National Parks waive entrance fees on Memorial Day

If you are looking to spend the long weekend outdoors, all 63 national parks are free to enter on Memorial Day. While saving on entrance fees, it could be a good time to give back to local businesses that help parks run more efficiently.

Earlier this year, the Washington Examiner got the chance to view Grand Canyon National Park from above with Papillon Helicopters. While helicopter tours are the company’s main source of income, it also has contracts with the National Park Service.

“We’ll go out and fight fires,” Albert Kim, Papillon’s lead pilot on shift, told the Washington Examiner. “We’ll go out on game captures or surveys.” 

Kim showed how the contract helicopters were specially outfitted for firefighting or equipped with baskets for utility work.

Papillon helicopters are outfitted for firefighting and equipped with baskets for utility work. (Amy DeLaura/Washington Examiner)

The tour flew over ground zero of the North Rim,