| Page 1097 | National Parks Traveler

My husband Dave and I have thoroughly enjoyed our trips to Yosemite, the hiking trails in particular! I am selfish enough to say that I prefer that most visitors remain ON the beaten path. More wilderness for the rest of us and a better chance for it to stay just that! I sound like a Park Snob but I don't especially like crowds and the back country is a

Jun 16th - 22:24pm | Steve Nelson

I was there in March 2000 and spent most of the time in the valley, with snowshoeing in Badger pass and a trip through Wawona on the way out. I was told by

National Park Road Trip 2011: Kalaloch Lodge and Lake Quinault Lodge At Olympic National Park

Jun 19th - 21:46pm | y_p_w

While it didn't rain during our visit to the Olympic Peninsula, there were certainly cool, foggy mornings. I took this photo on the way back to the Beach 4 parking lot:

Jun 19th - 19:40pm | Banana Slug Wrangler

Hey Y_P_W, no apologies needed for the rain on the West side of the Olympics or for the heat in Death Valley in summer for those humbled by it all finding ways to adapt and finding joy (if not Banana Slugs) where they happen to venture. The Redwoods nor the Hoh Rainforest were settled by those trying to find Sedona or Scottsdale, lol. No disrespect to you(at all).

Jun 19th - 18:23pm | y_p_w

Keeper:

Jun 19th - 13:18pm | Rick B.

We have stayed several times at Lake Quinault Lodge, using those off season rate packages. Marvelous - we did have one of the fireplace rooms once. Fireplace, lake view, off season quiet - such a romantic interlude. The food was quite good. A visit to the rain forest is a short hop for the midday. Highly recommended.

Jun 19th - 11:16am | Keeper

Re: An abundance of moisture is a common thread throughout the park. LOL, My new bride (from Imperial Valley, Ca) first got an idea of what she was in for when she saw the rain gauge on the Quinault Lodge Deck that measured in FEET!!! We'd take the Zodiac across the lake from our families' cabin on the North Shore for breakfast on special occasions. Lots of good memories.

Jun 19th - 11:09am | Paul

We volunteered as campground hosts at Sol Duc campground in the Olympic National Park. The entire Park is just beautiful. A couple of years ago we went to Port Angeles on family business and on the return we stayed at Lake Quinault Lodge. Below is a paragraph I copied from the Park website.

Politics Raise A Potential Roadblock to Creation Of A "Maine Woods National Park and Preserve"

Jun 19th - 21:09pm | Anonymous

The insinuation that something improper, with "no discussion", occurred in the Maine legislature's overwhelming resolution against a Federal park is false.

Jun 19th - 19:39pm | Kerry Gallivan

As a citizen of Maine and someone very much in tune with the on-goings of the national parks around the country, I can tell you that this is quite a shock and I do not believe it is representative of the Maine citizenship - regardless of the vote tally. I suspect there is a lot of misinformation being based around up at the State House in Augusta, and the conversation is more about Federal vs.

Jun 19th - 16:59pm | Dottie

Ha! Perfect solution! IF the citizens of Maine want a park, then let them vote in a State Park. Love it. You solved the problem, Kurt.

Jun 19th - 13:29pm | Kurt Repanshek

Inflammatory???? I could understand if the headline read, "Right-Wing Politics," or, "Left-Wing Politics," or even "Republicans," but just "Politics"? C'mon....;-) And let's not twist Dottie's words. She said, "Maine folks may not want the US Government telling them what to do with their land."

Jun 19th - 13:00pm | ecbuck

Kurt - re Dotties comments - If the Maine Legislature is "political" than anything it or anything else it (or any other deliberative body) does is "playing politics. The title is inflamatory if not misleading.

Jun 19th - 11:59am | Kurt Repanshek

Dottie, Re "I don't know if my previous comment was denied or just didn't get through," we have to manually approve many of the comments that come to the Traveler, and with only one or two of us doing that, it can take a while, particularly on weekends.

Jun 19th - 11:32am | Dottie

I don't know if my previous comment was denied or just didn't get through. The title of this article is very misleading. There are 35 seats in the Maine Senate: 20 Republicans, 14 Democrats, 1 Independent. The vote was 31 - 3. This hardly constitutes voting along Party lines! Like I said previously, regardless of political affiliation, Maine folks may not want the US Government telling the

Jun 19th - 10:58am | Dottie

Kevin Raye appears to be a Republican. However, please note that the Maine Senate consists of 35 members. A vote of 31-3 tells me that the people in Maine do not want the US Government telling them what to do with their land, regardless of political affiliation.

Jun 19th - 10:22am | ecbuck

I am all for preserving this area - which is why I am not for "Park" status. What isn't clear to me is how this will be implemented. Are they proposing the Government purchase all this property from the private land owners or just seize it via post facto restrictions or outright confiscation?

Jun 19th - 08:40am | Anonymous

What political party does Kevin Raye belong to?

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

Jun 19th - 16:19pm | Anonymousddsand

Listening to all the lies huh .How long has it been since you were in yellowtone.I was there just the other week and seen lots of moose buffalo and elk.If your so interested in saving the moose than why allow cars in the park.

Jun 19th - 16:07pm | Anonymousddsand

So much for facts people want an elk farm then let them buy the land for it.I for one am glad to see that the wolf is back and the elk are not starving and dying of disease at a slow pace.Man is not mother nature but we pretend we are and thats where we get all wildlife into trouble.Let the wolf alone and enjoy the fact they are back to fix what man did to Yellowstone so long ago.It is so sad t

Jun 16th - 16:28pm | Ken

Stop listening to all the lies and propaganda. Yellowsone had 1200 moose in 1995 before the non-native Canadian wolf, now they have less than 100. Some HARMANY!

Grizzly Bear Shot and Killed By Hikers In Denali National Park and Preserve

Jun 19th - 00:02am | Anonymous

Just another thought... any and every animal will defend itself when attacked. It doesn't matter if it is a bear or a deer or a bird or a butterfly. Why should we not expect a human to defend themselves?

National Park Road Trip 2011: Crater Lake Lodge

Jun 18th - 20:54pm | Anonymous

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60780-d95964-Reviews-Crater_Lake_Lodge-Crater_Lake_Oregon.html

Jun 16th - 09:14am | Anonymous

An important lesson from any visit to Crater Lake is that the landscape seen today is the result of 7700 years of dramatic change since Ancient Mt. Mazama destroyed itself and the the local biota. It's testimony that Life on Planet Earth is truly resilient although multiple extinctions

Echoes of the Cold War in the Tropical Warmth of Everglades National Park

Jun 18th - 17:01pm | Don Dudley

I was assigned to Battery A also in '66 & '67 and revisited the area in 2004. I think hurricane Andrew may have damaged it to the extent it was demolished. The area I visited that I thought might be the old site was at that time a very large palm tree farm. Nothing was as I remembered it. When I was stationed there we had an alligator named Al as our mascot.

National Park Road Trip 2011: Finding Paradise At Mount Rainier National Park

Jun 18th - 16:42pm | GreenXC

We love what you are doing would love to learn more. We are ride sharing cross country to reduce our carbon footprint. We are planning to visit the amazing National Parks and National Forests around our country. Along the way we plan to raise awareness in the young generation and collect donations for invidividual parks and forests.

Jun 17th - 14:47pm | y_p_w

I didn't see any mention of the new visitor center at Paradise.

Jun 17th - 11:57am | Rick B.

The last time we had dinner at the Paradise Inn it was a very nice experience. We drove up as a special treat for a birthday. The food was good, the ambiance was pleasant, and the waitstaff were very polite and adept. The price was not outrageous.

Jun 17th - 02:56am | Janice Vocke

The last video is of the Longmire area and the first and oldest building there is the first one in that last video and they refer to it as the clubhouse ... THAT is where I lived when I worked there in 1978!! Neat old log building that then had a bunch of dorm rooms and a big clubhouse room with a fireplace. One night a bear cub came in my room when someone didn't close the door tight!

Collapse of Snow Bridge Traps Hiker At Sequoia National Park

Jun 18th - 14:42pm | E.B.

