Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — Olympic National Park and more than 100 other national parks that usually charge entrance fees will be offering free admission this weekend.
In addition, many national park concessionaires have special offers this weekend, with discounts and coupons for rooms, tours and products.
It is part of an effort by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to encourage more Americans to visit their national parks.
Two more days with free entrance are scheduled — on Sept. 25 and Nov. 11.
In addition to free admission to Olympic, a forest treasure hunt is planned from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the park’s Heart O’ the Hills campground amphitheater.
Park rangers will provide a family-friendly, hands-on exploration of the forest around the campground.
Attendees should wear weather-appropriate clothing and shoes.
The treasure hunts will continue on Saturdays through Sept. 4.
The program is free, but the park will have resumed collecting entrance fees next weekend at the Heart O’ the Hills entrance station before the campground.
For more information, phone Janis Burger at 360-565-3136.
Also this Saturday, a free, one-hour planetarium-style program will begin at 7 p.m. at the ONP Visitor Center in Port Angeles, 3002 Mount Angeles Road.
And at 10 p.m. tonight and both Saturday and Sunday, John Goar will lead a free one-hour astronomy program with telescopes at Hurricane Ridge, 17 miles up a paved road from Port Angeles, in the national park.
Meet him at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.
The best time to view the annual Perseid meteor shower was early today, but sky-watchers may be able to see some meteors through Aug. 22.
Goar will return Aug. 28 through Sept. 6 and on Sept. 11 with nightly programs that begin at 9:30 p.m.
If skies are cloudy, Goar’s program will be canceled.
For program status, phone the park’s recording at 360-565-3131 after 4 p.m. the day of the program.
