National Parks Traveler

Wonderment and joy unfold in the national parks come fall when the wild kingdom becomes more visible, literally voicing the call of the wild in parks such as Great Smoky Mountains or Rocky Mountain or winging overhead in any number of parks.

In your travels through the National Park System this summer, have you noticed any impacts from the budget sequestration? If so, how did they impact your visit?

Good news out of Biscayne National Park, where biologists have spotted almost three dozen Schaus Swallowtail Butterfly adults, as well as nine individuals of the Bahama Swallowtail.

A 54-year-old Wisconsin man sustained multiple traumatic injuries when he was buried Tuesday by a rockfall in the South Fork of Garnet Canyon in Grand Teton National Park.

Though much of Yosemite National Park is unaffected by the nearly 180,000-acre Rim Fire, the blaze is spreading across northern portions of the park and forcing the closure of some park roads.

A 21-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway that had been closed due to a fracturing of the pavement has been reopened under a temporary fix, with a longer, more expensive repair to start later this year.

Sequoia National Park officials are proposing an increase in fees at four campgrounds, and are seeking your thoughts on the proposal between now and September 21.

One of the complaints about birding in summer in many parts of the country is the plethora of leaves hiding the birds. Just when you think you’re about to get a good look, the sparrow dives into a bush or behind a leafy branch, never to be seen again. I figured that meant desert birding would be easy. Cacti don’t have leaves.

You can make your reservation at Glacier Bay Lodge in Glacier Bay National Park without fear of the lodge being closed. The National Park Service has reached a two-year extension with ARAMARK Parks and Destinations to continue operating the lodge on the shores of Bartlett Cove.

You soon will be able to ride a trolley to Everglades and Biscayne national parks from Homestead, Florida.