National Parks In Virginia, DC: Free Admission On Public Lands Day

VIRGINIA — Plans this weekend? Pack up the family Saturday and head to a national park in DC or Virginia, like the Blue Ridge Parkway, 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, Virginia and DC residents can volunteer at a nearby public space or enjoy free admission at all national parks, including Shenandoah 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 these Virginia parks on National Public Lands Day:

• Shenandoah National Park, $55
• Assateague Island National Seashore, $45
• Great Falls (George Washington Memorial Parkway), $35

See the full list of national parks in Virginia and DC. 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 Virginia and DC parks. Search more events online.

• Fort Bennett/GWM Parkway Invasive Removal, 10 a.m. to noon, Sunday, Sept. 25
• Washing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, 5 Henry Bacon Dr NW, Washington, D.C., Saturday, 6:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
• Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon), 1551 Trap Road Vienna
• Potomac Shoreline Cleanup at Belle Haven Park, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 6401 George Washington Memorial Pkwy., Alexandria

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.