National Parks Traveler

Work has begun on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Roanoke, Virginia, to repair a slope failure that has closed the scenic road from the Explore Park entrance (milepost 115.5) to U.S. 220 (milepost 121.4).

An approaching wildfire has forced the closure of part of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in California.

A grizzly bear that gained a taste for human foods by breaking into facilities in the Kantishna/Wonder Lake area of Denali National Park and Preserve was put down as it was deemed unredeemable and posed a safety concern for people.

A 150-acre cultural site has been added to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in southeast Alaska that will be managed in collaboration with the Hoonah Indian Association, a federally recognized tribal government, through a unique conservation easement.

National Parks Traveler is looking for some friends. Producing a multi-media news organization focused on national parks and protected areas is challenging at best, more so when you consider our limited resources.

Pipestone National Monument will celebrate the second annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Sunday, October 11, with an evening of lights, music, and storytelling around the Monument’s Circle Trail in Pipestone, Minnesota, between 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

A Canadian study into how different forms of recreation affect wildlife indicates that animals avoid mountain bikers more than hikers, equestrians, and even motorized travel. That said, the researchers also noted that they're not sure how far wildlife will go out of its way to avoid these recreational users, as their monitoring was restricted to established trails in South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park in southwestern British Columbia.

No capes are needed for these furry superheroes. They may not be faster than a speeding bullet, but despite the weight they are carrying, these burly beasts can still run faster than most humans. These brown bears’ power of packing on the pounds gets them through the winter and able to live to compete another year. With or without the lasso of truth around us, our story remains the same: fat bears = healthy bears.

Nothing beats a day spent hiking a trail through the spectacular subalpine meadows of Mount Rainier National Park – except maybe combining that hike with the opportunity to contribute to important research by volunteering as a citizen scientist. That’s how a small group of donors and Board members from Washington’s National Park Fund spent a recent Saturday, hiking from Paradise down to Reflection Lakes with Mount Rainier’s aquatic ecologist, Rebecca Lofgren and collecting data on streamflow along the way.

After more than a decade, despite storms, landslides, and government shutdowns, the Emerald Pools Trail network at Zion National Park in Utah finally has been restored and was reopening to park visitors Friday.