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Yellowstone National Park Lands $40 Million Gift For More Employee Housing

Mar 10th - 14:47pm | WaltD

Hmmm. The 40 million dollars is..."expected to pay for more than 70 modular units."   Assuming 75 units, that comes to well over half a million bucks per unit.  Since the government already owns the land, I trust that there'll be lots of money remaining for other housing-related/infrastructure projects.

NPCA: Compromise Budget Will Cut $150 Million From National Park Service

Mar 10th - 11:39am | Loui

It is high time for the cying, complaining and blaming to end.  The NPS and ths NPs before them have been underfunded since the beginning, whatever party was in charge.  It's never going to change.  Grow up.

Mar 8th - 13:32pm | Tom Ribe

A Johnson:  First Congress and the President designate national parks and monuments. The NPS has no control over these desinations and cannot "cut" them. Most Americans support these designations for many reasons. Also the NPS Director already is a presidential appointee. Note that Don Trump did not have an NPS director. His choice and it hurt the agency badly.

Mar 6th - 10:25am | A. Johnson

Wait!  An advocacy group thinks that their favorite federal agency is underfunded?  That's news?  Really?   NAme the last time that the NPCA put out a press release applauding the sufficient funding of the NPS!  Now THAT would be news!

Mar 5th - 18:19pm | H Miller

Stop the new construction program. With a maintenance backlog of $22 billion NPS doesn't need to continue building new visitor centers.  Transfer the 300-400 employees in the Denver Service Center to the parks to help with backlog maintenance.  Reduce the hours of operations of Parks. Close Parks during the weekdays.

Mar 5th - 14:16pm | Ben from Virginia

National Park Service funding is important to the nation.  The cut to operations and the required pay raise will be painful indeed to the public.  Hopefully fees will help pay for essential services. But 419 parks is expensive and Congress needs to do a better job of paying for them, or reducing non-critical historic sites.

Mar 5th - 12:37pm | A. Johnson

Congress should withhold all funding from the NPS, until the NPS is shamed into a complete restructuring.   A restructuirng that includes:   --prioritizing  then downsizing the number of parks, monuments and preserves.  We've designated too many sites that just do not qualify for federal protection.  Stert with Stonewall--return it to the state.

Mar 5th - 06:12am | Dan Murray

The parks should respond by increasing access fees and Congress should be shamed into approving the requests.

New Concessionaire Wants To Take Over Crater Lake National Park Concessions

Mar 9th - 21:29pm | y_p_w

Ben Thompson: What about us that have lodging reservations there this summer. Will they be honored by the new company, or just canceled? Should be honored.  At least that's what the new concessionaire claims.

Mar 8th - 12:16pm | Ben Thompson

What about us that have lodging reservations there this summer. Will they be honored by the new company, or just canceled?

Mar 7th - 11:04am | y_p_w

A. Johnson: Not sure why any company would want to wade into a legal squabble between the NPS and Aramark that's bound to last years 

Mar 7th - 09:06am | A. Johnson

Not sure why any company would want to wade into a legal squabble between the NPS and Aramark that's bound to last years  Even if Explorus gets the contract, then the company has to deal with the ongoing inability of the NPS to properly fund and maintain the infrastructure at CL, beginning with the water supply, to simply clearing the entrance road...

Only One Signature Will Be Allowed On America The Beautiful National Parks Passes

Mar 8th - 19:23pm | Guy Bowman

So now a family needs to purchase 2 passes if the same family member isn't in the car? In essence you've doubled the price of the pass for us as we live in west yellowstone and share the vehicle. What about Cook city? Us border communities supprt park staff and visitors year round but if we need to cut thru the park or use it we're penalized. 

Feb 24th - 11:29am | Alicia Holt

We are really disappointed in this decision.  my Husband and I bought a card.  His name is on it and now I his wife can't take my friend to the Grand Canyon.  The card should be for a family to use.  the change was so unexpected we didn't even have time to think through whose name should be on it.  This is very unfair! 

Take A Virtual Tour Of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park With This Video

Mar 8th - 14:32pm | Harley

So pretty I wanted to faint!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Discovering Mammoth Cave’s Oceanic Past

Mar 8th - 08:14am | Paul Smithson

Great article. I never knew that sharks and other vertebrates existed in these layers.

