| Page 1136 | National Parks Traveler

Keeper, I'm sympathetic, I really am. And I know you're right when you say, "Bob, I think the reality again is that the "use groups" do not wish to deprive God's creatures of anything. they simply want to share it." I know. They are well-meaning people who want a chance to enjoy these special places.

National Park Mystery Plant 17: Ants in Your Pants Will Make You Dance

Feb 23rd - 09:59am | Bob Janiskee

Congratulations to Dan Martin. At 10:50 am EDT he became the first reader to identify Mystery Plant 17.

Feb 23rd - 08:58am | Bob Janiskee

Not Western yellow paintbrush, John. BTW, Nederland doesn't really function as a gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Like lots of other small towns in the region, "Ned" is just within easy driving distance.

Feb 23rd - 08:44am | John

Sounds like the Western yellow paintbrush. Nederland is a gateway to RMNP which is home to this flower. As I recall ants seem to be attracted to this flower. The color is that of gold.

Former NPS Director George Hartzog Passes

Feb 23rd - 09:56am | Randy Johnson

There is a single, oddly downbeat, mention of former NPS Director Gary Everhardt in this page, but for those interested in a broader view of Everhardt's achievements, you might check out my NPTraveler story from last fall— /2010/10/gary-everhardt-%E2%80%9Cright-man-right-time%E2%80%9D-blue-ridge-parkway7132

Traveler's View: The National Park Service Failed Its Mission With Plan For Addition Lands at Big Cypress National Preserve

Feb 23rd - 09:44am | Matt Stubbs

“The Park Service established beach access ramps to enable commercial fishermen to continue to use vehicles to fish from shore while mitigating damage to the barrier dunes by controlling the points of entry, but these ramps also allowed general visitors motorized access to the beach” (P180, Creation and Establishment of Cape Hatteras National Seashore)

Budgeting Woes Likely To Hit The National Park Service

Feb 23rd - 09:27am | Stuart - Budget...

Budget cuts are something that everyone has to take an equal share of if we are going to reduce the deficit and get back to living within our means. But to really tackle the deficit cuts are only half the answer, they must be supported with the creation of more jobs and stimulus to the economy.

Reader Participation Day: Should A Federal Budget Stalemate Lead To Closure of National Parks?

Feb 23rd - 09:19am | ecbuck

If a shutdown of the national parks and other government operations is necessary to get our spending under control, then yes it is a reasonable solution. We all have our pet projects that are "sacrosanct" but the reality is that we all will need to make sacrifices to prevent the utter destruction of our country.

Feb 23rd - 07:16am | Lawrence J. Caldwell

Perhaps the Warren Buffets of the world could consider expanding their scope beyond human charities to those places which contribute to our very survival, our National Parks. Perhaps the privatization of the system is in order. Go where the money and the will exists.

A Mammoth Cave National Park Christmas

Feb 23rd - 09:01am | Cody, Jack, Kri...

Absolutely amazing! Such creativity, imagination & talent. It looks like the real thing. Way to go John...we love it!

Updated: National Park Service Budget Would Grow by $138 Million Under President's FY12 Proposal

Feb 23rd - 08:55am | Michael Kellett

Hi Reality Check, Of course, I would like to keep as much of my earnings as I can. But there is no evidence that tax cuts benefit jobs or the economy. On the contrary, the economy was doing much better during the 1950s and 1960s when federal taxes were much higher than they are today.

Feb 22nd - 18:13pm | Reality Check

Michael, The Chinese are not our friends and they may not call in our debt. They are already changing our policy by their leverage. They want to dominate us. They are playing us like the idiots we are.

Feb 22nd - 11:49am | Michael Kellett

Hi Reality Check, I don't question the reality of the debt to China or the fact that the deficit is not good. But it is not a dire crisis, either. The Chinese are not going to call in that debt, because they need us as much as we need them. That said, I would rather not be in debt than to be in debt to them.

Feb 22nd - 11:34am | Michael Kellett

I certainly agree with your sentiment about the Parks. And beer summit idea sounds good. The logistics could be a bit difficult. But maybe we will be in the same vicinity at some point and can make it happen! Best, Michael

Feb 21st - 21:49pm | Reality Check

Actions have consequences, Mr. Kellett and it's only going to get worse unless we get on board. A correction please. http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.ae2d2f54b4997246bb7b180d2736...

