-led activities, seminars, and guided tours.
But it’s also about recognizing the importance of the parks and the need to keep them maintained. The National Park Foundation requests donations to help rebuild hiking trails, renovate CCC-era buildings, and maintain public areas of the parks.
When is National Park Week?
National Park Week is celebrated from April 20 to April 28, 2024. And as you just realized, it’s more than a week.
Traditionally, National Park Week starts on the Saturday before Earth Day, the annual celebration of environmental protection. First held in 1970, Earth Day brings attention to topics often aligning with the National Park Service’s mission to preserve and protect.
The “week” lasts nine days, from Saturday until the following Sunday. Spanning two weekends, National Park Week is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the special activities in the national parks.
The first day of National Park Week is a Free Entrance Day, one of the days each year when entrance fees are waived at all national park units.
National Park Trip Planning Resources
Finding a park to visit, planning the trip, and making the most of your time can be challenging. I’ve made that easier with these national park trip planning resources.
National Park Articles
Browse my collection of national park articles to learn more about which parks to visit and things to do at the parks. This list is sorted chronologically with the most recent first, so you can see my most recent national park adventures.
