National Park Service turns 100 this year

THE NATIONAL PARK Service turns 100 on Aug. 25. Pinnacles National Park invites everyone to celebrate with them by finding your park. Find Your Park is an opportunity about more than just national parks; it’s about the NPS working in your community through education programs, community assistance projects and more.  It’s about state parks, local parks, trails, museums, historic sites, and the many ways that the American public can connect with history and culture, enjoy nature, and make new discoveries.
One hundred years ago, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service in 1916 to manage existing and yet to be created national parks. The NPS was the first agency of its kind in the world, preserving natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. The many designations of NPS’s 409 units include national parks, monuments, recreation areas, historic sites and parks, historic trails, national seashores, national memorials, and many others.  Although the initial designation of Pinnacles as a national monument goes back to 1908, it’s new designation as a national park in 2013 makes Pinnacles the newest of America’s 59 national parks. This year, Pinnacles and the entire park service family will be celebrating with exciting activities, programs and events. Did you know there were 11 National Park Service sites to visit in the San Francisco Bay Area including Pinnacles National Park? How many have you visited or how long has it been between visits? You can learn more about all 409 National Park units to plan your next visit at http://Findyourpark.com or http://www.nps.gov/.
To kick off the second century of stewardship of America’s national parks and engaging communities through recreation, conservation and historic preservation programs, we offer a birthday gift to all fourth grade students: a free Every Kid in a Park Pass that gets you into all federal lands free of charge. To get your pass, just go to http://everykidinapark.gov and answer a few questions about an adventure you might take in public lands and print your pass! This pass provides free access for you and your family to Pinnacles National Park and all 409 park service sites, as well as national forests, national wildlife refuges, and more so you can find our adventure.
For a list of activities and programs offered at Pinnacles please go to the Pinnacles website calendar under Plan Your Visit www.nps.gov/pinn/planyourvisit/calendar.htm.