Do you love California’s national parks? There’s a holiday for that, and the fun lasts for nine straight days. From April 20–28, more than 400 national park units across the country get festive for National Park Week. Each of the Golden State’s nine national parks—including Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Joshua Tree, Redwood, and Death Valley—will host a roster of special events and programs. To kick off the party, park entrance fees will be waived on Saturday, April 20.
“National Park Week is a great time to find your park with loved ones, and to experience the stories and adventures that await in these treasured places,” says National Park Foundation President and CEO Will Shafroth.
The celebratory week is a perfect opportunity to learn more about your favorite national park or discover your new favorite park. Guided hikes and ranger talks make it easy to learn about California’s precious treasures, like the ancient coastal redwood forests in Redwood National Park, where rangers will lead a one-hour walk through the Simpson Reed Grove near Crescent City (April 20 and 27).
Or maybe it’s time to check off a bucket-list destination like Park. Hop on a ferry from Oxnard—about one hour north of Los Angeles—and cruise to Anacapa Island. On a ranger-led interpretive hike offered daily at 10 a.m., you’ll learn about the singular ecology of the Channel Islands, nicknamed “California’s Galapagos.” Or if boat rides make you queasy, visit the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center in Ventura Harbor for an eye-opening introduction to the Pacific coast’s tide pools.
Yosemite National Park’s innovative programming for National Park Week includes an outdoor performance of A Midsummer Yosemite's Dream (April 26–28). Produced by Shakespeare in Yosemite, this non-traditional version of the 400-year-old play is packed with music and comedy. The producers take fun-loving liberty with the script to highlight Yosemite-centric themes (bears, waterfalls, and more!). Cast members include park rangers, University of California at Merced students, and residents from the park’s gateway communities. Since the play is performed in Curry Village’s outdoor amphitheater, nature plays an “unrehearsed” role: Douglas squirrels dash across the stage and Steller’s jays squawk at the funny parts.
Another family-friendly highlight of National Park Week is National Junior Ranger Day on Saturday, April 20. Youngsters ages 5 to 13 can participate in the Junior Ranger program year-round, but this one-day celebration provides extra incentive for kids to explore the outdoors, learn about nature, and protect our national parks. Young nature fans complete a series of learning activities to earn a Junior Ranger badge and get “sworn in” by a real ranger at a park visitor center.
Which park you visit will determine what your Junior Ranger learns: At Death Valley National Park on California’s eastern edge, nature-curious kids learn how sand dunes are made and how animals adapt to the hot, dry desert environment. In Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks near Fresno and Visalia, the Junior Ranger program educates young outdoors enthusiasts about giant sequoias and California black bears. Closer to the San Francisco Bay Area, kids can join the Junior Ranger program at Pinnacles National Park (75 miles south of San Jose) and learn about talus caves, California condors, and chaparral.
National Park Week also coincides with Earth Day on April 22 and National Volunteer Week, April 21–27. Check with individual parks to learn how you can be a conservation volunteer and help to restore habitat, remove invasive plants, or maintain trails.
Keep in mind that not all national park units have “park” in their titles. One example is San Francisco’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which will host ranger-led Fort Point History Talks daily during National Park Week. Visitors can also help to restore the gardens of Alcatraz Island or join a beach clean-up at Baker Beach or Crissy Field. At Point Reyes National Seashore, learn more from a ranger about the history and function of the Point Reyes Lighthouse on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.
Follow your favorite California national park on social media to find out what’s happening during National Park Week, and remember to plan ahead. Late April is a popular time for national park vacations, so make reservations for lodging and campsites in advance.