Mount Rainier (Laurel Demkovich/Washington State Standard)
People can visit Washington’s three national parks — Mount Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades — for free this Saturday, Sept. 28 in recognition of National Public Lands Day.
The annual event is meant to encourage volunteer participation in the country’s national parks. The National Park Service is celebrating the day by offering free admission to every park across the country.
Usually, a one-day vehicle permit to enter the state’s national parks costs $30 — with the exception of North Cascades, which is always fee-free. The National Park Service offers six free park days throughout the year.
Residents and visitors who volunteer on National Public Lands Day will receive a free national park one-day pass to any national park site.
According to the National Park Service, the annual event has been the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort since 1994. Last year, over 130 national parks hosted events with 7,600 volunteers providing 41,500 hours of service.