You are here

Home

All Recent Comments

Mark Wenger Named Appalachian Trail Conservancy Executive Director

Jan 17th - 08:13am | Javier

We're glad to have Mark on board! 

Jan 17th - 05:22am | A.T. Board Member

Thanks for publicizing Mark Wenger's appintment as Executive Director of ATC. Dave Startzell's great accomplishments were protecting the A.T. footpath and leading ATC's reorganization as a Conservancy with broader goals. Mark Wenger will be able to build on that strong base to address the numerous, new challenges the trail faces, from suburban sprawl to climate change.  

Government Denies Responsibility In Death of Man Gored By Mountain Goat at Olympic National Park

Jan 16th - 18:07pm | Jamie

I agree w/ former NPS ecologist.  ...  I hope the judicial system does what's right and rejects this case (w/ prejudice as noted).  The comment was edited to remove gratutious comments.-- Ed.

Jan 16th - 15:10pm | Anonymous

As a former NPS Ecologist, I saw many trees with defects which in time will fall, perhaps on a hiker; also, large prairie elk bulls which were nervous during the rutting season when photographers approached them; therefore, Americans should sue the NPS because we, the NPS, knew, "were

Jan 16th - 14:03pm | Anonymous

If parks were to remove every animal that every caused the slightest amount of trouble

Jan 16th - 11:33am | Anonymous

Too bad the most dangerous animals in Parks are humans... remember people, this is their habitat. If you are an outdoors person, you know the risks associated with life in the outdoors, if you aren't an outdoors person, do not go beyond your comfort zone where you will put yourself and others at risk. This is nature, deal with out.

Jan 16th - 09:55am | Bob D

Give me a break!  Folks, nature is dangerous!  So are highways!  Stay in your house and avoid death!

Traveler's View: No Professional Bike Racing At Colorado National Monument

Jan 16th - 14:48pm | Heidi K. Addiso...

My family and I also had a horrible time visiting two Nat'l Parks. We planned a tour of Grand Teton & Yellowstone. Grand Teton was awful: an airport was cause for constant jet noise. No quiet meadow tours of bison calling and airy silence. Then, a road bike event was ongoing in Jackson.

Fort Caroline in Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve; the French are Coming

Jan 16th - 11:10am | Dick G.

Danny-- I would like to suggest you read about the "Black Legend"....

Mount Rainier from Sunrise

Jan 16th - 09:57am | Cheoy Lee

The contrast between that ice-white blue and the bright greens is just stunning.

Mojave Desert Land Trust Working To Secure Land for Wildlife Corridor Near Joshua Tree National Park

Jan 16th - 09:14am | Dick G.

Great job!! Thank goodness we have people like Nancy Karl and her friends!!

Reader Participation Day: Why Are National Parks So Controversial?

Jan 15th - 21:01pm | Crotalus

Kurt, if you're wondering from whence the grave robbers (digging up dead threads) came, see: http://islandfreepress.org/PivotBlog/pivot/entry.php?id=177

Jan 13th - 16:32pm | Hatteras Jack

Follow the Money???   Almost all the money involved here is going to Huge Law Firms and (alleged) Enviornmental Groups.   The US Gov't reviews law suits, decides that they appear to be too costly to defend and thought in the towel.  Problem?  The winner, in this case the law firms and enviornmental groups are the winner and the winner gets there expenses paid by the US Treasury.   Then they sub

Jan 13th - 13:46pm | Dewe Parr

The reason our National Parks have become so controversal in the last few years is due to the change in the type of people that are in charge of them.  As a resident of Buxton, NC my primary contact with the NPS has been on Cape Hatteras Island.  Over the years I have sensed a change in the attitude of the NPS Personnel.  When the park first started the locals and the park service were firends.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday Offers Chance To Reflect On Equality In America

Jan 15th - 17:11pm | Bruce

Too bad about that controversial "I was a drum major" memorial inscription marring his commemoration.  Talk about things that make you ask, "What were they thinking?"  I mean, some things just do not lend themselves to the sound byte treatment of today, and now this gaffe is literally "set in stone."  I applaud Interior Secretary Ken Salazar for promising to make it right.

Furnace Creek Campground At Death Valley National Park To Close For Water, Sewer Line Work

Jan 15th - 16:01pm | Constance

I always camp at Sunset anyway.  I like being up on the hill and the Furnace Creek one is down in the bottem land and it gets a heck of a lot of wind also if a flash flood comes up I rather be on the hill then down there where the water is.

