National Parks In Maryland: Free Admission On Public Lands Day

MARYLAND — Plans this weekend? Pack up the family Saturday and head to a national park in Maryland to enjoy an afternoon of volunteering or sightseeing on National Public Lands Day.

Organized by the National Environmental Education Foundation and several federal, state, and nonprofit partners, it’s the largest single-day volunteer event held on U.S. public lands.

During National Public Lands Day, Maryland residents can volunteer at a nearby public space or enjoy free admission at all national parks, including Assateague Island and Fort McHenry. This includes sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other participating federal agencies.

“During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, our country’s public lands acted as a safe haven for all Americans to gather with their friends and families,” Meri-Margaret Deoudes, president and CEO of the National Environmental Education Foundation, said in a news release. “NPLD gives us an opportunity to return the favor. …We invite the public to join us in giving back to these spaces that have played such an important role in our lives.”

The day provides one of the few opportunities each year to visit national parks for free after fee increases took effect in 2020 at various locations.

The National Park Service lists online all parks requiring entrance fees and the amount of the fees. Entrance fees will be waived at the following Maryland parks on National Public Lands Day:

• Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, $35
• Assateague Island National Seashore, $45
• Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine, $45

The next fee-free day will be Veterans Day, Nov. 11, according to the National Park Service.

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

For those hoping to volunteer, there is no shortage of opportunities. More than 500 volunteer events are currently registered on the National Environmental Education Foundation’s website.

Here are some events happening at Maryland parks. Search more events online.

• Park Cleanup, Lower Herring Run Park, 4200 Shannon Drive, Baltimore, 10 a.m. to noon
• Planting, Monocacy National Battlefield, 5201 Urbana Pike, Frederick, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Beach Clean up, 8 a.m. to noon, 7307 Stephen Decatur Highway, Berlin
• Assateague Island Beach Clean Up, 8 a.m. to noon, 7206 National Seashore Lane, Berlin

National Public Lands Day was established in 1994 and is held annually on the fourth Saturday in September. The purpose is to “celebrate the connection between people and green space in their community,” according to the National Parks Service.