Originally published Friday, September 16, 2011 at 10:39 AM

National parks in Washington state will be among those waiving admission fees for National Public Lands Day on Sept. 24

Another fee-free day is coming up at national parks, including in Washington state.

The more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees will waive admission on Sept. 24 in honor of National Public Lands Day. Many of those who visit parks on the day will take part in volunteer work such as building trails, collecting trash, removing invasive plants and other improvement projects.

National Public Lands Day began in 1994. Last year, more than 175,000 volunteers worked on 2,000 events at parks around the country.

Many national parks never charge an entrance fee. In Washington, the national parks and historic sites that normally charge admission but will be free on Sept. 24 include: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site; Lewis & Clark National Historical Park; Mount Rainier National Park; Olympic National Park; and Whitman Mission National Historic Site.

Other major parks that will be admission free for the day are: Grand Canyon in Arizona; Death Valley, Muir Woods, Joshua Tree, Sequoia and Yosemite in California; Mesa Verde and Rocky Mountain in Colorado; Yellowstone in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho; Arches, Bryce, and Zion in Utah; and Grand Teton in Wyoming.

Fee waivers include entrance fees, some tour fees and transportation entrance fees. Reservation, camping and concession fees and other charges collected by third parties, including some tour fees, remain in effect.

For details, see www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm or www.publiclandsday.org/.

Admission fees will also be waived Veterans Day weekend, Nov. 11-13.