The Queens Garden

Jan 14th - 20:45pm | Shannon

This is beautiful. I have seen this, just not in the winter.

Latest Studies On Yellowstone National Park's Wolf Packs Shows Stable Population

Jan 14th - 16:08pm | Kiba

1. To those who like moose: Scientists have recorded less than 2 moose killed by wolves per year. More than 25 moose are killed by cars per year. There are at least 3 recorded moose kills from poaching(probably much more unrecorded) in the park each year. Seems to me like cars should be taken out of the park because they are more of a problem....

Viewing Wildflowers By Bike At Shiloh National Military Park

Jan 14th - 13:19pm | Anonymous

Great place to ride a bicycle. Lost count of the times ive been. Looking forward to warmer weather to go more. With GPS i found the tour loop to be about 11.2 miles and following the outside perimeter to be around 10 miles. Rolling hills but a couple of big hills to climb but you can walk them if a bit out of shape. The cars are, mostly.., going slow and not as intimidating.

Creature Feature: Feral Burros are "Equina Non Grata" in the National Parks

Jan 14th - 12:19pm | Stormy

The bottom line is that the almighty dollar, in the form of cattle & sheep leases and hunting permits in this case, decides which species is considered a 'nuisance'.  As the saying goes "Money talks, the rest walks".  In this case; the walk is a 'death march'.

Jan 14th - 01:21am | Judith

I recently visited the Grand Canyon for the first time.  Tonight, I was researching the Grand Canyon burro issue on the internet and came across this repulsive article.  While at the Grand Canyon earlier this week, I had hoped to see a burro in the wild--of course I didn't.  I asked a Ranger if there were any burros in the park, and she said, "No".  I am aware of the BLM burro removal, but I wa

Abraham Lincoln's Overcoat Returns to Public Display at Ford's Theatre

Jan 14th - 08:49am | Lee Dalton

Paul, I'm afraid your motto would soon be amended to read: "One country, One destiny.  As long as you do it my way!"

Jan 13th - 21:36pm | Paul Clay

I am looking for a good picture or drawing of the eagle, banner and writing. What a great motto for our contentious times! One country, one destiny. Does anyone know where I can find a good drawing or picture?

NPCA Accuses Alaska Officials of Waging "Quiet War" Against Bears

Jan 14th - 08:45am | C.C.

Aren't there any conservationists living in Alaska?  There needs to be a balance on management boards to provide for objective decisions.  There seems to be a "who cares" attitude towards conservation and environmental policies in Alaska.

Jan 13th - 15:27pm | Kurt Repanshek

Anonymous, can you substantiate your first claim about NPCA wanting to farm out parks to private companies?

Jan 13th - 15:20pm | Anonymous

This from the group of people who want to farm-out management of all National parks to Private companies.  If there is an occasion for more greed & profit, let's do it! Dangerous animals should be monitored when they come in contact with people, but killing them to save potential hunted species is just wrong.

What Not to Do with an Old Cannonball

Jan 13th - 20:27pm | Josh

I found what I think is a cannonball ,I was digging with a trackhoe on side of the Mississippi river seven ft deep in river sand,it weighs twenty point four pounds,can someone please tell me how to tell how old it is,it has no fuse and I think it is solid oh yea in New Orleans  is where I found it.

National Park Mystery Spot 33 Revealed: The Way Out

Jan 13th - 09:56am | Lee Dalton

Oh, goodness no.  Don't do that.  It would take the fun out of them.  We all need challenges.  (It helps keep that disease of old age at bay.  You know the one.  Where your mind starts to fail.  What's it called?)    Even a little frustration is good for the soul.  But when I do succeed in solving one of them -- well, hey -- it's time for a real celebration.

Jan 13th - 08:55am | Bob Janiskee

There was a fine fellow named Lee Who was moved to fervently plea: These puzzles are too tough, I can't solve enough. Please make them simpler for me.

