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| Photo: Ada Be |
Written by Paul Dail
Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast or just occasional adventurer into the wild spaces beyond the perimeter of your home and work, National Park Week offers a chance for everyone to gain a finer appreciation of some of the most beautiful places in our country. National Park Week runs Saturday, April 18 through Sunday, April 26. While some activities will vary depending on the park, others will be consistent throughout the National Park system, including free park days on opening weekend. Coinciding with the free park days, the town of Springdale, in cooperation with Zion National Park, will celebrate the 11th annual Zion Canyon Earth Day on Saturday.
According to the National Park Service website, National Park Week is “about making great connections, exploring amazing places, discovering open spaces, enjoying affordable vacations and enhancing America’s best idea—the national parks!”
In addition to the free park days this weekend as part of National Park Week, another activity that most parks are participating in is National Junior Ranger Day, also on Saturday. The Junior Ranger motto is “Explore, Learn, and Protect!” Although most Junior Rangers are typically between the ages of 5 to 13, people of all ages can participate in this program which involves completing a series of activities during a park visit. Participants share their answers or results of these activities with a park ranger and receive an official Junior Ranger patch and certificate. It’s a great way for kids to gain an appreciation early on for the National Parks.
Two activities revolving around National Park Week which are specific to southern Utah are the Earth Day festivities being held in Springdale on Saturday—a few days earlier than the official Earth Day on April 22—and the National Park Open House at the Dixie Center on Monday.
The 11th annual Zion Canyon Earth Day celebration will be held on the lawn of the Bit and Spur Restaurant starting at 11 a.m. and will feature music, art, food, kids activities, a silent auction, and educational demonstrations. The National Park Open House will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Dixie Center and will include booths and information stations featuring Zion National Park, as well as Cedar Breaks and Pipe Spring National Monument. Park rangers, volunteers, and partners will be on hand to share information about park activities and initiatives. This event will also include a silent auction of unique and meaningful items relating to the park.
Both the Zion Canyon Earth Day festivities and the National Park Open House are free and open to the public.
Fore more information about National Park Week, including a calendar with listings to National Park Week events nationwide, visit http://www.nps.gov/npweek/.
If you plan on taking advantage of the free park days, The Independent published an article in February to coincide with the previous weekend of free park entrance which took place over Presidents Day weekend. Be sure to check out “Five favorite hikes to check out in Zion National Park with your free entrance.”
