United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced yesterday that all 392 national parks will have free gate admission during National Park Week, April 17-25. Some parks will also offer additional family friendly activities and special offers on tours, lodging, food and souvenirs.

“We are rolling out the red carpet and inviting everyone to visit a national park and help celebrate national Park Week,” said Secretary of the Interior Salazar. “Parks are fun and affordable destinations and great places to engage in healthy outdoor activities, whether for a few hours or a few days.”

In the Black Hills region, Badlands National Park and Devils Tower National Monument normally charge entrance fees and will be waiving those fees for the week in April.

The four other Black Hills area national parks are always free to enter and include:

• Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
• Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Jewel Cave National Monument
• Wind Cave National Park

Normally, 146 of the 392 national parks charge entrance fees ranging from $3 to $25. The other 246 do not charge for admission. Unfortunately, the fee-free week does not apply to other park fees such as vehicle parking fees or guided cave tours, so be sure to call ahead if you have questions for the specific parks about what may or may not apply.