Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - 02:07 Press Release

Information National Parks Week and NPS Commercial Services

National Parks Week is April 21–29, 2018

National Park Week, April 21-29, 2018, is an annual national celebration of people, parks, trails, heritage areas, national trails and rivers, seashores, historic sites, beautiful landscapes, and so many more places that are remarkable. National Park Week is a great time to connect with the vast network of national parks, which protect and preserve our natural and cultural history.

National Parks of Eastern North Carolina Superintendent David Hallac welcomes visitors and members of the local communities to visit Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial during National Park Week. Entrance to Wright Brothers National Memorial will be free on April 21. Entrance to Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is free year-round.

National Junior Ranger Day is April 21. The Junior Ranger program helps children and families connect with parks in ways that engage them in exploring, learning, and practicing stewardship. Each national park site on the Outer Banks offers a Junior Ranger program for visiting youth. Check in at a park visitor center for a Junior Ranger booklet. There will be special Junior Ranger activities available from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at Fort Raleigh NHS, Wright Brothers NMEM, and at the Cape Hatteras NS Bodie Island Lighthouse. If you can’t visit a national park on National Junior Ranger Day, you can still become a web ranger by visiting www.nps.gov/webrangers.

For a fun and free way to learn more about the National Park Service during National Park Week, you can take an on-line 30-40 minute activity, Introduction to the National Park Service: The History of the NPS, available at www.provalenslearning.com. Completion of this course can provide teachers with 0.2 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Commercial Services Open Houses on Ocracoke

Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) will hold Commercial Services Orientations and Open Houses on Ocracoke.

Ocracoke Community Center (999 Irvin Garrish Hwy, Ocracoke, NC)
Monday, May 14 2:00-3:00 pm

Anyone interested in conducting business on National Park Service property is encouraged to attend. The meetings will begin with a presentation, followed by a Q & A session, discussion, and networking.

The presentation will provide an overview of the Seashore’s Commercial Services program, which permits businesses to provide the following visitor services through Commercial Use Authorizations (CUAs):

Beach Fire Services
Guided Fishing Services
Guided Horseback Tours
Guided Waterfowl Hunting
Interpretive and Educational Programs
Non-motorized Boat Tours (for example, kayak tours)
Off-Road Vehicle Driving Tours
Outdoor Fitness Classes (for example, yoga)
Photography Instruction
Road-Based Commercial Tours and Transportation
Watersport Instruction (for example, surfing lessons)

Seashore staff look forward to working more closely with many long-standing commercial partners, as well as engaging new partners. For information about the Seashore’s Commercial Use Authorization program and instructions on how to apply, visit: https://www.nps.gov/caha/getinvolved/dobusinesswithus.htm. For a list of the Seashore’s concession operators and current Commercial Use Authorization holders, visit: https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/commercial-services.htm.