This news release was fairly accurate. I was approaching Franklin Creek on a backpack trip when one of the 2 day hikers, who had just pulled her out of the hole, asked me for help. The victim was fully hypothermic, and I used my sleeping bag to rewarm her, which took well over an hour.

Jun 17th - 16:06pm | Anonymous

They should make a movie like they di d for the guy that cut off his arm. Glad she was ok.

Jun 16th - 13:25pm | JimH

Resourcefulness sure paid off. Wonder if she would like to go in on a lottery ticket?

Jun 16th - 09:06am | Anonymous

Good heavens!!! She was sure lucky to make it out alive-- got to be really careful!! I wonder if she left her hiking plan with anyone before she took off--- if not she probably would have never been found if she had not been able to dig the hole and throw out her pack.

Plan Seeks to Make Gateway National Recreation Area an "Iconic Urban National Park"

Jun 18th - 07:58am | Anonymous

The campground was planned before the report, and the meeting was in response to the President's "America's Great Outdoors" initiative" which in turn resulted in part with the national " Great Urban Parks" movement across loca, state, and federal lands.- NOT in response to the report released only the day before More people in the US live in urban areas than anywhere else, and need convenient

Jun 17th - 16:24pm | Ron Emrich

I hope this "ambitious agenda" also addresses restoration and revitalization of park resources on Sandy Hook – an integral part of Gateway – and especially the National Historic Landmark Fort Hancock. Dozens of historic buildings are deteriorating and there has not been a coherent plan for their rehabilitation and reuse. Look to Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the remarkable rebirth

Jun 17th - 11:46am | Debbie

Why cant they leave things alone. Floyd Bennet Field is a nice place, we do not want it made into an urban park. Sheesh, soon there will be no place to go to get some peace! Trust me, this is not wanted here!!!

War And Consequences: The American Indian Movement Vs. The National Park Service At Fort Laramie, Part II

Jun 17th - 11:14am | Hendrica

But we, the public have a right to hear the full story and not just what either side wants to disclose for their own glorification! The current 'interpretation' does NOT provide enough information about Indian relations at Ft. Laramie and by omitting information (ex. General Grant's infamy) you are already 'interpreting the outcome'.

National Park Mystery Spot 25 Revealed: A Hexagon in a Very Dry Place

Jun 17th - 04:16am | Bob Janiskee

I haven't yet visited DRTO myself, y_p_w, but it's on my bucket list. Your mention of a Miami area motel called up the memory of a motel we stayed in at Homestead during an April 1992 trip to the Keys and Everglades National Park. Homestead was in the bullseye when Hurricane Andrew made landfall in late August 1992, and that motel was almost completely scrubbed away.

Jun 16th - 22:54pm | y_p_w

I only figured it out from the first three clues. I had no idea what the fourth and bonus clues meant. I wasn't even sure Fort Jefferson was a prison, but I did remember it was a hexagon shape when I was planning a visit.

Be Aware Of Black Bears If You're Visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore This Summer

Jun 16th - 23:38pm | y_p_w

I've heard different opinions on how aggressive a mama black bear with cubs can be. I've heard some explain that a black bear with cubs is likely to instruct them to climb a tree, possibly leave, and come back for them. I've heard from people claiming that they were able to scare off a black bear with cubs when visiting a campground, and that they always came back to retrieve the cubs.

Jun 16th - 19:29pm | Dannytoo

Very good articale enjoyed reading.

National Park Road Trip 2011: Wawona Hotel In Yosemite National Park

Jun 16th - 16:24pm | David Hubbard

My father, Doug Hubbard, was deeply involved in the collection from around the Park of the historically significant buildings that are found today at the Wawona Pioneer History Center. He wrote a very fun and informative overview of his recollections, and of the various challenges that were faced in the process of transporting the structures from there original sites.

Civil War Flag, Dress Coat, and Sash To Go On Display at Gettysburg National Military Park

Jun 16th - 13:22pm | Anonymous

Are replicas of the 149th PA Vols. battle flag available?

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