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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Outdoors blog

National Parks offer free three-day weekend


James McArdle, right, from Olympic Raft & Kayak, runs a group organized by National Park Conservation Association down the three miles of the Elwha River between the Glines Canyon and Elwha dams in Washington on Thursday. Once both dams are removed the Elwa River will be more accessible to paddlers and fish. Associated Press photos
 (Associated Press photos / The Spokesman-Review)
James McArdle, right, from Olympic Raft & Kayak, runs a group organized by National Park Conservation Association down the three miles of the Elwha River between the Glines Canyon and Elwha dams in Washington on Thursday. Once both dams are removed the Elwa River will be more accessible to paddlers and fish. Associated Press photos (Associated Press photos / The Spokesman-Review)

PUBLIC LANDS -- National parks will be waiving entrance fees to celebrate Martin Luther King holiday weekend, Jan.14-16.

The Park Service is waiving fees for a total of 17 days in 2012. The Martin Luther King weekend fee waiver is the first scheduled for the year.

Offering  free admission to national parks and other federal lands has been offered the past three years as a cost-friendly family vacation option in the economic slump.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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