The next fee free day for the National Park Service is coming up! During ten days of the year, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. “National parks are known for their priceless beauty,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “They are a bargain anytime but on these ten days in 2017, they really will be priceless. We want everyone to visit their national parks and the fee free days provide extra incentive to experience these amazing places.”

During the fee free days, all National Park Service sites will waive their entrance fees for all visitors. Usually, 124 of the 413 national parks charge entrance fees that range from $3 to $30. (The other 289 sites do not have entrance fees.) FYI-The entrance fee waiver for the fee-free days does not cover amenity or user fees for things such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.

If you’ve never been to Arches, now’s your chance! Get two National Parks from one town, Moab, Utah, and drink good beer to boot.
Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in Arches and Canyonlands in 2017:

•January 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
•February 20: Presidents’ Day
•April 15-16 and 22-23: Weekends of National Park Week
•August 25: National Park Service Birthday
•September 30: National Public Lands Day
•November 11-12: Veterans Day Weekend

To continue the national park adventure beyond these fee free days, the annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass allows unlimited entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks,. There are also free or discounted passes available for senior citizens, current military members, fourth grade students, and disabled citizens.

The National Park System includes more than 84 million acres and is comprised of 413 sites including national parks, national historical parks, national monuments, national recreation areas, national battlefields, and national seashores. There is at least one national park in every state.

Last year, 307 million people visited a national park. They spent $16.9 billion which supported 295,000 jobs and had a $32 billion impact on the U.S. economy.

p.s. Dogs are not allowed on the trails in Arches or Canyonslands but you can still take them to see natural arches.