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Dry Tortugas National Park

Divers Rescue Coral From Dry Tortugas National Park

It's 2014, and I adjust a mask and snorkel tighter around my braided hair. We visit in March, but already a layer of heat has descended on the windy Dry Tortugas National Park, making the crystal-clear water appear even more enticing. For five days, a contingent of Duke Nicholas School students and I had camped out on the remote island, but most of our work focused on the above-surface bird colony. Eager to explore the diverse, underwater world, I wade into the Florida waves before diving the rest of the way.

New Stressor To Coral Reefs Uncovered: Nitrogen

Dive beneath the surface in the lower Florida Keys, and swimmers once found themselves hovering above vibrant, coral communities. However, the past three decades have revealed a devastating loss of reef life around the globe. In the Looe Key Sanctuary Preservation Area alone, living coral cover plunged from 33% in 1984 to less than 6% twenty-four years later. But why?

National Parks Traveler Episode 16: Sooty Terns And National Park Guidebooks

Are you familiar with Sooty terns? It’s an interesting seabird species with mysterious travels. In this week's National Parks Traveler podcast, Erika Zambello speaks with Dr. Ryan Huang about a decades-long research study on Sooty Terns in the Dry Tortugas. After they nest in the spring, where do they go? What do they eat? What will they face in the future?
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A National Park That More Than Meets The Eye

Located approximately 70 miles west of Key West is Garden Key, the site of historic Fort Jefferson National Monument located within the Dry Tortugas National Park. Over 60,000 visitors are either ferried on a state-of-the-art catamaran out of Key West called the Yankee Freedom III or fly here via seaplane every year. It is, without a doubt, one of the least accessible and one of the most remote national parks in the nation and that, as it turns out, is a very good thing.

Fall Spectacular: What's That Sound? Where To Listen To -- And Look For -- Wildlife In The National Parks

In the fall, animals and birds prepare for winter. Bears eat constantly to fatten up before they slow down. Many birds are already on their migration path. Elk and other ungulates are preparing for the mating ritual, the rut. Take a look -- or stop and listen -- in many national parks this fall and you'll catch a glimpse of this autumnal spectacular.

What Might The National Park Service's Maintenance Priority List Look Like?

As Congress works in the coming months to reach accord on legislation that would provide billions of dollars to address the National Park System's nearly $12 billion in maintenance work that's been put off for a year or longer, the backlog continues to inch higher and higher. If a funding mechanism is passed, then the National Park Service will have to craft a national priority list of projects that need to be tackled. While that list doesn't exist yet, here's a look at some possible top priorities.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

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.