Get Outdoors On June 9

Get a head start on your summer fun with free admission to any national park this Saturday, June 9. In celebration of National Get Outdoors Day, all 397 national parks including Joshua Tree National Park will waive entrance fees. Normal camping fees and other user fees will still be collected.

"There are so many things to see and do in a park" said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis, "either on your own or on a guided tour. Stroll a battlefield, hike to a waterfall, observe wildlife, paddle a waterway, walk on the beach, or enjoy a picnic. There's something for everyone in America's national parks. We hope to see you on Saturday."

National Get Outdoors Day is part of Great Outdoors Month, proclaimed by the President to encourage Americans, especially youth, to participate in outdoor activities and enjoy the beauty of public lands. Hundreds of organizations and businesses will partner with Federal, state, and local agencies to provide fun and healthy events at sites throughout the country.

Visitors to Joshua Tree National Park are reminded that summer often brings high daytime temperatures that can exceed 100 degrees in the middle of the day. Normal hot weather precautions should be taken. Visitors should limit strenuous activity to the cooler morning and evening hours. When hiking or walking, you should always carry plenty of water (one gallon per person per day), use sunscreen, and wear a hat and light clothing to cover sensitive skin.

"June evenings in the park can be a great time to view the night sky, and park campgrounds are generally uncrowded," noted Park Superintendent Mark Butler, "however, visitors should follow heat safety precautions when visiting Joshua Tree in the summer. It can get pretty hot out there"

Campers and picnickers should bring drinking water as most park campgrounds and picnic areas do not have water available. Potable water is available at park visitor centers and at Black Rock and Cottonwood campgrounds as well as the Indian Cove Ranger Station.

For more information on visiting Joshua Tree in summer, visit the park's website: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/index.htm, or call the park at 760-367-5500.