National parks, including Fort Vancouver, free Saturday

Spring has sprung across the Pacific Northwest, and the National Park Service will celebrate the start of the season with free admission for all.

National park sites across the U.S. will waive entrance fees Saturday to celebrate the first day of National Park Week, allowing visitors a more affordable opportunity to see some of our region’s best natural and historic attractions.

The free day this weekend is one of six offered by the National Park Service in 2021, and applies only to entrance fees – camping and other fees will still be charged. And while some free days are honored across other federal lands, National Park Week is celebrated only by the National Park Service.

National parks in Washington include Mount Rainier, Olympic and Fort Vancouver, among others.

In Oregon, that means free admission Saturday at Crater Lake, the John Day Fossil Beds, Oregon Caves and Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.

While entrance will be free, not all areas of the national park sites will be accessible this weekend. Some closures and restrictions remain in place, either seasonal or due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Check for current park alerts before you leave home, and make sure to abide by current National Park Service rules that require face masks inside all indoor locations and outdoors where physical distancing is not possible.

Visit www.nps.gov.