… and in the park

Shenandoah National Park joins in the celebration of the Park Service’s 100th birthday by waiving the entrance fee to Shenandoah (and all other national parks) from today through Sunday (Aug. 25-28). The National Park Service was born on Aug. 25, 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the legislation that created the National Park Service. Today, there are 412 national parks throughout the country and each one tells an important part of the American story.

Among the special activities (all of them free) at Shenandoah National Park: “An Interview with Stephen Mather” featuring Park Superintendent Jim Northup portraying Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Park Service, near the end of his stellar career in 1929. The living history interpretive program, which also features Park Ranger Michael Punches as a newspaper reporter asking questions about the many challenging issues regarding the formation and development of the National Park Service, starts at 8: 30 p. m. tonight (Thursday, Aug. 25) at Big Meadows Amphitheater ( mile 51 Skyline Drive).

At 10 Friday at Upper Hawksbill Parking Area (mile 46.7), there’s a Centennial Hike: Hike to the Highest Peak, where you can explore a high-elevation forest on the way to the summit of Shenandoah’s tallest mountain, Hawksbill (two hours, moderate 2.1-mile hike). And at 11 Saturday, at Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51 Skyline Drive), there’s “Time Travel with Bubba Jones & Family”: Meet President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Civilian Conservation Corps boys, and come prepared for a short stroll with Jeff Alt, outdoor recreation expert and award-winning author.

More events this weekend, and other park programs, are online at nps. gov/shen/planyourvisit.