NPS: Free Admission to HVNP Aug. 25
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park will celebrate both the National Park Service’s 99th birthday, along with its own 99th birthday, with waived admission to the park on Tuesday, Aug. 25.
“We want everyone to join us in celebrating both birthdays,” said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. “Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park offers something for everyone, from amazing volcanic landscapes, to Hawaiian culture, to the native plants and animals that flourish here, so I invite you to visit and Find Your Park.”
HVNP was founded in 1916 and was the fifteenth national park established in the United States. The park came before the National Park Service, which was founded less than a month later, and Hawai’i statehood in 1959.
More than 333,086 acres make up the park that boasts active volcanoes, Hawaiian culture, and native plants and animals. In addition to culture and landscape, HVNP has proven to be a strong economic force with nearly 1.7 million visitors in 2014 who brought in $136,838,700 to the local economy, according to park officials.
NPS invites the public to “Find Your Park” with a list of 99 Ways to Find Your Park, including three Big Island favorites: #40 Feel the Sand Between Your Toes, a hike to Halapē; #36 Hit the Road (Chain of Craters Road); and #42 Learn About Endangered Species (nene).
There are 408 national parks in the United States.