National Park Service Announces Annual Fee Free Day

Grand Canyon, AZ - Again this year the National Park Service will celebrate the annual Fee Free Day as part of an interagency event on Saturday, September 18, 2004. Prior to 2003 the National Park Service celebrated Fee Free Day on Founder's Day, August 25th. Last year in an effort to increase consistency and coordination across Federal recreation programs, the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers adopted National Public Lands Day (NPLD) as a single interagency Fee Free Day. Fee Free Day will now be on Public Lands Day each year.

In recognition of Public Lands Day, entrance fees and commercial tour fees will be waived at Grand Canyon National Park on Saturday, September 18th. Recreation "user fees" such as backcountry permit fees, camping fees and fees for other activities offered in the park will not be waived.

Free entry passes issued that day to commercial tour operators will be valid only for that individual tour. Free entry passes issued to single visit entries issued on that day, will be valid for seven days on both the North and South Rims, so visitors are reminded to hold on to their receipts.

Beginning this year, the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, organizers of NPLD proposed the development of a coupon that would recognize volunteer efforts on NPLD. Since NPLD is a fee free day for all visitors, organizers wanted to provide that same benefit to the volunteers who work that day so they can enjoy their fee-free day at another time. This is the first year the coupons will be issued recognizing volunteers for their effort. For more information about volunteer programs at Grand Canyon National Park and the Fee-Free Day Coupon, please contact Jon Sudar, Volunteer Coordinator at (928) 638-7616.

The National Park Service is proud to take part in this coordinated Federal recreation effort and would like to extend a warm welcome to all visitors in recognition of National Public Lands Day.

For additional information on visiting Grand Canyon visit the park's website at www.nps.gov/grca or call (928) 638-7888.