You can get into national parks free on Saturday. Here’s why

In celebration of National Public Lands Day, entrance to all national parks across the country is free Saturday. And the day also offers an opportunity to volunteer to help restore and preserve public lands from iconic national parks and rivers to local urban green spaces.

Public lands day has been held on the fourth Saturday of September since 1994, and marks the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort, according to the National Park Service . Last year, over 130 national parks hosted events with 7,600 volunteers donating an 41,500 hours of service. The theme for this year’s event is “Together for Tomorrow.”

National Public Lands Day is organized annually and led by the National Environmental Education Foundation , in partnership with the park service and other federal agencies. Volunteer opportunities nationwide can be found on the foundation’s website.

In Utah, the Bureau of Land Management has organized volunteer opportunities Saturday and Sunday up and down the state. A list of projects can be found here .

National park entry fees range from $10 to $35. More than 300 of the country’s more than 400 national parks are free to enter every day. The annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass covers entry at more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks.

A list of parks offering free entry on Saturday can be found here . The fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation and special tours.

Saturday is the fifth of six fee-free days at national parks each year. The last one for 2024 is Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

In Utah, the park service waive entry fees on those days these areas:

• Arches National Park
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Canyonlands National Park
• Capitol Reef National Park
• Cedar Breaks National Monument
• Dinosaur National Monument
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
• Golden Spike National Historical Park
• Hovenweep National Monument
• Natural Bridges National Monument
• Zion National Park

Expect big crowds at Utah national parks Saturday, not only because of the free entry but due to the unseasonably warm weather. You might find smaller crowds at some of the lesser-known parks and monuments.