Fee Free Day this Saturday at Big South Fork

In honor of National Public Lands Day, the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will offer free backcountry camping and free camping at Alum Ford Campground on Saturday, September 24.

National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands American's enjoy. The National Park Service has been participating in National Public Lands Day for more than three decades, and last year, 170,000 volunteers built trails and bridges and removed trash and invasive plants on public lands across the country.

For more information, you may call the Bandy Creek Visitor Center at (423) 286-7275, the Stearns Visitor Center at (606) 376-5073.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com NEXT ->>...

US Forest Service Announces 2011 Fee Waiver Dates

Earlier in the year the U.S. Forest Service announced that they will be waiving day-use fees associated with many recreation sites or amenities in national forests nationwide on several days this year.

The next date for fee waivers will be on September 25th, National Public Lands Day.

The remaining fee waiver dates will occur during Veterans� Day Weekend � November 11-13.

Day-use fees will be waived at all standard amenity fee sites operated by the Forest Service for these listed dates. Concessionaire-operated, day-use sites may be included in the waiver if the permit holder wishes to participate.

Fees are not charged for 98% of national forest and grasslands. More than two-thirds of developed recreation sites can be used for free. The Forest Service operates approximately 18,000 recreation sites nationwide, many including day-use areas, picnic and shelter sites, beach and lake areas, boat launches, trails and trailheads, and campsites and cabins.

To assist with travel planning, the agency has posted a special interactive map on its website that locates national forest sites within a certain radius of a chosen location. Users can type in their location and adjust the radius to suit their travel plans.

Campsites and locations that are reserved online will not be included in the fee waiver. Contact your nearest national forest or grassland for local details.

For more information on the Forest Service�s recreation fee program and how these funds are used, click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com NEXT ->>...

Celebrate National Public Lands Day

September 24th is National Public Lands Day, the nation�s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands American�s enjoy.

Last year 170,000 volunteers worked at over 2,080 sites in every state, the District of Columbia and in many U.S. territories. NPLD volunteers:

* Removed an estimated 450 tons of trash
* Collected an estimated 20,000 pounds of invasive plants
* Built and maintained an estimated 1,320 miles of trails
* Planted an estimated 100,000 trees, shrubs and other native plants
* Contributed an estimated $15 million to improve public lands across the country

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be celebrating National Public Lands Day by having volunteers work with a park trail crew for a day of fun-filled trail maintenance.

Dates: 9/24/2011
Times: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Location: Contact Trails & Facilities Volunteer Coordinator

For more information about the workday or to sign up to participate, interested volunteers must contact the Trails & Facilities Volunteer Coordinator, Christine Hoyer at christine_hoyer@nps.gov or 828-497-1949.





Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com NEXT ->>...