Fee-free days: Park service celebrating 100th year with complimentary visits

The National Park Service turns 100 years old in 2016, and so does Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. To celebrate, all national parks will waive entrance fees on 16 special days in 2016, and Hawaii Volcanoes will offer one additional fee-free day Aug. 1, 2016, its 100th birthday.

The 17 fee-free days in 2016 will be:

Jan. 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

April 16-24, National Park Week (nine fee-free days)

Aug. 1, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 100th birthday

Aug. 25-28, National Park Service Birthday Weekend (four fee-free days)

Sept. 24, National Public Lands Day

Nov. 11, Veterans Day

In 2016, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will celebrate 100 years of connecting people to, and caring for, the extraordinary landscape, native plants and animals and Hawaiian culture linked with Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Visit the park’s centennial Web page to see what special events are in store for the entire year, and visit Find Your Park to see what national parks across the country are doing to celebrate the NPS centennial.

Usually, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has an entrance fee of $15 per vehicle and the pass is good for seven days. Park visitors also can purchase the annual tri-park pass for $25 and enjoy Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park and Haleakala National Park for less than 7 cents a day. The annual tri-park pass, which is good for one year from the date of purchase, is available at the entrance stations of all three parks.