All national parks are free on Monday, Nov. 11
Seriously, my friends. This could save you 50 bucks. It’s worth it, even though it does get crowded.
In honor of Veterans Day, which this year is Monday, Nov. 11, every national park in the country will be free to visit. You don’t need a pass or reservation or anything. Just show up.
Now, it is a 3-day weekend for some of you lucky folks, so you could trek up to Yosemite, Sequoia or Pinnacles, if you want to stay in California.
If you’ve never been to Pinnacles National Park, I recommend checking it out. It’s a bit of a hidden gem.
However, when I take advantage of these days, I head out to Joshua Tree, in the desert toward Palm Springs.
I recommend going before the crack of dawn, because these free days are popular and you’ll find lots of people on the most visited trails.
I know, that’s just insane, but hear me out. If you leave your house in the dark, you can watch the sun come up over the desert, which is always dramatic.
Then, eat the snack you brought with you (you did bring a snack and water, didn’t you?) and hit a couple of trails. You can get a park map from the ranger, or if you’re there even before the rangers get there, you can download one on NPS.gov.
And make sure you have gas and food and water, because there are no facilities inside the park.
When the rest of the hikers start pouring into the park, that’s your cue to leave, have a nice relaxing lunch and then drive home, maybe with a swim stop at Desert Hot Springs.