Celebrating the Dream: 7 Interesting Facts About MLK Jr. Day

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Monday, January 15, 2018

A Day of Free National Park Entry

People use phones and tablets to photograph Old Faithful geyser erupting in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, May 16, 2014. The nearly 3,500 square mile park straddling the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho was founded in 1872 as America's first national park. | (Photo: Reuters/Jim Urquhart)

In addition to community service projects and a day off school, the observance will also be the first of four holidays in 2018 with free entry into national parks.

The other three holidays in 2018 with fee-free access are the first day of National Park Week (April 21), National Public Lands Day (Sept. 22), and Veterans Day (Nov.11).

The Associated Press explained in an article last month that the number of free entry days for national parks in 2018 is a sharp decrease from previous years.

"[2017's] free days included all of Veterans Day weekend and the weekends surrounding National Park Week. All of National Park Week and four days over the 100th anniversary of the Park Service were free in 2016," explained AP.