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Beware of Great Smoky Mountains National Park's Bears

Aug 29th - 10:14am | ramblefeet

I hike throughout the US and eastern Canada and have had brushes with black bears several times.   Only once did one act aggressively, though that may be the wrong word, as the bear seemed mostly curious as to what I was up to.   I stupidly let myself get boxed in by a lake and a cliff, and had to look big and act fearless while the bear inspected me from arms length.

Aug 29th - 08:30am | Smoky Zeidel

I was camping in the Smokies in May of 2000 when that woman was killed. She did absolutely everything right; she was an experienced hiker and frequent park visitor. The bear was a sickly mother with a sickly cub. The point is, if this can happen to a visitor who knows how to behave around wildlife, it can certainly happen to a visitor who behaves badly. Bears are beautiful, not cute.

Bear Watching Mayhem In Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

Aug 29th - 09:29am | Randy Gardner

I have seen this exact same thing happen this summer in Yosemite Nat'l park ... In that instance it was also a mother bear with two cubs, and people were approaching within 50 yards of them. I understand people being excited by seeing wildlife but they need to realize that the wildlife do not share their enthusiasm...in fact the wildlife is most likely scared.

Aug 29th - 08:38am | Janes

The tough reality about these encounters, as thrilling as they may be for visitors, is that the bears often wind up losing. Should one charge at folks who venture too close or pose a threat to their cubs, she runs the risk of being caught and put down.

Aug 29th - 08:27am | Smoky Zeidel

Nothing infuriates me more than idiots in the wilderness. Are we going to start having to test people before allowing them into our National Parks? Pass the test, you can enter; flunk, go back to How to Behave Around Wildlife 101 class. The sad thing is, we don't put bar the idiots from the parks--but if something happens, the bears get put down. Just breaks my heart.

Aug 28th - 19:55pm | Anonymous

 My feelings are expressed in all the comments. What is the fine for molesting the animals?

Aug 28th - 16:32pm | Becci of Racine WI

The absolute worst tourist striving for a Darwin Award that I have seen at Yellowstone was 2 foreign speaking tourists that wanted to take photos with the pet buffolo outside of Lake Lodge.

Aug 28th - 14:10pm | CayugaLake

I have also witnessed stupid people doing stupid things in Yellowstone - a woman approaching a bull elk with camera drawn, followed by two other stupid people.  This was in the rutting season.  Another incident involved a woman jumping out of her car, approaching a herd of bison with calves, and as a calve approached this woman, so did the herd.  Unbelievable people that think National Pa

Aug 28th - 10:36am | Anonymous

I've been to Yellowstone and other National Parks and have seen humans acting stupidly.  I’ve seen people in Bryce Canyon standing on a less than 1’ wide rock pinnacle several 100 feet above a canyon to get a picture, an individual heading down the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon from the rim at sunset during a ice/storm, and in

Aug 28th - 10:01am | Keeper

Knowing how in an instant primal behavior exhibits itself, the learning curve for many looking to touch the wild things and something extremely real is both transformational and in some cases, deadly.  I don't begrudge the effort and especially the breakthroughs (If you survive) but people starting out with the distortions of the Bambi or dot com culture have a bit farther way to go.

Aug 28th - 09:56am | Becci of Racine WI

We travel to Yellowstone aproximently every other year since 1988.  People interfering with bear and other wildlife normal activity has been on the rise.  Many tourists especially those from Europe believe that this is one big petting  zoo and that nothing will hurt them.  Note early this year when aproximently 30 tourists walked right up to Old Faithful's cone and took pictures (only the bus d

Aug 28th - 09:07am | Gal Yellowstone

It happens all the time, see my photo of a similar situation with a black bear (also taken in Yellowstone): http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3072/2595873891_f6c98bd0d5_o.jpg Absolutely terrifying!

Aug 28th - 08:14am | Anonymous

This is not an uncommon event in Yellowstone.  It just shows how stupid some people can be.

More Than 105,000 Sign NPCA's Petition In Support of National Park Funding

Aug 29th - 08:48am | Wind Change

Am a Big supporter of these great places and that's why I suggest "individual" contributions now rather than saddle our kids, grandkids and great-grand kids with debt they had nothing to do with.  Not much of a legacy for our children that way.  Their standard of living will be such that they will look at the Parks the way the commoners used to look at the King's Forrest's in England.

Aug 29th - 08:17am | C F Lewis

Once these national treasures are gone ..they are gone...Please protect them.

