Image: Washington’s City of Issaquah Parks hosted a Spotlights event earlier this year.
Everyone who enjoys spending time outside knows that fall is a season to celebrate. The days get cooler, the leaves turn brilliant colors, and the summer crowds begin to thin. These welcome changes ramp up in September, when you’ll also find excellent opportunities to show your support for public lands.
Learn the Issues
Public lands need more than your commitment to Leave No Trace behaviors when you’re outside — they need your voice, too. From a proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule to reduced boundaries and protections at Bears Ears National Monument, critical policy decisions are underway, and you have the chance to influence decision-makers by speaking up. Outdoor Alliance offers analysis and action alerts on these issues, including monument protections and the Roadless Rule comment period, which opened on Aug. 20 and closes on Sept. 20.
Get Outside and Give Back
Your words matter, and so do your actions. Whether you join a volunteer event or simply get outside for some responsible recreation, September offers multiple ways to celebrate America’s natural resources:
National Public Lands Day (Sept. 26): Held annually on the fourth Saturday in September for more than 30 years, National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is one of the nation’s largest celebrations of public lands. The 2026 theme, “Caring for Our Shared America,” calls on all of us to show up for the parks, trails, forests, and waterways we treasure.
Constitution Day (Sept. 17): As part of a week-long NPS celebration, U.S. citizens and residents can visit their favorite National Park Service sites for free on this day. Get out there and be sure to recreate responsibly.
Leave No Trace September Spotlights (Sept. 3–5; Sept. 11–13; Sept. 25–27): Spotlights take place across the country, at every type of natural area, with each location receiving three days of Leave No Trace education and community events. Join the September events at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Maine, Lake Sidney Lanier in Georgia, and the Ice Age Trail/Lapham Peak in Wisconsin.