Group says Landscape Arch in Arches NP, Not Kolob Arch in Zion NP, is World's Largest Span of Stone

Feb 23rd - 07:30am | Brian Williams

I have seen and painted both arches and they are each impressive. But neither one is the largest stone arch in the world. Google 'Shipton's Arch' in Xinjiang, far western China. National Geographic had an article on it with vital statistics and it dwarfs both of these arches. Tough luck, America, you don't always get to be the biggest and best.

Half Dome Permits Available For Reservation Beginning March 1

Feb 23rd - 00:28am | Anonymous

I started my Half Dome hike at midnight on a Saturday and was at the top by sunrise on Sunday. I was about a third of the way back down the trail (not the cables), maybe more, before I saw the ranger hiking up to check for permits. If this is the norm, you should be safe if you get up to the cables by about 9 or 10AM. Could just be the rangers sleep in on Sunday mornings.

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

Feb 22nd - 20:40pm | Jim Burnett

Rick Smith's comment above is a nice summary of why the park made the right decision in denying this permit. Let's hope heavy-handed politics don't trump a reasonable policy.

Feb 22nd - 20:18pm | y_p_w

I just wanted to clarify that I looked more into the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon, and found some more details on the course. I supposed previous versions did start from Alcatraz, but the 2011 course description mentions that they start from a boat adjacent to Alcatraz.

Feb 22nd - 19:20pm | Rick Smith

This from a letter I wrote to the Grand Jct. paper about the bike race. It was addressed to the former editor of the paper who had written an editorial in favor of the race: Dear Mr. Herzog:

Feb 22nd - 18:20pm | y_p_w

Matt Stubbs: My remark was intended to the fact of showing up at a park and having it closed... That is it. Nothing like driving 6 hours to find six new plovers nested overnight successfully blocking the remaining access. This is why I bring my boat to Cape Hatteras now so I may bypass the NPS all together on my own little sandbar.

Feb 22nd - 13:41pm | Matt Stubbs

My remark was intended to the fact of showing up at a park and having it closed... That is it. Nothing like driving 6 hours to find six new plovers nested overnight successfully blocking the remaining access. This is why I bring my boat to Cape Hatteras now so I may bypass the NPS all together on my own little sandbar.

Feb 22nd - 13:39pm | justinh

The 2012 Quiznos Pro Challenge through the monument "can significantly add to the stature and profile OF THE EFFORT to designate the Monument as a National Park"--weird sentence. Does an "effort" really have stature and profile? Why not raise the "profile" of the monument by highlighting ITS "stature," which has nothing to do with a bike race.

Feb 22nd - 13:32pm | y_p_w

For Anonymous (February 22, 2011 - 11:58am), I don't know if you'd necessarily get the same problems with a professional bike race. The NYC Marathon has about 50,000 participants, while a professional stage race has only 128 racers. They've got professional support vehicles and cleanup would be nowhere near as difficult as a major foot race.

Feb 22nd - 13:32pm | Anonymous

National Park Ranger and other staff at each location have a duty to protect and preserve by having a bike race though Colorado it not close the monument for the day for visitors but also would put at risk all the natural wonders and the reason the monument was created. Remerber that we want the monument to still be there for future generations.

Feb 22nd - 13:13pm | y_p_w

Matt Stubbs: I would feel the same as I do seeing access limited elsewhere. The difference here is it would be a tangibly large crowd I could actually see. Whereas a flower, insect or even a BIRD can shut down an entire area and never actually be seen.

Feb 22nd - 12:58pm | Anonymous

I'm with Kurt on this one. Look at how the thousands of current visitors to our national parks abuse them; walking anywhere but on designated walkways or trails, tossing garbage wherever they feel like, starting fires because they feel as if it is their right (even though the hire fire danger warnings are up), etc.

Feb 22nd - 11:12am | Matt Stubbs

Kurt "What would you think if you were driving, say, from Rocky Mountain National Park to Canyonlands or the Grand Canyon, and you planned on stopping at Colorado National Monument and Mesa Verde along the way, but when you pulled up to the gate of the monument they said, "Sorry, we're closed today so we can host a bike race"?"

Feb 21st - 22:48pm | Random Walker

This is just about as disgusting an idea as when the National Parks Foundation sponsored Jeff Corwin's reality TV show 'Race To The Moment' series in Joshua Tree National Park..

