Latest News

The latest news from around the National Park System.

A Wish List For The National Parks In 2014

So much promise ranges across the land each January 1. The blotters are all clear, the expectations great, and the hopes and aspirations high. With that understood, here's a short "wish list" for the National Park Service and its wondrous system of parks as we head off into 2014.

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By Kurt Repanshek - January 1st, 2014 3:15am

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Tourists Injured When Bull Elephant Attacks Vehicle At Kruger National Park

Two Kruger National Park visitors were injured, one seriously, when a bull elephant charged their vehicle and flipped it over.

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By NPT Staff - December 31st, 2013 10:40am

Birding In The National Parks: Looking Back On 2013

New Year’s Eve seems as good a time as any to reflect on 2013. It’s been a big year for me, with birding explorations around the country, including the first trips of my life to Saguaro National Park and Chiricahua National Monument.

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By Kirby Adams - December 31st, 2013 3:15am

A Look Back At Traveler's Views In 2013

At National Parks Traveler, we don't profess to have all the answers to issues and controversies swirling about the National Park System. But there were a handful of times in 2013 when we felt it necessary to raise concerns about what was transpiring in the parks.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 31st, 2013 3:00am

Road Work To Repair Slide Along Newfound Gap Road In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Repair work is scheduled to begin next week on a slide along Newfound Gap Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which early this year saw a larger slide take out a section of the road.

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By NPT Staff - December 30th, 2013 3:00am

Katmai National Park Camping Reservations Added To Recreation.gov

Another national park has added its camping reservations system to the recreation.gov portal. At Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, this means you can go online to reserve campsites at Brooks Camp and other destinations in the park.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 30th, 2013 2:45am

Stories We Particularly Liked From Around the National Park System In 2013

With more than 1,300 stories posted on the Traveler during the past 12 months, there are a few that we particularly liked, either because of the prose, the subject matter, or the particular window on the parks they opened. Here's a look at some of our favorites.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 30th, 2013 2:45am

NPS Sends Nearly $1 Million To Threatened Civil War Battlefields

The National Park Service has committed nearly $1 million in grants to help preserve more than 760 acres of land at seven of America’s threatened Civil War battlefields.

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By NPT Staff - December 29th, 2013 3:00am

Christmas Bird Count Coming To Death Valley National Park On Saturday

Christmas is past, but counting birds is not. At Death Valley National Park, the annual Christmas Bird Count is scheduled for this coming Saturday.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 29th, 2013 2:30am

Nature Could Have A Solution For Emerald Ash Borer Problem In National Parks

Nature might be able to provide a partial solution, at least, to emerald ash borer problems in national parks such as Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains as well as Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It turns out that woodpeckers and nuthatches, which are present in those parks, are developing an appetite for the non-native insects.

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By NPT Staff - December 28th, 2013 2:30am

Photography In The National Parks: Traveler's Photo Tips From 2013

For the past year, Deby Dixon and Rebecca Latson have collaborated to bring us two columns a month on how to get the best pictures during our national park adventures. While my photographic aspirations were dashed by their incredible photos, let's take a look back at their tips with hopes we can benefit from them in some way.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 27th, 2013 3:30am

The Wolves And Bison Of Wood Buffalo National Park

The list of national parks on my "bucket list" is somewhat long, and not restricted to those in the United States. I've long been intrigued by Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta, and a recent PBS documentary on the wolves and bison there only heightened my desire to check that one off my list.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 27th, 2013 3:30am

Winter's A Great Time To Star Gaze At Big Cypress National Preserve

Winter might seem too cold to set outside to star gaze, but it's the perfect season at Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida, where special astronomy programs are on tap in the coming months.

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By NPT Staff - December 27th, 2013 3:30am

Traveler's Gear Box: The Lowepro Flipside 500 AW Backpack

Love at first sight: A photographer's connection with Lowepro's Flipside 500 AW backpack.

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By Rebecca Latson - December 26th, 2013 1:14pm

The Consequences Of Climate Change At Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Adapting to climate change at Apostle Islands National Seashore means taking every opportunity to solve problems and communicate successes.

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By NPT Staff - December 26th, 2013 10:14am

A Look At Some Unusual Stories From The National Park System In 2013

As broad and diverse as the National Park System is, it should come as no surprise that there are, well, some surprising or simply interesting stories from time to time. Here's a look at some unusual stories from the past year.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 26th, 2013 10:13am

The Once and Future World: Nature As It Was, As It Is, As It Could Be

Is the natural world that surrounds you the same as the one that surrounded your parents, or your grandparents? What about that of your great-grandparents? The short answer, of course, is 'no.'

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By Kurt Repanshek - May 19th, 2017 12:43am

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Golden Gate National Recreation Area Extends Comment Period On Dog Management Plan

Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which for more than a decade has worked to develop a management plan for dogs in the park, have extended into mid-February the time period during which you can comment on the latest draft plan.

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By NPT Staff - December 25th, 2013 3:00am

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Can New Ventures Help Save Historic Fort Hancock Buildings At Gateway National Recreation Area?

Gateway National Recreation Area officials are taking another stab at turning historic buildings at Fort Hancock into business ventures that can prevent futher deterioration of the structures.

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By NPT Staff - December 25th, 2013 2:15am

Photography In The National Parks: Dealing With Dancing Snowflakes

Recently a friend wrote to ask where I was spending the winter and when I replied, "Yellowstone," they appeared to be dumbfounded.

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By Deby Dixon - December 26th, 2013 1:04pm

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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.

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