American National Parks Week kicks off on the 16th with free admission to 107 attractions.

This week, the National Park Week in the United States will kick off on Saturday, April 19th. On this day, all sites under the supervision of the National Park Service (NPS) will be open to visitors free of charge.

Among the over 400 sites managed by the National Park Service, 107 typically charge entrance fees. However, each year, the agency waives entrance fees for certain sites in commemoration of significant days.

One such day has already passed this year on January 20th, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Additionally, an unplanned free entrance day was observed on January 9th for the National Day of Mourning for President Jimmy Carter.

This Saturday, visitors will enjoy another free entrance day to kick off National Park Week.

The National Park Service notes that while entrance fees are waived, visitors may still need to pay for reservations or timed entry.

Later this year, the National Park Service will offer four additional free entrance days: June 19th for Juneteenth National Independence Day, August 4th for the anniversary of the Great American Outdoor Act (GAOA), September 27th for National Public Lands Day, and November 11th for Veterans Day.

The celebration of National Park Week will last for a week. While free entrance is limited to Saturday, a variety of activities and performances will take place on the other days. The National Park Service website features a full list of events that can be searched by date, park, and state of the individual.

In 2024, US national parks welcomed a record-breaking 331.8 million visitors, surpassing the previous record of 330.9 million visitors set in 2016.