Entrance to all national parks is free in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

In honor of the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., National Park Service sites will have free admission for everyone on Monday, January 17, 2022, as the first fee free day of the year. Commemorated on the third Monday of January, it is also a day of service when hundreds of volunteers participate in service projects at parks across the country. You can learn more about the history of Dr. King and the pursuit of civil rights in America.. Here in the Richmond area we have numerous National Park sites and many more within driving distance. The fee waiver is a great excuse to make a day trip to these educational, historical and often naturally beautiful places.

Blue Ridge Parkway / Photo credit: National Park Service

Which of these nearby National Parks in Virginia will you explore?

•The Appalachian Trail is a 2,180+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by private citizens, and completed in 1937, today the trail is managed by the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, numerous state agencies and thousands of volunteers.

•The Appomattox Court House is a self guided experience focusing on 1865.

•The Blue Ridge Parkway experience is unlike any other: a slow-paced and relaxing drive revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands. The Parkway meanders for 469 miles, protecting a diversity of plants and animals, and providing opportunities for enjoying all that makes this region of the country so special.

•Jamestowne and Yorktown National Historical Park Historic Jamestowne will be closed December 21, 2020 through January 31, 2021. To limit the risks associated with the recent surge in COVID-19 numbers, the closure includes the Visitor Center, the New Towne areas, Old Towne, James Fort Site, and all buildings including Dale House Cafe.

•Maggie Lena Walker devoted her life to civil rights advancement, economic empowerment, and educational opportunities for Jim Crow-era African Americans and women. As a bank president, newspaper editor, and fraternal leader, Walker served as an inspiration of pride and progress. Today, Walker’s home in Richmond is preserved as a tribute to her enduring legacy of vision, courage, and determination.

•Yorktown Battlefield Discover what it took for the United States to be independent as you explore the site of the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. Here at Yorktown, in the fall of 1781, General George Washington, with allied American and French forces, besieged General Charles Lord Cornwallis’s British army.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

On six days in 2022, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in 2022. Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm