Enjoy 'Fee-Free Weekends' in Your National Parks

OKEMOS, MI--(Marketwire - June 11, 2009) - Over 100 national parks, including Michigan's national parks, will waive normally imposed entrance fees for three upcoming fee-free weekends this summer. The fee-free weekend offer waives all entrance fees, commercial tour fees and transportation fees. Michigan has four national parks -- Isle Royale, Keweenaw, Pictured Rocks and Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Mark your calendars for one of these fee-free weekends:

--  June 20-21
--  July 18-19
--  August 15-16
    

Start planning your visit by searching for a MARVAC member campground near the Michigan national park of your choice at www.marvac.org.

Isle Royale National Park (www.nps.gov/isro)

Isle Royale consists of one large island and 200 smaller islands in the northwest region of Lake Superior, and is accessible only by boat or seaplane. This national park is a sanctuary for wildlife and natural beauty, and is perhaps best known for its abundance of moose and wolves. Visitors enjoy over 166 miles of hiking trails, fishing, paddling inland waterways and exploring the park's coastline.

Keweenaw National Historical Park (www.nps.gov/kewe)

Keweenaw celebrates the rich history of copper mining on the Keweenaw Peninsula. From 7,000 years ago to the 1900s, people in Keweenaw mined copper, and the Keweenaw Peninsula was home to one of our nation's first mineral rushes. The presence of the copper mines is still very evident on the land, although the mines have closed.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (www.nps.gov/piro)

Spectacular views await visitors of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, which runs more than 40 miles along the shore of Lake Superior. Its name comes from the miles of sandstone cliffs that have naturally been sculpted into caves, arches and remarkable formations.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (www.sleepingbeardunes.com)

The Sleeping Bear Dunes is 60 miles of preserved and protected beaches with dunes that rise 460 feet above Lake Michigan. The dunes are full of hiking trails, but one of the best is the challenging Dunes Trail that takes you out along the Sleeping Bear Point through a landscape of wind-scoured dunes and vegetation.

The Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds (MARVAC) is a statewide, non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging growth in the recreation vehicle and private campground industries while contributing to the quality of Michigan tourism. For more information, visit MARVAC's Web site, www.marvac.org. MARVAC, 2222 Association Drive, Okemos, Mich. 48864-5978; 517.349.8881.

Contact Information: Contact: Rachael Biermann Agency: All Seasons Communications Phone: (586) 752-6381