National Parks Traveler

Jim Burnett

Biography

Jim Burnett has had the unusual opportunity to enjoy not one, but two "dream careers." Three decades as a ranger with the National Park Service took him to eight parks: Grand Canyon, Lake Mead, Glacier, Buffalo River, Big Thicket, Lincoln Boyhood, National Capital Parks and Colonial. Most of his career was spent in "protection" duties (fire, search & rescue, emergency medical services, and law enforcement), but he also had the chance to work in natural resource management and interpretation.

Following his retirement from the NPS, Jim embarked on a new adventure as a writer. In addition to on-line pieces and several short articles in national periodicals, he's the author of two books: Hey Ranger! True Tales of Humor and Misadventure from America's National Parks and the sequel, Hey Ranger 2: More True Tales …. Jim writes primarily about the lighter side of life in the parks and sometimes describes his books as examples of what can happen "when you head west but your trip goes south." He and his wife now live in East Texas.

Homepage:

http://www.heyranger.com

Jim's Most Recent Comments (view all)

11/19/2009 7:57 pm - Sunset and Moonlight Hikes and Talks at Saguaro National Park : Thanks tomp - Not sure what calendar I was looking at when I added the day of the week to the park's list of dates for the programs, but it must have been for a different planet. I've made the correction for Dec. 2.
11/19/2009 10:14 am - Lawsuit Aims to Halt Uranium Mine Near Grand Canyon National Park : To expand a bit on the above comments by tomp and Kurt: The question of whether there should be "buffers" on public lands owned by other agencies adjacent to parks has always been fertile ground for debate. As tomp notes, one factor in evaluating an activity on public lands adjoining ...
11/10/2009 5:11 pm - Is This the Most Unique Job in the National Park Service? : According to a story in the [i]Fairbanks Daily News-Miner[/i], Sandy Kogl held the job from 1974 until 1989, Gary Koy ran the kennels 1989-1999, and Karen Fortier has held the position for the past 10 years. That news story says she is leaving the job after the birth of her ...
11/09/2009 6:16 pm - Visiting National Parks by Train – Eastern U.S. : Thanks for the comment Daniel. Yes, an article about train travel to some western NPS areas is in the works. Look for it in the next few days.
11/01/2009 9:27 am - Tamarisk Beetles Found in Grand Canyon National Park. "Oh, My" or "Oh, Me"? : Lover of Lake Powell - The comment about the flowers, fall color and shade provided by tamarisk wasn't intended to be a defense of the pests, simply an observation about some people's reaction to the plants. I've seen tourists along the Colorado in the Grand Canyon happily snapping photos of ...
11/01/2009 7:13 am - Man Pays $2,500 For Mussels at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, But They Weren't The Main Course : Sounds like this guy was determined to thumb his nose at the park's attempts to protect the lake - and other boaters - from the serious consequences of a mussel infestation. Given that all it takes to introduce zebra or quagga mussels into the lake is the launch of one ...
10/22/2009 8:27 am - Adding to the National Park System: Here's One List Of Possibles.... : Well, we got a bit off the original topic, but both Ranger Bob and d-2 are correct about reporting that serves no useful function. I was the "GPRA Coordinator" at the last park where I worked; the process soaked up an enormous amount of time for park staffs, not to ...
10/21/2009 8:00 pm - This Third Time Was Anything But Charming – SPOT Misuse At Grand Canyon National Park : Anonymous - Your comment indicates you believe a ranger should have the authority to deny a group a backcountry permit based on his or her evaluation of their experience and/or qualifications for the trip. I'd be interested to read the reactions of other readers to that idea, including what criteria ...
10/18/2009 4:40 pm - "Red Tide" Prompts Visitor Advisory at Padre Island National Seashore : Red Tide - Sorry if there's any confusion about information posted on various linked websites; this is obviously a situation that is changing each day. I did check the embedded links a few minutes ago, and they do seem to provide current information, if you read through the various pages ...
10/14/2009 9:34 pm - Search Under Way For Missing Backpackers in Kings Canyon National Park : Lynn - The book is [i]The Last Season[/i], by Eric Blehm.

Jim's Most Recent Articles (view all)

Storm Damage Update for Gulf Islands and Assateague Island National Seashores

The coastal storm dubbed Ida may have been a late bloomer, but the November storm left a mess at several parks from the Gulf Coast to the mid-Atlantic. Here's an update on the status of two parks: Gulf Islands National Seashore and Assateague Island National Seashore.

Sunset and Moonlight Hikes and Talks at Saguaro National Park

Late fall is a great time for outdoor activities at Saguaro National Park near Tucson, and if you're in that area and want to work off some Thanksgiving dinner calories, the park is offering some special sunset and moonlight hikes and programs in late November and early December.

Special Programs in Two Parks Relive Holidays on the Frontier and in the Backcountry

What are you doing the Saturday after Thanksgiving? Two NPS areas offer a chance to skip the mall and experience the holiday season on the frontier and in the backcountry through special programs. These "frontier" and "backcountry" sites are in locations that might surprise you: South Carolina and New York.

Visiting National Parks by Train – Central and Western U.S.

In this final installment of our three-part series on visiting national parks by train, we'll take a look at some options for trips in the central and western United States.

Discovery of Skeletal Remains in Death Valley National Park May Solve an Old Mystery

The disappearance of four German tourists in Death Valley National Park thirteen years ago led to a massive and lengthy search, but no trace of the group was ever found. The discovery yesterday of skeletal remains in a remote area of the park may finally close the case.

Pancho Villa, the Army Air Corps and Big Bend National Park

Every NPS area, even if it wasn't created specifically to commemorate a historical event, includes some interesting tales from the past. At Big Bend National Park, one of those stories involves Pancho Villa and the Army Air Corps.

Visiting National Parks by Train – Eastern U.S.

In the early years of the national parks, railroads were the easiest—and sometimes almost the only—way to reach many of the parks. Although most visitors now arrive by car, the train still offers a useful alternative for travel to some destinations. Here are our tips for riding the rails to parks in the eastern U.S.

Is This the Most Unique Job in the National Park Service?

The National Park Service employs men and women in some unusual and challenging positions, but one that's a good contender for the title of "most unique job in the system" is currently open at Denali National Park and Preserve.

Fire at Historic Lodge at Bryce Canyon National Park Won't Delay the 2010 Season Opening

The lodge at Bryce Canyon National Park is a classic, dating back to the 1920s. A modern sprinkler system and quick work by firefighters helped avert a potential catastrophe when a fire broke out last week at the historic structure.

These Animals at Craters of the Moon National Monument Are Both Sprinters and Marathoners

Lewis and Clark dubbed these animals "speed goats" for good reason, but they're not only sprinters, they're also marathoners. Researchers have discovered these animals make one of the longest overland migrations of any animal in the Western Hemisphere, and Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is modifying fencing to help them out during their journey.