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You Can Visit National Parks For Free During National Park Week
Cathedral Rocks and Bridalveil Falls reflecting in the Merced River at sunset in Yosemite National Park, California (Photo by Nickolay Stanev via Shutterstock)
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Now would be a good time to dust off your camping gear and schedule a couple of "sick days" at work. In celebration of the National Park Service's 100th birthday this year, entry to national parklands will be free from April 16-24 during National Park Week.Some of the most popular parks, like Yosemite for example, normally charge a $30 admittance fee, which will be waived during National Park Week. However, as the L.A. Times notes, some additional camping fees might still apply in certain parks.
Now, how to pick which park to visit? In California, we're certainly not lacking in options for national parks that are somewhat close to Los Angeles, but if you need a little guidance, Find Your Park is a good resource for planning a trip. Have you been to the Channel Islands? It looks pretty, and Catalina is very doable. How about Castle Mountains near Barstow? And haven't you always wanted to go to Joshua Tree?
If Yosemite's on your list, just try not to catch the bubonic plague and for the love of God, leave your drone at home.
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