Grand Canyon: Free entry and free stargazing party Tuesday
Summer starts Tuesday with a nice freebie from the U.S. National Park Service: Visit a national park that day and pay no entrance fees. At Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, you’ll not only save the $25-per-vehicle entry fee on Tuesday--you can also attend a free stargazing party, with astronomers on hand to demystify the night sky.
The deal: Not all national parks, monuments, recreation areas and historic sites charge fees, but those that do will be free Tuesday. For instance, you’ll save $15 per car at Joshua Tree National Park and $20 per car at Yosemite National Park, both in California. (Note that the fee-free day doesn’t apply to national forests.)
When: Fees will be waived at national parks Tuesday (the first day of summer), Sept. 24 (Public Lands Day) and Nov. 11 to 13 (Veterans Day).
Star party details: On Tuesday, the 21st Grand Canyon Star Party event will start at 8:10 p.m. on the Grand Canyon’s South Rim with a slide show inside the visitor center, followed by telescope viewing. Volunteers from amateur astronomer clubs help visitors pick out Saturn and other stars and galaxies, according to the park’s website. On the North Rim, telescopes are set up on the porch of the Grand Canyon Lodge.
Free stargazing events are scheduled each night at the park through June 25.
Contact: Grand Canyon National Park, (928) 638-7888.
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