News Release

Grand Canyon National Park to Waive Entrance Fees for National Public Lands Day

Date: September 18, 2017
Contact: Vanessa Ceja-Cervantes, 928-638-7728

Grand Canyon, Ariz. - Grand Canyon National Park will join national park sites around the country in celebrating National Public Lands Day with free entrance to the park. Entrance fees will be waived for all visitors arriving to Grand Canyon National Park on Saturday, September 30, 2017.  Fee-free days give more families opportunities to visit national park sites and enjoy our country's historical, cultural and natural resources.
 
Grand Canyon National Park staff invite visitors to participate in daily ranger programs at the North Rim and Grand Canyon Visitor Center, Yavapai Geology Museum, Verkamps Visitor Center, Desert View Watchtower and Tusayan Museum. To celebrate National Public Lands Day and Hispanic Heritage Month, Flagstaff's Ballet Folklorico de Colores will do a special presentation on September 30 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Hopi Stage in Grand Canyon Village.
 
Fall marks the beginning of the rut season for large mammals in the park like elk and deer. During this time, bull elk and deer can become aggressive toward humans. Park staff suggest visitors view all wildlife, especially elk and deer, from a safe distance. Stay at least 50 feet away from small mammals, birds and reptiles and 100 feet away from deer, elk and condors. Drivers should pull off the road completely to safely view wildlife and avoid motor vehicle accidents.  Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/wildlifephotography.
 
Another way to view wildlife safely is through your binoculars! An Important Bird Area, Grand Canyon National Park serves as a migratory route and experiences one of the largest concentrations of migrating raptors and songbirds in the fall. Every September through October, Hawk Watch International volunteers observe and record migratory raptors passing through Grand Canyon. Every day from 9 am to 5 pm at Yaki Point, visitors can learn about the ongoing effort to monitor long-term trends in raptor populations as well as how to identify raptors.
 
Grand Canyon National Park visitors on National Public Lands Day are encouraged to take advantage of the Tusayan Shuttle bus. The Tusayan Shuttle bus route, available at 20 minute intervals between 8 am and 9:30 pm daily, provides an expedited, hassle-free entry into the park and the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. To board the shuttle in Tusayan, visitors must have a valid park pass- this can be a seven-day vehicle, individual, or motorcycle pass. Parking for the Tusayan shuttle bus can be found anywhere in Tusayan, including the Best Western Squire Inn, Grand Hotel, Big E Steakhouse, IMAX/R.P.'s Stage Stop, and the park-and-ride lot on the north end of town (by the second roundabout).
 
Park visitors are reminded that the fee-free designation applies to entrance fees only and does not affect fees for camping, reservations, tours, or use of concessions. Park entrance stations will have Interagency Senior and Annual Passes available for those who wish to purchase them. Those who plan to spend time in the park beyond September 30 will need to pay the regular entrance fee for the remainder of their stay. The next fee-free day will be November 11-12 in honor of Veterans Day Weekend.
 
Grand Canyon visitors are also encouraged to explore Arizona's 22 national parks and monuments. For more information about visiting Grand Canyon National Park please visit  www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit.