What's arguably the worst day of the year—Black Friday, where people stampede one another, sometimes to death, to purchase shiny junk on the cheap—just got a little better: Oregon State Parks on Thursday announced it will offer free admission (read: no day-use fee) on Friday, Nov. 27.
Black Friday = Green Friday!
Inspired by REI's #OptOutside campaign and the chain's announcement it will close its stores on the craziest American consumption day of the year, the parks department issued a news release encouraging people to shun the malls in favor of the forest. Great idea.
"Rain or shine, windy or not, we're thankful Oregon's outdoors are a constant source of joy," Oregon Parks and Recreation Department director Lisa Sumption wrote in a news release. "Take a break, get out, and enjoy some fresh air."
Oregon has hundreds of state parks, and most of them are free for day-users. The 26 that charge for parking can be found on this map and include Silver Falls State Park near Silverton (walk underneath a waterfall!) and Fort Stevens State Park, located at the mouth of the Columbia River near Astoria.
Both the California and Minnesota parks departments earlier this week announced they'll also make admission to several of their state parks free.
