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National Park Week is an annual week for celebration and recognition of your National Parks. National Park Week usually coincides with Earth Day (April 22). For 2022, National Park Week will be observed from Saturday, April 16 through Sunday, April 24. National Volunteer Week honors the individuals who dedicate themselves to taking action and solving problems in their communities. For 2022, National Volunteer Week will be observed from Sunday, April 17 through Saturday, April 23. Earth Day began when a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, called for an environmental teach-in in 1969, which was inspired by the teach-ins dealing with the Vietnam War. The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, and drew an estimated 20 million participants. Tens of thousands of people filled New York's Fifth Avenue, Congress adjourned so members could speak across the nation, and at least 2,000 colleges marked the occasion. American Heritage Magazine called the first Earth Day "one of the most remarkable happenings in the history of democracy." Today, Earth Day is celebrated in 174 countries by over a half billion people, making it the most celebrated secular holiday in the world, a day on which people get outdoors, plant trees, clean up trash and lobby for the environment. Your National Parks are living examples of the best this nation has to offer—our magnificent natural landscapes and our varied yet interrelated heritage. Parks can provide recreational experiences, opportunities to learn and grow, and places of quiet refuge. This year, take a moment, an hour, a day to visit the national parks near you. While entrance to Point Reyes National Seashore is always free, the opening day of National Park Week—April 16, 2022—entrance to all National Park Service sites is free. The National Park Service also offers a number of other fee-free days throughout the year. Below are descriptions of ranger- and docent-guided activities we anticipate offering in 2022 during National Park Week. Check back in March or early April 2022 for confirmation that we will be able to offer these activities. No events are scheduled at this time. |
Last updated: September 17, 2024