Entrance Fees waived during Martin Luther King Holiday

Date: January 8, 2016
Contact: Cody Goraczkowski, 507-825-5464 Ext. 213

Pipestone National Monument News Release

For Immediate Release: 1/8/2016

Contact: Cody Goraczkowski  Phone: [phone] Ext. 213  Email: e-mail us

Entrance Fees waived during Martin Luther King Holiday

Pipestone, MN: Superintendent Glen H. Livermont announced that, in honor of Martin Luther King Holiday, the Pipestone National Monument and other National Park Service (NPS) sites, around the country, will be offering fee-free entry into the parks on January 18,2016.

Many people have made resolutions to unplug and spend more quality time with loved ones in 2016. There's no better place than a national park to help keep those resolutions. Parks offer superb recreational opportunities, making them perfect places to enjoy our beautiful land, history, and culture, and nurture a healthy lifestyle, while also spending time with loved ones.

Established by Congress in 1937 to protect the historic pipestone quarries, the site is considered sacred by many American Indians. Spanning centuries of use, American Indians continue to quarry pipestone which they carve into sacred pipes. The Monument offers a perfect opportunity to explore American Indian culture and view all the natural resources of the tallgrass prairie. Visitors are advised to dress warmly and wear appropriate footwear to walk the Circle Trail, to view the pipestone quarries, and to see the Winnewissa Falls.

Superintendent Glen H. Livermont encourages everyone to take advantage of the fee free opportunity and visit the Monument to celebrate the Martin Luther King Holiday. Visitors should dress warmly as they enjoy the wildlife and natural areas of the prairie from the trails. Bring a camera and send us your photos! The winter season offers fantastic photographic opportunities of the prairie and wildlife.

www.nps.gov/pipe

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 409 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.