Jan 13th - 08:09am | Lee Dalton

The fourth clue, which gave many readers fits, was labeled a bonus and not needed to solve the mystery spot puzzle. Never trust a Quizmeister who has not had his morning coffee. For the record, clue #4 refers to something that motorists routinely encounter at freeway intersections --

Free Shuttle into Grand Canyon National Park from Neighboring Tusayan a Plus for Visitors

Jan 12th - 22:48pm | Marie-France

Hello, How to go from the Grand Canyon Squire Inn to the entrance in the park from 3 of march to 8 of march each days when no car available? I though I could walk for 1.7 km but it now seems it is at 7km. Can you help me? Marie-France (french speaking from Canada)

Congress Wants National Academy of Sciences To Review Oyster Farm Studies At Point Reyes National Seashore

Jan 12th - 19:20pm | Peter

Various anonymous', the point about lack of oyster habitat is to counter the argument made by DBOC that the non-native oysters are filling some missing ecological niche. On the contrary, they are a wholesale transformation of the marine environment, analogous to the cattle on the land.

National Park Mystery Spot 33: Hitting a Quail on the Fly

Jan 12th - 17:50pm | Bob Janiskee

Sorry, tomp2.  We do our best to jump in there and make sure that the correct answer does not get posted in the comments, but as you have seen, we sometimes slip up. I'm impressed that you did the honorable thing and disqualified yourself. While this proves that there can be no place for you in politics, you have earned our respect and admiration. Good luck on the next puzzler.

Jan 12th - 17:21pm | RangerLady

I was reading about it too as I just applied for a job there. Just took a long time for the light bulb to come on today.

Jan 12th - 17:20pm | tomp2

Doh!  I woulda had it (the park was easy), but then I saw Rangerlady's answer, so I'm disqualified.  Still stumped by the bonus, though. RL, in terms of fried neurons I'll trade you your 2 hour meeting for my 2 hour webinar (which, alas, was probably even worse for the audience than for me).  I'm taking AL tomorrow to go see WACA over the weekend!

Jan 12th - 17:15pm | Lee Dalton

Ranger Lady, I doubt it.  Prof. Janiskee is much too clever (or twisted, or ???) for my poor addled little brain.  I just got lucky because I had been reading about this very place just yesterday.

Jan 12th - 17:10pm | Bob Janiskee

'Way to go, RangerLady! You're back in the race. 

Jan 12th - 17:08pm | Bob Janiskee

I will give you credit for a creative cyberhandle, Mizzou Bluke, but I'm afraid that "sinking ship at Grand Canyon" falls a tad short.

Jan 12th - 16:12pm | RangerLady

Let's blame the 2 hour meeting I had at work this morning. It killed my brain.

Jan 12th - 16:00pm | Mizzou Bluke

sinking ship at grand canyon npen

Jan 12th - 15:43pm | Bob Janiskee

The Quizmeister is surprised, RangerLady. He thought you wouldn't even break a sweat on this one.

Jan 12th - 15:38pm | RangerLady

I think I'm stumped. Lee, you have one up on me but I will regain my lead! lol

Jan 12th - 14:33pm | Bob Janiskee

Anon out west has nailed it. That makes four who have identified the mystery spot and one who has divined the meaning of the bonus clue. A decent tally. Anybody else?

Jan 12th - 13:16pm | Bob Janiskee

Sorry, Ken; the mystery spot has nothing to do with the Allegheny Portage Railroad.   Remember that the mystery spot is a natural feature in a national park. Your answer should identify the natural feature and the national park in which it is located.

Jan 12th - 13:11pm | Ken

Is it Allegheny Portage Railroad ?

Jan 12th - 10:42am | Bob Janiskee

And Aron makes three. Good job, Aron. The cyberhandles in the winners circle look mighty familiar. Isn't there any new blood out there?  :o)

Jan 12th - 10:03am | Bob Janiskee

Eric Nelson has nailed it too. Good job. That makes two so far.

Jan 12th - 09:30am | Bob Janiskee

I'm afraid you are wandering in the wilderness, volknitter. The mystery spot has nothing to do with Lookout Mountain and Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park.

Reader Participation Day: When Do You Feel You've "Done" a National Park?

Jan 12th - 16:42pm | RangerLady

I'm done when I have done everything I physically can do in that park. I haven't been there yet, but when I do get to Yosemite, I will not be 'done' until I have hiked every trail I possibly can and have seen every inch I can. Since I cannot rock climb, I will be done when that is the last option for seeing things that I haven't yet seen.

Traveler's View: A Time To Pause In the Parks

Jan 12th - 11:52am | Rick Smith

I watched the memorial service on streaming video on the 10th. It was a deeply moving service with all of the representatives of the various law enforcement and first responder communities, including a contingent of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Margaret was born in Canada).

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.