Mar 4th - 20:07pm | Rick Olson

Excellent article! It was fun talking with you all as well.ara

Get Your Free National Parks "Owner's Guide" From The National Park Foundation

Mar 8th - 07:31am | Larry 51000 Koenig

Send me the National Park guide, I am travaling this year to UT and other placesC

North Cascades National Park Staffing Issues Spur Petition To NPS Director Chuck Sams

Mar 6th - 05:30am | Joe.P

It doesn't take 18 months for background checks, realistically with urgency, they can be completed in 2 months or less.  The original reason given for no rangers this season is slightly misleading.   They have not yet even posted the permenant jobs for hire on the hiring websit.

Feb 27th - 20:17pm | WaltD

Perhaps you might reread the article.  The permanent rangers assigned to that sector quit so there's no one in authroity to supervise any potential seasonal rangers who mgiht be available.  And taking 18 months to get a background clearance really drives the process.  Many of our parks are understaffed.

Feb 27th - 16:44pm | Trey

I couldn't agree more. I've visited 384 units over the last ten years and each year our visits become leas enjoyable and more difficult. The park service has been shoveled billions of dollars in marquee legislation under administrations of opposite political ideologies, yet despite these opportunities there is very little to show for it.

Feb 26th - 09:53am | A. Johnson

What the NPS has done with the Stehekin Valley is shameful.  A once thriving remote community has been largely bought out by the NPS, and then neglected by the NPS.  The Golden West VC was once a private hotel.  The infrastructure, docks, roads, and facilities have gone unrepaired.  

Feb 24th - 12:59pm | Philip Fenner

The petition is still open -- you can sign it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/e/1FAIpQLSePGG87hXUNKfEFYK2pn6SHd47U...

Big Bend National Park Expected To Be Busy During Spring Break

Mar 5th - 19:42pm | Richard Knight

I agree with A. Johnson, above, but I would include all of Texas (along the Rio Grande), and all campgrounds in states (NM, AZ, and CA) that are relatively near the Mexican border.  I am surprised that no one seems to be talking about the elevated risk to campers and RV'ers in those states.  The danger is real. 

Mar 5th - 12:16pm | A. Johnson

I furst visited BBNP in 1995, and again in 2009, & 2012.  It was a remote, quiet, and not too busy place.  It was a gem.   Last visited BBNP in 2017 when I had to chase off a squatter family in my Chiso Basin campsite.  It was amazing to watch and hear the squatters lie about reserving the site while my name was on the tag on the post!  Amazing & sad.

Petition Asks Interior Secretary To See Rangers Staff Remote North Cascades Outpost

Mar 5th - 11:00am | Martha Bell-Hart

Please continue to have a Park Ranger on staff in Stehekin. This beautiful wilderness area needs a ranger to both educate visitors/backpackers about safety and conservation, and to protect the wilderness from harm from visitors. 

Fun Facts And Trivia From The National Park System's Visitation Data

Mar 4th - 17:44pm | Ermige

I knew Great Smoky Mountains was the most visited park, but consistently over 13 million the last few years is just insane!

Feb 29th - 10:52am | A. Johnson

700 miles of toilet paper musing:   My experience with the typical NPS toilet paper is that it's not even 1 ply--it's 0.001 ply.  I suspect that the NPS has done several studies on just what kind of TP to buy, how much the average user uses, etc., but geez, it's terrible and one winds up using 1/2 mile of 0.001 ply TP per sitting just to do a basic job.  

Feb 29th - 10:12am | Kurt Repanshek

Good catch, Will. We fixed the caption.

Feb 29th - 08:41am | Will

Not for publication. The picture caption says 7 miles of toilet paper; the text says 700 miles of toilet paper.

National Park Service Turns To Forest Service For Help Restoring 19th-Century Schooner

Mar 4th - 14:54pm | Steve Lindsey

Did a better job on that one.     After the debacle of the steam schooner Wapama.

Feb 27th - 14:02pm | John Davis II

Glad to see this. To bad Wapama couldn't be saved. As a young teen, working a summer job at my father's Beach St. office, I often took lunch aboard the Thayer or Wapama. The smell of the Thayer's hold is forever etched in my mind and I still smell her if the conditions are right.

Area Of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Closed Due To Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Mar 4th - 13:16pm | Loui

This might even be more ridiculous than the cave closures following white nose syndrome.  Without a single case of a single human infecting a single bat, land managers who never liked cavers in the first place implemented a slew of regulations and indefinite closures.  Newsflash: it's the bats infecting other bats. Then came the cloth COVID masks.

Reader Participation Day: What's Your Dream Park Adventure?

Mar 1st - 12:25pm | Christina Gallegos

Perfect trip: Coronado State Park, NM, Petroglyph Ntl Monument, Bandalier, Chaco Canyon, Ghost Ranch-float the Chama River, warm up at Ojo Hot Springs, Rio Grande National Monument, float Rio Grande, Great Sand Dunes, hot springs at Hooper, Co

Feb 29th - 10:56am | A. Johnson

Well, NPT has got me thinking about visits to Organ Pipe and Segauro NPs in AZ sometime soon. It might be tough to accomplish if summer is unbearable.   I've done the Grand Canyon NP several times, but it's much higher in altitude.  The southern AZ parks are next on the list.  March 2025?    

Interior Secretary Told NPS Director Sams Violated "Protective Mandate" By Allowing Eagle Kill

Feb 27th - 19:59pm | WaltD

Oh yes, by all means let's revert to the spectacle of the Trump administration and Zinke's tenure as Secy of the Interior.  Forced to resign after repeatedly using his position for private gain and then committing perjury to ethics officials.  What good ol' days they were!  That said, Sam did not have the authroity to permit the killing of the eagle.

Feb 26th - 10:03am | A. Johnson

Sadly, there are scores of dead bald eagles killed by "environmentally friendly" wind turbines every year.  We know this because Biden's FWS issues permits to turbine operators to allow the killing of HUNDREDS of bald (and golden) eagles every year by those turbines!  

Feb 25th - 13:09pm | A. Johnson

That allegation was contained Friday in a letter sent to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland 

Wintry Weather Closes National Parks

Feb 26th - 07:56am | Ermige

I love winter in the Smokies, but spring will be here before you know it!

Inside The Battle To Save The Cats That Call San Juan National Historic Site Home

Feb 25th - 06:46am | Jennifer Bain

Nancy - so glad you are down there and helping out. When I was out with Karla, the paseo was closed so we didn't actually see anyone else. But thanks for letting me know about the calendar -- I ordered one. 

Feb 24th - 15:25pm | Nancy Arents

Hi Jennifer! I am down in Old San Juan until the end of March and worked with Karla on Thursday. The Paseo is opened again and I met many of the same cats that you did. They were able to complete the 2024 calendar and it is available on saveagato.com for a $20 donation. They are still working to convince the NPS to allow them to continue.

Feb 24th - 15:20pm | Nancy Arents

Great ideas Suzanne! I am down in Puerto Rico this month and am trying to help out. 

Researchers Survey Some of Mammoth Cave National Park's Many Cemeteries

Feb 24th - 15:27pm | Kenneth Robert ...

My name is Kenneth Holton and I was wondering if Mammoth Caves properties maintains the Holton Cemetary?  Also can I receive the surnames of all those buried in the Holton Cemetary.  I was there many years ago and lost my list of families.  My email is [email protected] and if you could send me the names I woiuld be very  gratefull.

Legal Battle Over Caneel Bay Resort Drags On

Feb 24th - 14:38pm | ~~~~" E. Dickin...

Let's get this done

Feb 24th - 14:35pm | Motorcitysam

Your sunbiz account be closed for Road Town Group, Inc.      What I think needs to happen is the insurance policy needs to be collected by the RUE board members.

The Nature Conservancy Has Secured Preservation Of 8,000 Acres In Alabama's Mobile-Tensaw Watershed

Feb 24th - 06:13am | Fred Ingate

At Last. 

The Battle For The Skies Over National Parks Drags On

Feb 23rd - 15:41pm | Friends for a Q...

See National Park Service regulations on operating unmanned aircraft in National Parks. (https://www.nps.gov/orgs/aviationprogram/upload/unmanned-aircraft-in-nat...)

National Parks To Visit Now

Feb 22nd - 09:49am | A. Johnson

Well, if true, why has Organ Pipe Cactus NP closed several roads in the southern part of the park for "public safety"?  Closed to cars and pedestrians!   https://www.nps.gov/orpi/index.htm     The majority of Organ Pipe is several miles from the border and is almost never used for drug trafficking

Feb 22nd - 00:41am | Jenny

While Organ Pipe borders Mexico, that area is back country wilderness. Very few visitors go there. The majority of Organ Pipe is several miles from the border and is almost never used for drug trafficking. Almost all of that comes through Border Patrol checkpoints such as San Diego and El Paso.

UPDATE | Lawsuit Alleges Recreation.Gov Is Cluttered With "Junk Fees," Seeks Refunds

Feb 21st - 16:11pm | Mike B

$10 per each application to be entered in a permit lottery in Yosemite.  Even assuming that the number of applicants hasn't increased since 2016, that means BAH is getting over $225,000 in fees for applications for a John Muir Trail permit.  Meanwhile, the park is only getting $5 for each permit issued, or approximately $16,000.  Does it seem fair to anyone that Booz Allen gets approximately 15

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