Activities

The Best Fall Events in National Parks

September 5, 2024

From autumn leaf peeping to digging up fossils, fall events in our national parks help us celebrate all the season has to offer. National park fall events feature volunteerism, diverse cultures, and natural resources that will unite park visitors in honor of our wild spaces. Don’t worry if you miss an event; there are opportunities for engagement and discovery in the parks all year.

Sunrise at the Tunnel View Vista Point at Yosemite National Park.

1. National Public Lands Day

Admission into national parks is free on National Public Lands Day. The fall event that occurs on the fourth Saturday of September brings nature lovers together to pitch in and work to preserve public lands for future generations to explore. In 2023, 7,600 park visitors put in 41,500 service hours making a huge impact within the national park system. Roll up your sleeves and volunteer at a national park this year, or just get outside to appreciate all the park’s natural wonders.

Fossilized ammonite shell.

2. National Fossil Day

Dig up some prehistoric fun on National Fossil Day, the second Wednesday in October. Rocks representing every geologic period have been discovered throughout the National Park System, making NPS the perfect host for this annual fall event. Learn about what paleontologists are uncovering like an ancient dolphin fossil at George Washington National Monument or 3D images of fossils found in the Grand Canyon in person or online. Kids can make exciting fossil discoveries by becoming a Junior Paleontologist or completing the prehistoric life coloring book.

Pecos National Historical Park.

3. Hispanic Heritage Month

Looking for a way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place September 15 – October 15? Latino history and heritage date back over five hundred years at NPS sites. Explore Fort Matanzas National Monument, part of the Spanish military settlement of Saint Augustine in Florida, or hike Pecos National Historical Park overlooking a New Mexico migration route. Or read from NPS’ Conservation Diaries to learn about the Hispanic and Latino Americans working in the parks today.

Boardwalk through Acadia National Park, Maine in the fall.

4. Leaf Peeping

Trees in National Parks across the country put on a stunning show in the fall as their leaves go from green to golden orange or even fire red. This colorful time of year attracts lots of leaf-peeping visitors. Pull over to safely take in the view on a drive through a park in search of fall color. When on foot, be aware of your surroundings and take photos from safe footing. If you can’t make it to a park, watch leaf colors change the landscape in places like Shenandoah National Park or Glacier National Park from live webcam feeds—nice and comfy at home sipping a mug of hot apple cider.

Spider rock at sunset, Canyon de Chelly national monument, Arizona.

5. Native American Heritage Month

National Parks across the country tell the story of Indigenous peoples, helping to preserve their cultural history. Occurring each November, pick a National Park for Native American Heritage Month this fall and experience the natural landscapes in which Indigenous peoples thrive. Populated for five thousand years, Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Arizona is still the home of Navajo families. Walk along the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, the path Cherokee people were forced to travel when relocated to Oklahoma. Or read My Park Story entries online by individuals who have profound connections with natural places the parks protect.

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, Point Loma, San Diego, California, USA.  Monument headstones along the coast during a pink, orange, and blue sunset with clouds and the ocean in the background and trees, grass, and tombstones in the foreground.

6. Veterans Day

Entry to national parks is free on Veterans Day in honor of America’s current and past military members’ service. Commemorate our veterans by visiting a site of remembrance like a Civil War battlefield, national cemetery, or the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. For veterans, exploring the vast natural beauty of a national park might surround them with a healing solace.


Eva Barrows

Eva Barrows is a San Francisco Bay Area freelance writer. Eva writes about local places, people and events on her website www.evabarrows.com. She founded the online literary journal Imitation Fruit in 2007 and has enjoyed promoting fellow writers and artists ever since.

 

 

 

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