National Park Free Days Coming Up

There are two days left in 2025 to visit a National Park for free. Those days are Sept. 27, National Public Lands Day, and Nov. 11 Veterans Day.

National Public Lands Day has been celebrated on the fourth Saturday of September since 1994. The National Environmental Education Foundation joins the National Park Service to promote the conservation of public lands. It is also the largest volunteer day dedicated to cleanup of all types and sizes of public lands. Last year 130 National Parks hosted 7,600 volunteers. 41,500 hours of service were donated that day in 2024. As the federal government continues to cut funding for these important historical and recreational areas, national public support becomes more important.

Keep in mind that next year is the 250th Anniversary of American Independence. The National Park Service will be trying to get the nation’s parks and monuments in top notch condition. While most think of Independence Hall and the Statue of Liberty, there are Revolutionary War battlefields, memorials to the founders, hundreds of years of American history as well as parks and monuments recognized as unique to our country. Currently there are 63 National Parks and 433 total units in the National Park system. There are 138 national monuments included in the above count.

As of today, two 2026 National Park Days have been announced: April 18, 2026: Fee-free day on the first day of National Park Week and Aug. 4, 2026: Fee-free day to celebrate the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act. If you have a fourth grade child in the family, Celebrate Every Kid Outdoors: This program provides a free annual pass to a child entering fourth grade and also grants access for the family.

Iowa’s National Sites

Iowa has four national sites! Effigy Mounds National Monument, Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail.

Effigy Mounds National Monument is 3 hours and 6 minutes from New London. Effigy Mounds is an ancient Native American burial and ceremonial site. In the northeast corner of Iowa the mounds extend into southern Wisconsin. Small portions also exist in Illinois, Minnesota and Ohio. There is a visitor center with displays of archaeological specimens. Fourteen miles of trails are available for hiking. Put this great site on your list to visit.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site is 1 hour and 9 minutes from New London. The Hoover Museum is closed for renovation and it is supposed to open in the Summer of 2026. The Historic Site is still open. It is wise to check at www.nps.gov/heho for up to date information before you visit. Herbert Hoover was the 31st president. Pick a pleasant day for a stroll through the grounds. Mr. Hoover’s birthplace cottage, a blacksmith shop, a one-room schoolhouse, his gravesite and more. West Branch is an interesting little town to explore as well.

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City is 5 hours and 6 minutes from New London. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is 4,900 miles long. There are several sites along the trail in Iowa. The Sergeant Floyd Monument in Sioux City is dedicated to the only member of the Lewis and Clark men who died on the trip west. The Interpretive Center is extensive and is connected to the Betty Strong Encounter Center. About 40 miles from Sioux City, the Lewis and Clark Festival is held at the Lewis and Clark State Park. This festival has historical actors, bluegrass music and much more. Watch for the date in June.

One of the first places the Mormon travelers stopped to make camp on their way west from Nauvoo, Illinois, was a place called Richardsons Point. This site is on the Van Buren — Davis County border near Milton Iowa, 1 hour 5 minutes away. It is a great picnic site and there are scenic views.

The Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail is 1,300 miles long and passes through southern Iowa. At Corydon, the Prairie Trails Museum exhibits displays about the Mormon trek and historic outlaws.

While not on the National list, take some time and research the Freedom Rock sites. There is one in every county and will soon become a tourist destination of note.