Grand Teton National Park will waive entrance fees (including commercial tour fees) on Saturday, September 27 in recognition of National Public Lands Day, 2014. All national park sites typically offer free entry on this day in an effort to encourage individuals, families, and communities to explore and appreciate America's great outdoors. The fee for a 7-day pass into Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks by a single, private vehicle is normally $25.
"The fall color display is especially vibrant this year at Grand Teton National Park, and watching wildlife with their seasonal activities adds a special dimension to a late September visit," said Superintendent David Vela. "I highly encourage folks to visit the park this weekend and experience the splendor of the fall season with an added bonus of free entry on Saturday, September 27th."
National Public Lands Day began in 1994 with a purpose to increase awareness of the value of all public lands, to foster shared stewardship of America's national resources, and to encourage people to volunteer their time. Many people will lend a hand to help the land and spend part of their day participating in work projects across the country.Volunteers are expected to plant trees, clean watersheds, remove invasive plants, replace signs, and otherwise beautify 2,000 public sites. Visit www.publiclandsday.org for more information.
For those interested in joining a local volunteer project to benefit wildlife on public lands, the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation (JHWF) has a fence modification project planned for Saturday, Sept. 27, on the Elk Ranch Flats in Grand Teton National Park, approximately two miles south of Moran Junction. JHWF has partnered with Grand Teton National Park and National Parks Conservation Association to modify fencing on Elk Ranch to reduce hazards for bison, elk, moose and many other animals that migrate through this wildlife rich area of the park. To learn more about this volunteer project and sign up to participate, visit JHWF's website at http://www.jhwildlife.org/index.php/archive/comments/next_fence_project_set_for_sept._27/.
National Public Lands Day is the only time that entrance fees are systematically waived on ALL public lands across America. Fees will be waived at national park units, as well as other land management sites including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service areas. In addition to National Public Lands Day, entrance fees are waived on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January, Presidents Day in February, National Park Week in April, National Park Founder's Day in August, and Veterans Day in November.
Visitors are reminded that the fee waiver applies to entrance fees only and does not include use fees for camping, boating, or backcountry permits. For more information on fee-free opportunities in park units around the U.S., visit www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
