News & Notes: February 2024
National Park Service Announces Free-Entrance Days For 2024
The U.S. National Park Service has released its list of fee-free entrance dates for 2024.
“National parks are places that awaken senses, inspire curiosity, encourage reflection, and foster joy,” National Park Service director Chuck Sams said. “The entrance fee-free days expand opportunities for people to visit their national parks and experience the beauty and history of our country.”
February 15 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day — was the first entrance fee-free day of 2024. The remaining dates are as follows:
April 20: First day of National Park Week
June 19: Juneteenth
August 4: Great American Outdoors Day
September 28: National Public Lands Day
November 11: Veterans Day
The fee waiver for these days applies only to National Park Service entrance fees and does not cover amenity or user fees for camping, boat launches, transportation, special tours, or other activities.
More than 300 of the country’s 400-plus national parks are free to enter every day. Detailed information about things to do and see in each park is available on NPS.gov and the NPS app.
Other federal land management agencies offering their own fee-free days in 2024 are the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
RV/MH Hall Of Fame To Welcome Class Of 2024
RV industry leaders with well-known names are among those who will be inducted into the RV/MH Hall of Fame this year.
From the RV industry, inductees are as follows:
Don Clark, president and CEO of Grand Design RV, Elkhart, Indiana
Terry Elias, CEO, Triple E RV, Manitoba, Canada
Phil Ingrassia, president, RV Dealers Association, Fairfax, Virginia
Jeff Rutherford, chairman, Airxcel, Elkhart, Indiana
Brian Wilkins, owner, Wilkins RV, Hornell, New York
Five members of the manufactured housing industry will be inducted as well. The ceremony to celebrate the honorees will take place on August 19, 2024, at the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum in Elkhart, Indiana.
KOA Releases Outdoor Accessibility Report
Kampgrounds of America (KOA) recently released its first comprehensive research report on the state of camping and outdoor enjoyment as viewed through the lens of accessibility. Inclusive of physical, cognitive, and socioeconomic fac-
tors, accessibility in the outdoors continues to be an industry-wide challenge that KOA endeavors to unravel, starting with this impactful report, KOA officials noted. The company is highlighting this data to encourage industry-wide enhancements that improve accessibility.
Around 1 billion individuals — approximately 15 percent of the global population — live with one or more disabling conditions. The report — “Outdoor Accessibility: Charting Paths to Inclusion” — dives into incidence, behavior, and barriers faced by those with limitations impacting their camping experience (38 percent of those surveyed).
Although encouraged by the findings that 48 percent of accessibility-challenged campers assert that this is a more accessible travel experience than other outdoor activities or leisure travel, KOA officials note there is still much to be done to turn this knowledge into tangible progress to bring the outdoors to everyone.
“In 2023, our focus on DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] at KOA was dedicated to understanding and envisioning accessibility in outdoor spaces and companies. Knowledge is half the battle, which is why we share the data we’ve collected to bring more awareness to what an accessible outdoors means,” said Whitney Scott, senior vice president of strategy at KOA. “Moving into 2024, we’re committed to building on what we have learned through programs, design, and initiatives to create a more accessible outdoors and workplace environment.”
The report found the most prevalent and critical barriers revolve around essential infrastructure such as bathrooms (46 percent) and level or smooth pathways (37 percent), which underscores the importance of improving accessibility within campgrounds and outdoor spaces.
Read more about KOA’s initiatives and access the full report here: bit.ly/KOAaccessibility.
Aqua-Hot Opens New Colorado Facility
Aqua-Hot has expanded its operations in Colorado with a new 44,000-square-foot facility.
Frederick, Colorado, is a growing community north of Denver that continues to be home of Aqua-Hot, a supplier of hydronic heating systems for the RV industry.
Recently, Aqua-Hot moved into a 44,000-square-foot headquarters building in Frederick that houses its operations, manufacturing, and distribution center, tripling the usable manufacturing and storage space from its previous location.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Aqua-Hot employees and managers, along with local dignitaries, the company was lauded for its decision to remain part of the Frederick community and build upon the legacy started when Harold “Hap” R. Enander built his first heating system. A one-man operation, he sold the units out of his own RV before business took off. Aqua-Hot will celebrate its 40th anniversary in February, having spent most of those years in Frederick.
Jeff Rutherford, president and CEO of Airxcel, Aqua-Hot’s parent company, said the new facility will allow Aqua-Hot to build upon the parent company’s three pillars: provide unparalleled service to customers and suppliers, serve as product experts, and remain committed partners.
To learn more about Aqua-Hot products, visit aquahot.com.
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