Anyone who’s ever taken an afternoon nap in Central Park knows how peaceful the park can be: with birds chirping in your ear and the cars and buses from the street creating a distant white noise background, it’s almost as if you’ve been transported out of the city and into the forest. For the Urban Park Rangers, part of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, this sweet music is just part of their daily grind and every summer, they open up the city’s parks to families across all five boroughs for a night of tent-making, hiking, and good old-fashioned stargazing with a free camping program.

All summer long, interested participants can enter a lottery for one of the 30 spots available at each park. Central Park is just one of the many locations featuring the program, which has proven immensely successful. “Our last lottery for Central Park drew over 1300 applicants,” says Richard Simon, Deputy Director of the Urban Park Rangers. “The camping program gets more popular every year. Especially in times when money is tight, a lot of people can’t afford to leave the city or go away to camp. So we’re trying to give local kids some of those opportunities.”

For lucky lottery winners, the Rangers provide a family-sized tent and MREs, military-style ready-to-eat dinners. Participants must provide their own sleeping bags and any additional snacks. The activities vary according to the park’s facilities but everyone is assured a real camping experience. Those not selected during the lottery are entered into a waiting list for any last-minute cancellations.

The Urban Park Rangers also offer fishing expeditions, canoeing, and bird-watching for those who might feel a bit squeamish about sleeping outside overnight. The camping program runs through August. For more info, visit the Urban Rangers website. You can also subscribe to their newsletter or download a copy of Outdoors: The Free Newspaper of Outdoor Adventure.