Todd M. Edgar/National Park Service

Saguaro National Park entrance sign.

Lovers of the outdoors have a chance to visit national parks for free on Saturday for National Public Lands Day. The day is an opportunity for visitors to engage with national parks in a more tangible way. 

National Public Lands Day began in 1994 as a government effort to promote better health and volunteerism through access to the outdoors and national parks. Falling on the fourth Saturday of September, thousands of volunteers each year take part in projects across the country repairing and restoring hiking trails, cleaning waterways and planting native plants at one of the more than 400 national park sites. As part of the celebration, entry fees to national park sites are waived.

Dozens of volunteer events across Arizona are scheduled for Saturday, including trail work, litter removal and native plant gardening.

Visitors to national parks in Arizona contributed more than $2 billion to the local economy with 13 million visitors attending one of the 22 national park sites in 2018.