Celebrate National Park Week this Saturday with free entry into V.I. National Park’s Trunk Bay Beach and Christiansted National Historic Site’s Fort Christiansvaern and the Steeple Building.
The fee-free days at Trunk Bay, located on St. John, are this Saturday and April 25, which bookend National Park Week’s nine-day celebration running from April 17–25.
Trunk Bay is home to the park’s underwater trail that includes plaques to identify fish and coral. Park Superintendent Mark Hardgrove encouraged Trunk Bay visitors to ride safari taxis to avoid overcrowding in the Trunk Bay parking lot.
At the Christiansted facilities on St. Croix, the fee-free days run for the entire nine days, this Saturday through April 25.
"We want to make sure people of St. Croix and visitors have the opportunity to experience America through the national park," Joel Tutein, superintendent of all national park facilities on St. Croix, said.
The usual daily fee at Trunk Bay is $4, while the Christiansted facilities runs $3 for both.
All 392 national park facilities across the country offer free admission at some point during National Parks Week.
"We are rolling out the red carpet and inviting everyone to visit a
national park and help celebrate National Park Week," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a press release. "Parks are fun and affordable destinations and great places to engage in healthy, outdoor activities, whether for a few hours or
a few days."
National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis also encouraged residents who live near parks to enjoy them.
"National parks preserve our heritage, promote recreational experiences
and provide places of quiet refuge," Jarvis said.
