All 397 national parks, including Joshua Tree National Park, will offer free entrance on Saturday, September 29 for National Public Lands Day. The 19th annual event encourages everyone to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors.

Joshua Tree will reopen the campgrounds that were closed during the summer season at noon on Friday, September 28 and begin conducting ranger-guided tours at the Keys Ranch historic site on September 23. You may call 760-367-5555 for schedule information and to make reservations.

"National Public Lands Day reminds all of us of the vast and diverse nature of America's open spaces, from small neighborhood parks to large national parks, and the importance of each one," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "We are fortunate that more than 600 million acres of public land, including national parks, provide all of us with cherished places where we can go to unwind, recreate, or learn."

Other Federal agencies offering free admittance on September 29 include the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Normally, 133 national parks charge entrance fees ranging from $3 to $25. The other 264 parks do not charge for admission. Along with the rest of the National Park Service, Joshua Tree will also waive entrance fees from November 10-12 in commemoration of Veterans Day.

Campers and picnickers should bring drinking water as most park campgrounds and picnic areas do not have water available. Potable water is available at park visitor centers and at Black Rock and Cottonwood Campgrounds as well as the Indian Cove Ranger Station.