MOAB, Utah — Home to two of Utah’s 'Mighty 5' National Parks, the city of Moab attracts visitors from all over the world, like Esther Gacobs, a tourist from Holland.
“We really love everything about Utah," she said. "It's really easy to access all the National Parks, and all the rangers when you enter the park are very friendly, always get a map with the different routes and the different hikes you can make, so the possibilities are very easy.”
All entry fees will be waived on Saturday for National Public Lands Day. There will be commemoration events, as well as volunteer service opportunities, at parks and interagency field offices all over the country.
Moab is already preparing for a big weekend, said Karen Garthwait, Public Affairs Specialist for Arches and Canyonlands.
“Historically, National Public Lands Day has been a fee-free day as a way to recognize what a celebration it is, what a gift these National Parks are to the American public and people from around the world," she said.
To kick off the weekend, Friday evening there will be a party at the Moab Information Center downtown from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturday, there will be multiple service opportunities at the National Parks.
Utahns are lucky to have amazing public lands, said Garthwait.
“As a park ranger, it should be no surprise that I love recreating on public lands," she said. "When I got here as a seasonal in 2006, I figured I'd be here maybe one or two years. 17 years later, I'm still completely in love with these amazing landscapes.”
You can find more information on service projects happening all over Utah here.
