Most of the best climbing areas in the United States are in the National Park system, including such iconic climbing venues as Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Rocky Mountain, Grand Teton, Mount Rainier, and Acadia national parks.
This year the National Park Service is offering a bunch of free days so if you're skimping on your road-trip bucks, make plans now to climb at the national parks for free. The National Park Service administers 394 parklands scattered across the country; many of these parks are always free.
Fee-free days this year are:
April 16 to 24: National Park Week
June 21: First Day of Summer
September 24: Public Lands Day
November 11 to 13: Veteran's Day Weekend
If you want to climb at the national parks during the rest of the year, I recommend purchasing the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass for $80.00. The interagency pass also allows admission to National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and Fish and Wildlife Service public lands. It's good for four adults to enter any fee park. If you're over the age of 62 like Fred Beckey, you can buy a Senior Pass for a mere $10.00.
You can buy an annual park pass at the park entrance, by calling 1-888-ASK USGS, Ext. 1, or on the Internet at http://store.usgs.gov/pass.
Photograph above: El Capitan towers over the Merced River in Yosemite National Park. Photograph © Jeremy Woodhouse/Getty Images
Comments