Summer break is in full swing with kids (and parents) chomping at the bit for some excitement.
On Saturday, June 13, the U.S. Forest Service is inviting families to join thousands of forest explorers for a free, fun-packed day of outdoor adventures in celebration of National Get Outdoors Day.
The event also known as 'GO Day' is celebrating its 8th anniversary of inspiring national and local organizations to come together to promote the social, economic and environmental benefits of outdoor recreation. Dozens of events on national forests and grasslands will feature opportunities including camping, rock wall climbing, kayaking, biking and archery.
Nationwide, more than 150 locations will provide free recreational and educational activities. Some events are specifically designed to better engage urban and multicultural youth in nature-based activities and attract first-time visitors to public lands.
In the spirit of GO Day, fees are waived generally for day-use areas, such as picnic grounds, developed trailheads and destination visitor centers. Concessionaire-operated sites may be included in the waiver if the permit holder wishes to participate. Contact your local national forest or grassland to learn if your destination requires a fee or if that fee is waived.
National forests provide tremendous settings for spending a day or two in the great outdoors. These public lands provide more than 158,000 miles of recreational trails, wild and scenic rivers, lakes and streams, thousands of campgrounds and day-use sites, and educational opportunities at Forest Service visitor centers. These lands also add more than $13 billion in benefits to local economies.
June is also Great Outdoors Month, and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell invites all Americans to join the Forest Service and its many partner organizations in getting out and exploring all types of recreational activities throughout the month.
Follow the Forest Service on Twitter – and tweet your #getoutdoors photos – and like us on Facebook.
Here is a list of all fee-free days and which public lands agencies participate.
