FREE: No Entrance Fees at National Parks Through Sunday

If you’ve been putting off a trip to or the Isle Royale National Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore because you’re trying to save money, now is the time to go.

All entrance fees at National Parks and Monuments are waived through Sunday, April 24 for National Park Week.

What's more, there are plenty of special events going on this week, including:

• April 22: Earth Day - On Earth Day, if you want to roll up your sleeves and pitch in with a project, look for a park where you can help out.
• April 23: National Park Instameet - Join an InstaMeet in a park. Gather in a designated place at a specific time to take photos and short videos to post on Instagram (and other social media) with the same hashtag: #FindYourParkInstaMeet, #FindYourPark, #EncuentraTuParque, #NPS100
• April 24: Park Rx Day - On Park Rx Day, parks will host fun recreational activities that encourage healthy lifestyles and promote physical and mental well being.

Spring is typically a great time to visit parks, as the number of visitors is much smaller than during peak summer travel. More than 37 million people visit our National Parks annually, generating $1.6 trillion in economic benefit.

The following are managed by the National Park Service, and many are free year-round.

NATIONAL PARK

Isle Royale

Houghton

NATIONAL LAKESHORE

Sleeping Bear Dunes

Empire

Miles of sand beach, bluffs that tower 450’ above Lake Michigan, lush forests, clear inland lakes, unique flora and fauna make up the natural world of Sleeping Bear Dunes. High dunes afford spectacular views across the lake. An island lighthouse, US Life-Saving Service stations, coastal villages, and picturesque farmsteads reflect the park’s rich maritime, agricultural, and recreational history.

NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

Keweenaw

Calumet

From 7,000 years ago to the 1900s people mined Keweenaw copper. Native peoples made copper into tools and trade items. Investors and immigrants arrived in the 1800s in a great mineral rush, developing thriving industries and cosmopolitan communities. Though the mines have since closed, their mark is still visible on the land and people.

NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA

Motor Cities

Detroit

If you are interested in automotive history, then MotorCities National Heritage Area is the place to be. Tour the factory where Henry Ford created and built the Model T. Learn the stories behind the creation of General Motors and DamilerChrysler. Come with us and learn about the long and sometimes tenuous relationship between Labor and Industry while experiencing southeast Michigan.

NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL

North Country

Seven States: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota/ From New York to North Dakota, you're never far from a great outdoor adventure. When completed the trail will be the longest continuous hiking trail in the United States. The trail links scenic, natural, historic, and cultural areas across seven states allowing visitors to experience a variety of northern landscapes. Come and experience your America, at a walking pace.

NATIONAL LAKESHORE

Pictured Rocks

Munising, Grand Marais

Sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, lakes, forest, and shoreline beckon you to visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Hiking, camping, sightseeing, and four season outdoor opportunities abound. The lakeshore hugs the Lake Superior shoreline for more than 40 miles. Lake Superior is the largest, deepest, coldest, and most pristine of all the Great Lakes.

NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD PARK

River Raisin

River Raisin National Battlefield Park preserves, commemorates, and interprets the January 1813 battles of the War of 1812 and their aftermath in Monroe and Wayne counties in SE Michigan. The Battle resulted in the greatest victory for Tecumseh’s American Indian confederation and the greatest defeat for the U.S. The resulting rally cry “Remember the Raisin” spurred support for the rest of the war.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons