Apple Watch National Park celebration launches with Messages stickers for participants

Apple has launched a celebration of America's national parks, with awards and stickers for Messages inspired by national parks for workout rewards.

On July 15, Apple Watch users that complete a walk, run, or wheelchair workout of 3.5 miles will get the award and the stickers. The distance was selected, as the 3.5 miles matches a hike from Old Faithful to Mallard Lake in Yellowstone National Park.

"America's national parks are an inspiration to us at Apple, and we know they are as important to many of our customers as they are to us," said Apple's CEO Tim Cook. "Our goal is to leave the world better than we found it, so this July we're making it easier for anyone to help preserve the beauty of our natural, cultural and historical treasures."

From July 1 through 15, Apple is donating $1 to the National Park Foundation for every purchase made with Apple Pay at any Apple Store or through the Apple Store app in the United States. Proceeds will support the National Park Foundation's mission to help protect and preserve national parks through conservation projects and other initiatives.

9 Comments

boltsfan17 12 Years · 2294 comments

About 7 years ago

I'm glad to see Apple doing this. The National Park's can definitely use more money since they are so underfunded.

macgui 17 Years · 2471 comments

That underfunding will not get any better in the foreseeable future. Already prices of fees and services have or are scheduled to increase, including the non-Senior Annual Pass increasing to $80. It has been six years since the last increases.

But without an additional $11B in funding, the increase in prices and fees in necessary. Without it the strains of Joni Mitchell and visions of Silent Running rave in my head.

I'm also happy to see Apple doing this, though I wish it applied to purchases made at the App Store, in some manner.

macgui said:

That underfunding will not get any better in the foreseeable future. Already prices of fees and services have or are scheduled to increase, including the non-Senior Annual Pass increasing to $80. It has been six years since the last increases.

But without an additional $11B in funding, the increase in prices and fees in necessary. Without it the strains of Joni Mitchell and visions of Silent Running rave in my head.

I'm also happy to see Apple doing this, though I wish it applied to purchases made at the App Store, in some manner.

The National Park Service should increase their entrance fees and yearly pass fees. The parks in the USA are so much cheaper compared to Canada and other parks around the world. It's a shame how the parks here have been so neglected with funding. To quote the title of the Ken Burns documentary, The National Parks: Americas Best Idea.

thinkman@chartermi.net 18 Years · 173 comments

It's great that Apple is doing this - since we have a lunatic in the White House doing everything in his power to destroy the planet!

ihatescreennames 19 Years · 1977 comments

boltsfan17 said:

macgui said:

That underfunding will not get any better in the foreseeable future. Already prices of fees and services have or are scheduled to increase, including the non-Senior Annual Pass increasing to $80. It has been six years since the last increases.

But without an additional $11B in funding, the increase in prices and fees in necessary. Without it the strains of Joni Mitchell and visions of Silent Running rave in my head.

I'm also happy to see Apple doing this, though I wish it applied to purchases made at the App Store, in some manner.

The National Park Service should increase their entrance fees and yearly pass fees.

Agreed. $80 for an Annual Pass is a little ridiculous. It's nice but seems wasteful on the government's part. If I recall correctly, it's worth it to buy an AP if you plan to make as little as 2 or 3 visits to a National Park in one year (I may be wrong but I think I'm close). Seriously, I'd be fine with paying $80 every time I went to a National Park. I costs more to go an amusement park with my family and those mean much less to me than National Parks do.