Los Alamos Reporter

Entry Is Free To Bandelier National Monument For Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Jan. 20

Bandelier.jpg
Photo Courtesy NPS

BANDELIER NEWS

Enjoy Bandelier free of charge on Martin King Luther Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 20.

This Martin Luther King Jr. holiday marks the 25th anniversary of the day of service that celebrates the Civil Rights leader’s life and legacy.

Observed each year on the third Monday in January as “a day on, not a day off,” MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

Visitors are asked to stay on the trails and take good care of this fragile place that belongs to everyone during their visit to Bandelier. When it snows, be sure to call the park visitor center to check on trail conditions, possible closures or delayed opening hours. The park store, managed by Western National Parks Association (WNPA) offers a 15 percent discount on purchases every fee free day.

Most national park sites do not charge entrance fees at any time. The 110 that do charge admission waive the cost on fee free days. Other types of fees, such as those for camping or special tours, still apply on fee free days.

There are four other entrance fee-free days in 2020. On each of these significant days of celebration or commemoration, entry fees, at all national park areas that charge them, will be waived.

The National Park Service manages over 400 areas that include national parks as well as other types of sites  – national monuments like Bandelier as well as battlefields and seashores. To find the park nearest to you, visit the Find a Park page https://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm

There are many other ways to save money at national parks, regardless of when you decide to visit. An annual pass which provides entrance to all federal lands is $80. The annual pass allows unlimited entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks. Admission to all parks is free for children ages 15 and younger, as well as holders of the following types of passes:

  • Senior Pass – $80 for the lifetime version and $20 for the annual version
  • Annual Military Pass – free pass for current U.S. military members and their dependents
  • Access Pass – a free lifetime pass for U.S. citizens and permanent residents with permanent disabilities
  • Annual Volunteer Pass – a free pass for volunteers with 250 service hours with federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program
  • Annual 4th Grade Pass  – a free pass for fourth-graders with a valid Every Kid Outdoors voucher available at https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm

For details or information, contact the Bandelier Visitor Center at 505.672.3861, extension 0. Check the website at www.nps.gov/band, or follow the park Facebook page at BandelierNPS.