If you’re planning a visit to any of America’s public lands, check out our Insider’s Guide to Recreation.gov. In the meantime, here are a few permits, reservations and events to look out for this month.
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
It’s not too late to get tickets for the summer season at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts! Located a short drive from Washington DC, in Vienna, Virginia, Wolf Trap is a Washington summer favorite and the only national park dedicated to the performing arts. Established in 1966, it offers diverse cultural performances ranging from music and dance to theater and opera. The park’s centerpiece is the Filene Center, an outdoor amphitheater that hosts performances from May to September.
Wolf Trap also includes The Barns, a smaller indoor venue for year-round events, and the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, which provides family-friendly performances. The park’s natural beauty, with its scenic trails and picnic areas, complements the rich cultural experiences it offers to visitors.
During August and September, performances range from Lyle Lovett to Wynton Marsalis. You can sing along to Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music,” or just listen to the Wolf Trap Opera sing “Silent Night.” The park is open to the public during the day for a walk in the woods, or if you’re lucky, you can sit on the grass and listen to an afternoon symphony rehearsal for free.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park: Timed Entry Reservation
If you’re looking for a place to stay cool this month, Carlsbad Caverns might be just the ticket. In fact, you will need a ticket—a timed entry reservation for a self-guided tour, which you can get here.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, located in southeastern New Mexico, is renowned for its vast underground cave system. The park’s centerpiece is the Carlsbad Cavern, featuring stunning limestone formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and intricate rock curtains.
Visitors can explore the caverns through self-guided tours of the Big Room or join ranger-led tours to more remote areas. The park also offers above-ground hiking trails and wildlife viewing opportunities.
A unique attraction is the summer bat flight program, where thousands of Brazilian free-tailed bats emerge from the cave at dusk.
Get a timed entry reservation for a self-guided tour.
Watch Ari and Jessi of Trekers as they dive deep into Carlsbad Caverns
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Cherokee National Holiday
The Cherokee National Holiday is an annual event held over Labor Day weekend (August 30-September 1), marking the signing of the 1839 Cherokee Nation Constitution. This celebration of Cherokee history and culture attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year.
It serves as a powerful reminder of Cherokee sovereignty and showcases the strong bonds of friendship and community among Cherokee people. The holiday is essentially a grand homecoming, welcoming all to share in the rich heritage and positive spirit of the Cherokee Nation.
The theme of the 72nd annual Cherokee National Holiday is “ᎢᏛᏍᎬᎢ ᎢᎦᏤᎵᎦᏯ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏧᏩᎬᎬᏗᏗᏒᎢ: Weaving Our Future.” Events include music, traditional games, inter-tribal powwow, shows and markets. Most events will take place in and around Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the capital of the Cherokee Nation.
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Yellowstone National Park: Snowmobile Permits
Does the heat of summer have you longing for winter adventure? If so, now’s the time to plan. Yellowstone National Park’s winter landscape offers a magical experience for those willing to brave the cold. The vast majority of the park’s roads are closed to regular vehicular traffic and are instead groomed for snowcoaches and snowmobiles, a unique way to explore snow-covered landscapes, see geothermal features like Old Faithful, and spot wildlife such as bison and elk.
Most visitors take commercially guided tours. However, the Non-Commercially Guided Snowmobile Access Program (N-CGSAP) allows four groups daily, each with up to five snowmobiles, to enter through the North, South, East, or West entrances without a guide. Trips can be 1-3 days long, with a $6 application fee and a $40 daily recreation fee.
- Applications open: August 1-31, 2024
- Results available: September 5, 2024
- Permits available for December 15, 2024 – March 15, 2025
Unfilled spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis on Recreation.gov starting October 1 and continuing throughout the remainder of the season, so check back often. Enter the lottery here.
Join Alice Ford as she shares her winter trip to track wolves and bison.
Top photo of Cherokee National Holiday Powwow from Greencountryok.com
