Colorado National Monument

There's a story in western Colorado involving Colorado National Monument that bears watching. The gist of the story is that some local community organizations are in support of redesignating the monument as a national park, but only if they can veto Park Service decisions on what uses the monument is appropriate for.

Sadly, in less than four months the National Park Service seemingly has reversed itself and cracked open the door to a professional bicycle race climbing through Colorado National Monument.

Is the National Park Service about to do an "about face" on its position opposing a professional bike race through Colorado National Monument? In a guest column Joan Anzelmo, the monument's former superintendent, expresses her confusion over this possibility and voices hopes the Park Service will stand by its mission and Management Policies.

There is one good word that can sum up the first impression of Colorado National Monument. Wow!

National Park Service officials again have declined to approve a professional bicycle racew through Colorado National Monument, saying the event "conflicts with federal regulations and agency management policies."

Joan Anzelmo, who can trace her National Park Service career from Yellowstone to Washington, D.C., to Grand Teton and finally to Colorado National Monument, which was her last posting before retirement, has been honored by the National Parks Conservation Association for her commitment to the Park Service ideal.

The windshield touring season will see motorists from all over America and the world converging on the scenic drives in our national parks. Here are some traverses, loops, and shuttles in the western parks that belong on anybody's short list.

Holding that a professional bike race is neither "necessary nor appropriate" for a national park, National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis has endorsed a decision by the Colorado National Monument superintendent not to open the monument to such an event.

A pair of nesting golden eagles apparently likes the view overlooking Monument Canyon in Colorado National Monument. Unfortunately, that has forced monument officials to place some climbing and off-trail hiking restrictions in place through September 1.

With supporters of a professional bike race through Colorado National Monument soon to sit down to discuss the matter with the National Park Service, both the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees and the National Parks Conservation Association are united in opposing the race.

Beginning in May it will cost you a little bit more to enter Colorado National Monument.

If a professional bike race charging through Colorado National Monument is the key to the rugged red-rock landscape and its treasures in western Colorado being redesignated as a "national park," then it's time to end the discussion over a name change.

National Park Service officials are being lobbied by U.S. Sen. Mark Udall and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper to allow a professional bike race to zoom through Colorado National Monument.

If you're still looking for a unique way to ring in 2011, you might consider heading to western Colorado and Colorado National Monument, where a special fireworks display will mark the end of 2010.

Looking for a change of pace for your late autumn schedule? Here's a sampling of upcoming special events in several parks around the country.

With winter bearing down on Colorado National Monument, officials are planning to close the middle stretch of Rim Rock Drive. However, to offset that they're also planning to reduce entrance fees during the winter months.

A set of rare fossilized footprints discovered in Colorado National Monument and unveiled to the public earlier this month will remain on display through year's end, according to Superintendent Joan Anzelmo.

The unveiling of an exhibit displaying three sets of rare fossilized footprints highlighted the celebration of National Fossil Day at Colorado National Monument.

What's in a name? Apparently a lot when the name includes "national park."

If you visit Colorado National Monument this summer and drive the park's scenic Rim Rock Drive, you may encounter a group of masked men along the way. Fear not, Jesse James and his gang haven't been reincarnated, but this bunch certainly deserves the "tough guys" label.

The Ride The Rockies bicycle tour takes several thousand cyclists on a week-long ride through the Colorado Rockies each June. The first stage of this year's RTR showcased one of America's most popular mountain biking routes, the spectacularly scenic Rim Rock Drive in Colorado National Monument .

Three years ago, then-National Park Service Director Mary Bomar placed a freeze on most fees associated with visiting the national parks. Now, though, it appears that freeze might be thawing.

Having gone five years without an increase in entrance fees, officials at Colorado National Monument are proposing a slight boost in the rates for 2011.

A celebration of hiking will be held Saturday, May 1, at Colorado National Monument when visitors are invited to participate in the inaugural "Serpents Trail Centennial Challenge."

One CD-Rom that works with either Mac or PC. Mapping software that let's you zoom in and out, pan right or left, and take a bird's eye 3-D view of the lay of the land. And the ability to load the map onto more than a few GPS units. Has National Geographic hit upon something with its Trails Illustrated Explorer series?

Finicky bears, addled boaters, a cannon that was, a cannonball that wasn’t. In 2009, these and other outside-the-box stories reminded us that you just never know what you’re going to run into – or what might run into you -- in America’s national parks.

A 37-year-old Colorado man was arrested Thursday in connection with the dragging death of a dog at Colorado National Monument.

An adult German shepherd that appeared to be in fine physical condition was dragged to death behind a vehicle at Colorado National Monument early Wednesday, prompting authorities to seek information leading to those responsible.

Mother Nature doesn’t give a hoot about international park exchanges. When a Mongolian delegation recently visited Colorado National Monument, they were greeted by minus-four cold and foot-deep snow. This didn’t deter them, their TNC sponsors, or the park staff.