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his Nov. 28, 2009 photo courtesy of Giovanna Dell'Orto shows a late fall sunset as it colors the myriad of chasms in the Grand Canyon as seen from the South Rim drive in Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz. (AP Photo/Giovanna Dell'Orto)

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National parks plan fee-free weekend

Updated: Friday, 14 Jan 2011, 2:47 PM CST
Published : Friday, 14 Jan 2011, 2:47 PM CST

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) - Visitors headed to the Grand Canyon and more than 100 other national parks this weekend will get in for free.

The Grand Canyon is joining national park sites around the country in waiving entrance fees for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. The fee-free weekend lasts Saturday through Monday.

Visitors who remain in the park beyond Monday will have to pay the fee for the remainder of their stay.

The waiver applies to only entrance fees and doesn't affect fees for camping, tours and other activities, though concessionaires at some parks are offering deals and discounts.

The National Park Service is offering a total of 17 fee-free days this year. But many national parks never charge an entrance fee. Details on parks going fee-free for the weekend, as well as parks that are always free, are available at http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm

To find a park in your state waiving its usual fee, you can visit:

http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparksbystate.htm