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)

1/25/2010 12:59 pm - Is the Country Ready for a Manhattan Project National Historical Park? : Dan - Thanks for the excellent perspective. Jim
1/24/2010 9:38 pm - Is the Country Ready for a Manhattan Project National Historical Park? : Anonymous - Good question about the Trinity Site. You're correct that the site is located on the White Sands Missile Range, but that property is owned and operated by the U. S. Army. It's adjacent to, but separate from the [url=http://www.nps.gov/whsa/faqs.htm]White Sands National Monument[/url], which is operated by the NPS. ...
1/13/2010 4:19 pm - Search for Missing Woman Underway at Point Reyes National Seashore : Dottie - I've been holding off on posting an update, pending some significant - and hopefully good -news. Thus far there hasn't been much. The Marin County Sheriff's Department released a statement that despite the intensive search in the McClure's Beach area, Ms. Truitt has not been located, and "The ...
12/27/2009 2:19 pm - Fire at Historic Lodge at Bryce Canyon National Park Won't Delay the 2010 Season Opening : Thanks for the information about the timely work by an unsung hero!
12/18/2009 8:16 pm - Disappointing Visitation Trend Spurs Elimination of Entrance Fee at George Rogers Clark National Historical Park : y-p_w: I don't know if the guideline still applies, but at one time a key test for whether or not a park charged an entrance fee - or whether they staffed a collection station - was the "cost of collection" vs. the income generated. That approach said don't collect a ...
12/04/2009 9:21 pm - Endangered Species Coalition Lists 10 Species Endangered By Climate Change : I suspect much of the debate about climate change and whether it is influenced by human activity hinges on two factors: 1. Economics. If we accept that climate change is a problem and human activity plays a role, there will have to be significant changes in the way we go ...
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.

Jim's Most Recent Articles (view all)

How to Have "The Best Field Trip Ever" at Gettysburg National Military Park

Anyone who has ever been part of a school field trip knows that such events can be a fun…or frantic experience. The folks at Gettysburg National Military Park have prepared a kit to help anyone planning such expeditions to that park to have the "Best Field Trip Ever!"

What "Off-Season"? Recent Rescues Keep Rangers Busy at Shenandoah National Park

Park visitors occasionally ask rangers, "What do you find to do during the off-season?" There's rarely a shortage of work any time of the year, and a recent series of incidents at Shenandoah National Park offers a reminder that the term "off-season" is often a misnomer.

A Look Back at Last Year's Predictions for 2009 Park Travel. How Did the Forecasters Fare?

A number of NPS areas reported increases in visitation during 2009, but what was the outlook going into last year? Now that the actual results are coming in, let's see how the crystal balls fared.

Acadia National Park Accepting Applications for Raptor Interpretation Internship

Acadia National Park is one of the premier locations in the country for viewing raptors, including peregrine falcons and hawks. The park is looking for an intern to help monitor raptor activity and provide interpretation for the thousands of visitors who come to Acadia to see the birds

The View is Improving at Devil's Den in Gettysburg National Military Park

A rugged area of steep cliffs, deep gullies and massive boulders known as Devil's Den is now part of Gettysburg National Military Park. It was the site major fighting in 1863, but in recent years the historic scene was marred by power lines and a restroom. That's about to change thanks to an upcoming project in the park.

Alaska's Oldest NPS Unit Celebrates Its Centennial, and You're Invited!

The oldest NPS unit in Alaska is celebrating its centennial this year, and it offers a surprising variety of reasons to visit: rain forest and Russians, Tlingit and totem poles, scenery and small town delights. An interesting series of events is scheduled between March and August to mark the occasion, and you're invited to take part.

Echo Bay Resort at Lake Mead NRA has a New Concessioner and a New Name

Concessioner-operated facilities in the Echo Bay area at Lake Mead National Recreation Area will have a change in name and boat rental offerings as part of switch to new management. Forever Resorts has taken over operations under a three-year temporary contract.

Lost in the Boonies? What's Your Most Important Task?

People who find themselves lost in the boonies, whether it's forest, field, desert or other terrain, frequently make the same mistake. If you find yourself unsure which route leads back to civilization, a recent incident at the Buffalo National River offers a clue about your most important task.

Going to Zion National Park This Summer? Be Aware of Work on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway

If you're planning to visit Zion National Park this summer, the route you choose will make a big difference in your trip. Visitors entering via the park's South entrance won't be affected, but travelers using the East Entrance and the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway will find some delays and closures.

How to Manage Vehicles at Denali National Park? The Discussion is Underway

Denali National Park offers one of the premier wildlife viewing opportunities in the country, along with superb scenery, vast wilderness areas … and that famous mountain. Faced with growing visitation, the park is pondering how to manage vehicle access, and you're invited to participate in the discussion.