On MLK Jr. Day, Visit These Hudson Valley National Parks For Free

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Often viewed as a federal holiday or a day to give back to communities, Martin Luther King Jr. Day also offers something special to those hoping to spend a day outdoors in the Hudson Valley in 2022.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the next chance residents will have to pay a free visit to national parks in New York that normally charge entrance fees. Unfortunately, this year you will have to keep an eye on the weather forecast — due to an approaching winter storm.

The holiday is one of the several opportunities each year to visit national parks for free. The entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation or special tours.

The National Park Service lists online all parks requiring entrance fees and the amount of the fees. Entrance fees will be waived at the following Hudson Valley parks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

• Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
• Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
• Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

There are other fee-free days in 2022, and hopefully, the weather will cooperate. The days are:

• April 16: First day of National Park Week
• Aug. 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• Sept. 24: National Public Lands Day
• Nov. 11: Veterans Day

See the full list of national parks in New York. Many parks are free year-round.