You Can Visit Over 400 National Parks Around The U.S. For Free On National Public Lands Day 2023
Sophia
Author
If you’re looking to explore a bit more of this beautiful country but would like to do so without putting a strain on your wallet, we have some great news. All of the U.S. national parks will be free to enter on September 23, 2023! In honor of National Public Lands Day 2023, the National Park Service has announced that all admission fees will be waived for visitors on September 23, 2023. More than 400 parks and national park units will be taking part in this nationwide event, so there’s bound to be one near you. Popular spots such as Acadia, Rocky Mountain, Shenandoah, Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Everglades, and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks are all included!
Although millions of people visit national park units on an annual basis, many more do not have the opportunity to do so. Free admission days, like National Public Lands Day 2023, offer the opportunity to get out and visit our incredible public lands in the United States. One of the most accessible parks - and, thus, most visited - is the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina. It connects Shenandoah National Park in the north to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the south, while traversing more than 400 miles of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains in between.
In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you'll be treated to incredible views, such as those from Clingman's Dome - the highest point in the park.
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It also includes national lakeshores, such as Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, national scenic riverways, and national preserves, as well as national historic parks and sites.
Lace up your hiking boots and get ready to explore!
Can’t decide which National Park to visit that weekend? Here are a few favorites that we’ve featured in the past:
If you live in the western half of the country, check out North Cascades National Park in Washington or Channel Islands National Park in California. You can surround yourself with the towering cacti in Saguaro National Park in Arizona or check out Utah’s underrated Capitol Reef National Park.
If you’re in the eastern half of the country, check out the scenic overlook at Clingman’s Dome or hike the Chimney Tops Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee or head to Congaree National Park in South Carolina. Everglades National Park in Florida is also an excellent choice.
In the Midwest, you’ll find Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota, Isle Royale National Park in Michigan, and Gateway Arch National Park in Missouri. There are also several fascinating national monuments in the region, like Effigy Mounds in Iowa, as well as Pipestone and Grand Portage National Monuments in Minnesota. Michigan and Wisconsin are also home to stunning national lakeshores, such as Apostle Islands, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshores.
And now’s the perfect time to visit America’s oldest national park in Arkansas and one of America’s newest national parks in Indiana!
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National Parks to Visit In the USA
What are some of the most amazing National Parks to visit in the United States?
The United States is home to some of the most breathtakingly beautiful places in the world, and many of them have the special honor of being designated as National Parks. With so many in the country to choose from (all of which are amazing and worth a visit), why not begin your adventures with some of the most amazing? Our picks for the most amazing National Parks to visit in the United States include the incredible Grand Teton National Park, in Wyoming, which is one of the most-visited parks for reasons that become obvious from the moment you arrive. Another favorite of ours is Montana’s famed Glacier National Park, home to some of the most amazing landscapes in the world. Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is visited millions of times per year, and it’s easy to see why: it’s intensely scenic, vast, and stunningly beautiful. The single most-visited park in the US is also one of its most amazing: Great Smoky Mountains National Park is nestled in Tennessee and sees more visitors every year than any other park in the country. Of course, every National Park in the United States is worth visiting – we just think these are the best ones to get started at.
When are the free days at National Parks?
Every year, there are several national parks free admission days, when you can get in without having to pay. What’s better than free? Those days – every year – are Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the first day of National Park Week (which is in April), the August anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, National Public Lands Day, and, finally, Veterans Day. What national parks are free on these days? All of them! Of course, to save money on park entry year-round, you can always purchase an annual America The Beautiful Pass - available online from REI - which allows you into our national parks, as well as many other types of public lands, including national forests, national wildlife refuges, and Bureau of Land Management units, all year-'round.