On MLK Jr. Day, Visit These Georgia National Parks For Free

GEORGIA — Often viewed as a federal holiday or a day to give back to communities, Martin Luther King Jr. Day also offers something special to those hoping to spend a day outdoors in Georgia in 2022.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the next chance residents will have to pay a free visit to national parks in Georgia that normally charge entrance fees.

The holiday is one of the several opportunities each year to visit national parks for free. The entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation or special tours.

The National Park Service lists online all parks requiring entrance fees and the amount of the fees. Here are just some of the Georgia parks that will waive entrance fees on Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

• Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: 1978 Island Ford Parkway, Sandy Springs, GA 30350; Hours: The Island Ford Visitor Contact Station at Island Ford is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Dec. 25. The park lands and waters are open for day-use only from dawn to dusk year round.
• Fort Pulaski National Monument: US-80, Savannah, GA 31410; Hours: Open year round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for New Years, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Days. Last entry into the park is at 4:30 pm.
• Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park: 900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, Kennesaw, GA 30152; Hours: Vary. Visitor center hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Park hours are from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily.

Other fee-free days in 2022 are:

• April 16: First day of National Park Week
• Aug. 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• Sept. 24: National Public Lands Day
• Nov. 11: Veterans Day

See the full list of national parks in Georgia. Many parks are free year-round.