Feb 21st - 21:39pm | Jim Burnett

I agree that this is an inappropriate event, since as others have mentioned, the commercial activity would essentially close the entire park to all visitor use for an entire day during a busy time of the season. In this location, viable alternative travel routes that would bypass the event in the park aren't available.

The Annual Meeting of the Dumb and Dumber National Park Visiting Society

Feb 22nd - 19:40pm | Eric

To Gal Yellowstone: Real Rangers don't call visitors rude names. It's not nice.

Feb 22nd - 08:39am | Ron Saunders

Bob, Thank You. Just checked and wallet is empty. But fear not, Will work on it when my next SS check comes in. Wonder what will happen to that if the Government shuts down. Will let you know. Getting more excited every day. Can't tell you what this opportunity means to me. Ron (obxguys)

Feb 22nd - 05:19am | Bob Janiskee

We take turns driving and navigating, Jim. The two activities don't mesh very well, so it's a perpetual work in progress.

Arches National Park Taking Input on Proposed Climbing Management Plan

Feb 22nd - 14:20pm | Anonymous

I don't know what your understanding of the current regulations are, but the park IS open to climbing, just with regulations such as no new fixed anchors, no white chalk, etc. That being said how many times have you been in the park and seen a climber?

Feb 22nd - 14:11pm | Anonymous

My park experience is blighted by your car, or did you walk in?

National Park Service Tasked With Identifying Landscapes and Cultural Themes "Underrepresented" in the Park System

Feb 22nd - 13:44pm | Matt Stubbs

Very little according to my wife in the intelligence community... But she says the same about me, what are we to do.

Feb 22nd - 11:23am | Bob Janiskee

Egads! I served two years and seven months with the 513th Military Intelligence Group. Is there no hope for me?

Feb 22nd - 11:14am | Matt Stubbs

You cannot have greater protection and public attention. It is like army intelligence...

Feb 22nd - 06:55am | Lawrence J. Caldwell

The Pinelands National Preserve, the first of its kind, should be upgraded to Park status. The one-trillion gallons of the pureset water on earth, along with the ecosystem comprised of more rare, endangered, and threatened species than anywhere else on the eastern seaboard, requires greater protection and public attention.

National Park Service Looking For Kids Interested in Becoming Junior Civil War Historians

Feb 22nd - 13:21pm | Anonymous

We live on the west coast and our daughter was able to visit Antietam and Gettysburg last year and is disappointed that she will not be able to participate in this program . Would the Regional Office consider adding a 3rd option for kids who can only participate on-line?

Wyoming Legislature Agrees To Sell Land Inside Grand Teton National Park; Will Congress Pay For It?

Feb 22nd - 11:06am | Anonymous

It seems that about $14 million would be a more appropriate price. That would be $10,000 per acre.

Doug Hubbard, Former Chief Naturalist at Yosemite National Park, Passes at 92

Feb 22nd - 08:45am | Owen Hoffman

Mr. Stefancik, you are correct. Doug was very much involved in the design and expansion of the Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg, TX as well as the design of the LBJ National Historic Site, see the above attachment that was appended to the main article. This attachment is a copy of a 2002 interview with former park ranger-naturalist Alan Shields.

Fans of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Being Asked to Contribute Ideas to Lakeshore's Future

Feb 22nd - 08:23am | vote yes

A clothing optional beach would be a terrific idea. My wife and myself went to St. Martin for the holidays and went to a clothing optional beach for the first time. We had such a relaxing time at this beach cloths free, we decided to go their for three straight days. All the people we met on this beach were so pelite and respectful of the property and other visitors.

Creature Feature: The Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Faces an Uncertain Future

Feb 22nd - 05:11am | Bob Janiskee

I'm delighted that you're studying the Kemp's ridley sea turtle, Anon-6th grade. Although we can't help you further with your project (we just don't have the expertise or time for it), we do encourage you to consult the numerous Internet sources of information about this fascinating creature.

Forest Fire Closes Portion of Skyline Drive, Hiking Trails in Shenandoah National Park

Feb 22nd - 00:45am | Sabrina

Talk about scary. I live on Lands Run Road and my childs bus stop is on Smith Run Road. We couldnt even see the fire and didn't have a clue what was going on since we live "under" it... to close to even see the smoke or the flames. But I will say was a really neat site to see at night. Roads were blocked off, crews were everywhere. To close for comfort!

Support Journalism about National Parks!

National Parks Traveler is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Donate Now!

The Essential RVing Guide

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.

National Parks Traveler

Search