National Parks FREE This Saturday

By kncitom on September 20, 2018

Been yearning for some great outdoors?

Then Saturday’s your day because admission to all National Parks is free!

And here in Sacramento, we have several great National Parks within just a few hours’ drive, like Yosemite, Muir Woods, San Francisco Maritime, Pinnacles and, one of my favorites: Mt Lassen.

On any regular day, marquee places like Yosemite and Muir Woods get crowded and more crowded, but more far-flung places like Lassen and Pinnacles draw far fewer people.

Pinnacles is located in the Central Valley, near the Salinas Valley and features an ancient volcanic landscape that is a draw for rock climbers. It’s also a great spot for wildlife viewing, including the rare and endangered California Condor. For more, click here 

Lassen is up north, east of Redding. The centerpiece of course is Mt Lassen a 10,000 foot volcanic peak that last erupted in 1914–not that long ago in geologic terms–and that left the park like a sort of mini-Yellowstone, with geysers, thermal pools and, one of my favorite-named places of all time: Bumpass Hell–16 acres of bubbling mud pots that, unfortunately are closed for trail restoration for the remainder of the year. But, because the mud in the mud pots contain a lot of sulfer, you can still smell it for miles around. Coincidentally, Mt. Lassen is one of America’s least visited National Parks. Buuuuuuut if you’d like to go anyway (and seriously…it’s a GREAT visit and absolutely beautiful) click here