Rare Motion Pictures Show Civil War Veterans at the 75th Gettysburg Battle Anniversary Reunion

Aug 28th - 16:21pm | Sue

Such a list does exist.  It was first published in volume IV (4) of Pennsylvania at Gettysburg and then later by one of the men who began the plans for the 1938 reunion, Paul Roy.  I have copies of both.  So if you send me the name I will be thrilled to look it up for you! Sue

Rare Fall Visit to Wetherill Mesa at Mesa Verde National Park is Possible On September 19

Aug 28th - 09:28am | Anonymous

am planning a visit around Oct 8. sad that staffing limitations close that area of the park so early, regardless of weather. i want to miss crowds, but more importantly the heat.

By the Numbers: Voyageurs National Park

Aug 28th - 00:43am | R Stefancik

They go down considerably after the 1st freeze, usually mid September.  But by that time the winds are kicking up and you can get quite a lot of cold rain.

Aug 27th - 10:52am | Lee Dalton

R Stefancik -- You were lucky they only went after your socks.  Those black flies bit a hole in the bottom of my canoe.  Darn near sank us. But what wonderful places, Voyager's and Quetico.  I wonder if the flies and mosquitos go away in September?

Aug 26th - 20:00pm | R Stefancik

Personally, I prefer the Quetico Wilderness just across the border in Canada.  They offer only 10% as many wilderness permits and you'll see more moose than people.  The fishing is outstanding due to lack of pressure.  I pulled a 60 inch musky up to my canoe in Lake Kawnipy, caught and released 9 smallmouth bass on 9 consecutive casts with 9 different lures on the St Mary's River, and caught al

Aug 26th - 09:12am | Clara

Favorite memories from little-known Voyageurs, several years ago when our kids were still in school:   Seeing the Northern Lights   Big Canoe "voyage", with guides dressed as French Voyageurs   Boat ride to Kettle Falls, and looking south to Canada at one spot

The Abandoned Keane Wonder Mine at Death Valley National Park is Too Dangerous to Visit

Aug 27th - 23:47pm | Anonymous

I visited Bodie ghost town & mine site some time ago and found that a fence had been erected around the old mine & works, creating a barrier to viewing the mine & buildings.

New "Puppy Cam" Features Sled Dog Pups at Denali National Park and Preserve

Aug 27th - 17:12pm | b.e

I too, was concerned about the dogs...that is until I actually visited them in July.  We saw volunteers jogging down the road with the dogs, as well as the love they all received from their handlers.  The dogs at Denali are very well cared for, and appear to be happy and in very good shape.

These Big Bird Sightings at Grand Canyon Are the Real Deal

Aug 27th - 16:41pm | Sue England

I was at the Canyon in Pheonix the north rim on 13th August 2011. The condors were flying over us, at times there were 5 at a time they were so close we could see their feathers. It sure was an experience to be remembered.

East Coast National Park Units Bracing For Hurricane Irene

Aug 27th - 14:05pm | Leave Them B (a...

"The ponies are left to fend for themselves, as they've done for generations."  Nature is so cruel:). How refreshing, really!

Aug 27th - 13:06pm | Dina Grinstead

I figured that was the case. It makes sense. Thank you for the input.

Aug 26th - 19:33pm | Barky

The ponies are left to fend for themselves, as they've done for generations.

Aug 26th - 14:18pm | Dina Grinstead

This comment is regarding assateague island national seashore. Does anyone know the procedure used on protecting the ponies and other wildlife in this area during extreme weather if any?

Aug 25th - 23:56pm | Dina Grinstead

I was just there a couple weeks ago camping. Such a beautiful place. I look forward to visiting again soon. I was curious if you do anything to protect the wild ponies from the hurricane or because they are wild you leave them be? 

Aug 25th - 14:36pm | samsdad1

"Both Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Cape Lookout National Seashore on the North Carolina coast are

Exploration Of Crater Lake Reflected On U-Haul Moving Vans

Aug 26th - 19:15pm | y_p_w

That Crater Lake license plate doesn't seem all that out of proportion. It's supposed to represent a specific angle, and I'd be surprised if the artist didn't use a specific photo as the source material.

Aug 26th - 15:46pm | Anonymous

Apparently, the U=Haul ad gurus who thought of this idea were unaware that to sell Crater Lake in terms of a tourism emblem, one must include the beautiful symmetry of Wizard Island as though it were placed by an artist. When one looks are the blue sign, what is there to tell the viewer that

Aug 25th - 21:10pm | Lee Dalton

Those U-Haul signs are fascinating.  But dangerous.  Feeble minded folk like me must try to discipline ourselves to avoid trying to read them as we sail down the Interstate at 70 mph. Really difficult sometimes.

