Free entrance to National Parks and BLM and Fish and Wildlife refuges on Saturday August 4th
Sierra Nevada- Whether it’s hiking, camping or climbing on lands stewarded by the Bureau of Land Management; bird watching, wading through wetlands, or visiting marine national monuments on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-managed lands; or enjoying national parks️, monuments️, and historical sites curated by the National Parks Service – fee free days offer an incredible opportunity to enjoy America’s public lands.
This Saturday August 4th, Visitors can enjoy their favorite National Parks, BLM Fee Locations and US Fish and Wildlife sanctuaries, fee free in what has become known as the Great American Outdoor Day.
The Department of the Interior is committed to ensuring that everyone, no matter their zip code, can access and enjoy the benefits of green spaces and the outdoors. That’s why several of our bureaus offer fee free days each year. Each fee free day commemorates a significant date to celebrate the public lands that the Department manages.
August 4 (Great American Outdoors Day)
- Enjoy Bureau of Land Management’s wilderness areas, national conservation lands, national monuments, etc.
- Find your national park, historic site, or monument managed by the National Park Service
- Visit Fish and Wildlife Service’s wildlife refuges, marine national monuments, wetlands, etc.
In the Sierra Nevada this means Free access to Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Death Valley, National Parks. Plus
Park visitors are reminded that the fee-free designation applies to entrance fees only and does not affect fees for camping. Those who plan to spend time in the park beyond August 4 will need to pay the regular entrance fee for the remainder of their stay. Additional fee-free days this year are September 23 (National Public Lands Day) and November 11 (Veterans Day).
This is the third anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), which is making a huge difference in the protection and enjoyment of national parks and other public lands.
A proposed fiscal year 2024 GAOA project for Death Valley National Park would provide multimillion dollar funding to rehabilitate the water and wastewater systems in Furnace Creek and Cow Creek. These water systems provide drinking water for 1,700,000 park visitors and approximately 800 residents (Timbisha Shoshone Village, NPS employees, and The Oasis at Death Valley employees). These utility systems are in a state of failure. The water systems broke 45 times last year, and there were five major sewer spills. The project will provide more reliable service and reduce the park’s emergency repair costs. Designs are in process and a public comment period is anticipated later this year. If approved, the construction contract would be awarded in FY 2024.
GAOA’s National Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund is part of a concerted effort to address the extensive maintenance and repair backlog in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, the fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to the National Park Service to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.
