National Park Week set for April 17-25

The country's 392 national parks will waive entrance fees April 17-25 as part of National Park Week, which also includes extra family-friendly activities and special offers on tours, lodging, food and souvenirs.

"We are rolling out the red carpet and inviting everyone to visit a national park and help celebrate National Park Week," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "Parks are fun and affordable destinations and great places to engage in healthy, outdoor activities, whether for a few hours or a few days."

National Park Week, a program of the National Park Service, is an opportunity to engage families and communities in America's "great outdoors," reconnecting them with nature and creating close-to-home opportunities for people to get outside.

"National parks preserve our heritage, promote recreational experiences and provide places of quiet refuge," said National Park Service director Jon Jarvis. "Most people live within a short drive of a national park, so I encourage everyone to spend some time enjoying America's Great Outdoors during National Park Week."

Other National Park Week highlights include the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and the 75th anniversary of the nation's most-visited national park, the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Normally, 146 of 392 national parks charge entrance fees ranging from $3 to $25, according to an Interior Department news release. The other 246 do not charge for admission.

The fee waiver for National Park Week does not include other fees collected in advance or by contractors — such as fees charged for camping, reservations and use of concessions.

A listing of parks and promotions is available at www.nps.gov/npweek.

e-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com