Earlier this year I shared that there are 4 days you can get FREE admission to Minnesota State Parks in 2023! Plus you can get FREE admission to all National Parks on 5 days in 2023.
Well one of these days overlaps on BOTH LISTS, and it’s this Saturday, April 22nd!
Free Entrance Days in Minnesota State Parks
All 75 Minnesota state parks and state recreation areas will offer free admission to everyone on four days, and the next one is coming up this Saturday, April 22nd.
One was Saturday, February 18th. The rest are:
- Saturday, April 22
- Saturday, June 10
- Friday, November 24
There are 6 national parks and recreational areas in Minnesota including Voyageurs National Park in International Falls.
It’s also National Parks Week this week, April 22nd – 30th! There are different themes each day and areas in Minnesota are celebrating. For example, Voyageurs National Park has events and activities you can do there and at home.
Saturday is National Junior Ranger Day, and dids ages 1-99 are invited to earn Junior Ranger badges while learning about our national parks.
Also, did you know that Minneapolis Ranks in the Top 3 U.S. Cities for an Outdoorsy Lifestyle?
How to Make the Most of the Outdoors Here in Minneapolis (and the metro area)
I love the outdoors – especially hiking and checking out new sites and parks with my family and friends!
And I’ve put a few resources together here on the blog to help you discover all that you can do outdoors!
Free Entrance Days in the National Parks
In addition to free state park days in Minnesota, on five days in 2023, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone.
Here are the days to visit a park for FREE in 2023!
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January 16: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
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April 22: First day of National Park Week
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August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
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September 23: National Public Lands Day
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November 11: Veterans Day
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Yay!
FREE Printable Park Ranger Hat
Plus I’ve got a cool freebie for you! It’s a Printable Junior Park Ranger Hat!
Kids can color it, then cut it out and staple it together (with help) to become an official Junior Park Ranger!
Get Outdoors More in Minnesota with the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge
Have you heard of the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge? This is a challenge to help kids spend 1000 hours outside in 2021. There is a website and free printables to track your hours outside. Learn more here!
Every Kid Outdoors – Free Park Passes for 4th Graders!
Every Kid in a Park was created so fourth graders and their families could discover our country’s wildlife, resources, and history for free.
Now it’s called Every Kid Outdoors.
It was first announced by President Obama in early 2015 because American children spend less time outdoors than ever before, and this program wanted to address that problem.
Since the launch of Every Kid in a Park, hundreds of thousands of young people have had the chance to experience America’s parks and historic sites, many for the first time.
And in case you’re wondering (like I was) – fourth graders were chosen “because research shows that kids ages nine to 11 are beginning to learn about the world around them. They’re open to new ideas, and they are likely to connect to nature and our history.”
The program provides fourth grade students and their families free admission to all national parks and other federal lands. There are 5 in Minnesota. Learn more and sign up here: https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm
What other resources do you know of to help families get outdoors in Minnesota?