National Parks Are Free This Weekend, Other Spots Crowded

Admission will be free at U.S. National Parks tomorrow and Sunday - including Utah's Mighty 5 parks. Special events will be held at many, as we kick off National Parks Week.

KSL.com has this article about National Parks Week. Below are excerpts.

Entrance fees will be waived at all U.S. national park sites this Saturday and Sunday, April 19-20, to kick off National Park Week, which runs through April 27.

Visitors still have to pay the usual fees at campgrounds and concession stands.

Many of the parks will have special activities for kids on National Junior Ranger Day on April 24.

Expect Crowds At Little Sahara Recreation Area

Easter weekend always brings crowds to Little Sahara Recreation Area, in west central Utah near the town of Delta. Sand dunes there are ideal for buggies, ATVs, dirt bikes and other machines. Expect campgrounds to be overflowing and a party atmosphere.

The Deseret News has this article about the Easter tradition. Below are excerpts.

This Easter tradition goes back a ways. The largest gathering at the dunes is reputed to have occurred in 1977, when some 60,000 sand enthusiasts showed up for the weekend. That was two years before the BLM organized Little Sahara into a national recreation area in 1979.

After that, user fees resulted, predictably, in lower but still impressive numbers. Anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000, depending on weather conditions, have showed up on Easter weekend ever since.

Jay’s point is that there is no “normal” when it comes to dune-seekers. Some come in families and play in the sand like they’re going to the beach. Some set up their 45-foot motor homes and dine on Chateaubriand. Some sleep under their dune buggy. Some go to bed at sundown. Some don’t go to bed at all.

This weekend kicks of the camping season for many people and many of our state parks and other recreation areas will see plenty of visitors.