Aug 25th - 13:34pm | Kurt Repanshek

Tough crowd. You can find the answer to your question in this post from the archives: /2007/11/crater-lake-average-deepest-lake-north-america

Aug 25th - 13:30pm | Anonymously-yours

Gee, in the midst of that long business fluff about U-Haul, it would have been nice to find out how deep Crater Lake actually is.

National Park Mystery Photo 22 Revealed: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Aug 26th - 18:41pm | Kurt Repanshek

Hannah, fame is fleeting. My guess is you got much more than 15 minutes of enjoyment paddling around Apostle Islands! That said, thanks for identifying your family!

Aug 26th - 18:34pm | Hannah Higney H...

This is a picture of my family and I!

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Preparing To Hurricane Irene

Aug 26th - 18:39pm | Stacey

Erik: good luck. When Hatteras gets hit, it gets HIT. We've ridden out several hurricanes while vacationing there in the summers. I'm just hoping the Outer Banks are still there whenever I can make it back someday.

Aug 26th - 10:46am | Kurt Repanshek

A rough guess would be that they'd hunker down in the maritime forests on Shackleford and wait out the storm.

Aug 26th - 10:14am | Loretta

What happens to the horses (ponies) on Shackleford Island?  Are they evacuated?  Can they swim to safer islands?  This is going to be hard on the young foals.  They can drown.  Please inform me and others who have concerns about them, how the horses were affected by hurricane Irene.  

Aug 25th - 14:44pm | Karen

LOVED our vacation this year on Great Island. We are planning next year!! I hope our cabin is still there!!

Marine Wilderness at a Crossroads In Point Reyes National Seashore

Aug 26th - 10:21am | Leave Them B (a...

The core mission statement of NPS is flawed, agenda based and anti-nature (humans) besides eliminating one more perfectly positive activity engaging the interaction of people and a natural process providing a native renewable resource that actually does very good things in the environment.  Quit being sissies and get real (refreshing:).

Aug 25th - 23:50pm | y_p_w

Here's some video from the Bay Area's ABC affilate: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/assignment_7&id=8325489

Tallgrass Prairie Events at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in September

Aug 26th - 06:42am | Kirby Adams

It's nice to see some ecological preservation going on at parks that are largely historical in purpose. Critically endangered systems (like tallgrass prairie) need all the help they can get, and this little patch may not be much more than symbolic (and honoroary), but that in itself is of value.  

Road Work Will Create Some Delays For Travelers To Zion National Park

Aug 25th - 17:01pm | Lee Dalton

Red pavement again.  Good. Zion is simply not Zion with black pavement.

Bluffs Lodge Along The Blue Ridge Parkway Shuttered For 2011

Aug 25th - 14:37pm | Judy & Glenn

WE ARE SO DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT BLUFFS LODGE AND COFFEE SHOP ARE CLOSED. HOPEFULLY, SOMEONE WILL REOPEN BOTH FOR THE 2012 SEASON.  IT WAS ONE OF OUR VERY FAVORITE PLACES TO VISIT - SO QUIET AND RELAXING THERE. THE COFFEE SHOP HAD SUCH GOOD HOME-COOKING.....A FAVORITE WAS COUNTRY HAM.

Mannheim Steamroller Celebrates Glacier National Park in New CD

Aug 25th - 14:00pm | Jim d

Will this be on itunes?

Aug 25th - 13:40pm | Connie Hopkins

I remember when we first moved to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1986 everyone was always talking about Mannheim Steamroller, based out of Omaha. I remember going to their concert in December 1989 in Omaha with some friends, it was like the Midwest's special little secret. Not long after, they became world famous!

Will Obama Administration, Wyoming Governor, Find Common Ground on Dealing With Wolves?

Aug 25th - 12:53pm | Anonymous

they're simply wild creatures doing what's in their nature, as they've done for centuries. some are just too quick to rule 'kill' as a quick solution to just about anything anymore. there are too many humans populating the world, just because there wolves, and have gotten' bad stigma of the years doesn't mean the should be wiped off the planet.

Public Access To Santa Rosa Island At Channel Islands National Park To Be Restricted For Deer, Elk Hunt

Aug 25th - 11:46am | Hunter/Gatherer...

Several of these Channel Islands provided private sector jobs creating economic stimulus through ranching, Commercial Fishing and controlled hunting among others.  One may still be able to see the Livestock Ferry tied to the dock in Santa Barbara (Probably not).

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