WASHINGTON — Wednesday, June 19 marks Juneteenth National Independence Day, a commemoration related to the abolition of slavery in the United States. In honor of the holiday, the National Park Service is waiving entry fees to all National Parks.
Juneteenth celebrates the date of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people of African descent located in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom from the slavery system in the nation. This came after freedom was granted on Jan. 1, 1863 when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln.
This year is the first time Juneteenth will be a free entry day at National Parks. While entry to the parks are free, people will still have to pay to park and to enjoy activities, like camping and fishing.
Here's a list of participating parks by state:
Alaska
Arizona
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area
- Montezuma Castle National Monument
- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Pipe Spring National Monument
- Saguaro National Park
- Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
- Tonto National Monument
- Tumacácori National Historical Park
- Tuzigoot National Monument
- Walnut Canyon National Monument
- Wupatki National Monument
California
- Cabrillo National Monument
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Lava Beds National Monument
- Muir Woods National Monument
- Pinnacles National Park
- San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
- Yosemite National Park
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Hawai'i
Idaho
Indiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oregon
Puerto Rico
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
- Arches National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Capitol Reef National Park
- Cedar Breaks National Monument
- Dinosaur National Monument
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Golden Spike National Historical Park
- Hovenweep National Monument
- Natural Bridges National Monument
- Zion National Park
Virgin Islands
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wyoming
Watch Next: Some DC outdoor pools open for Juneteenth
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