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)

11/01/2009 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.
10/05/2009 1:59 pm - Rocky Mountain National Park Officials Select "Lethal Reduction" To Help Reduce Elk Herd--Updated : y_p_w Your comment is an interesting one. There's some discussion on that very subject on the story currently posted on the [b]Traveler[/b] about elk hunts at Grand Teton.
10/05/2009 1:55 pm - Annual Elk Hunt Scheduled to Begin in Grand Teton National Park Oct 10 : Marshall - I haven't checked into this, so I'm just shooting from the hip (an appropriate analogy for this topic), but I think it's likely the process of "deputizing" the hunters may have originated in an attempt to avoid setting a precedent in allowing "sport hunting" in a national park. ...
10/05/2009 8:35 am - Annual Elk Hunt Scheduled to Begin in Grand Teton National Park Oct 10 : Anonymous made an interesting comment in the previous post: [quote]hunters want the biggest, healthiest and best of each species. That, on balance is not always the best way to control overpopulation of a particular species.[/quote] That relates directly to an article which ran on the [b][i]Traveler[/i][/b] back in April: "[url=http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2009/01/humans-super-predators-new-study-offers-startling-information-about-hunting-and-fishing]Humans ...
10/05/2009 7:56 am - Organization Forms to Promote Expansion of National Park System : Davide - Thanks for asking. You can click on the link in the second paragraph of the story. Here it is again, for easy reference: http://www.newnationalparks.org/index.html

Jim's Most Recent Articles (view all)

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.

Visiting Zion National Park in November? Here’s the Fall Schedule for the Free Park Shuttle

Fall can be a wonderful time to see Zion National Park, and the free shuttle service in Zion Canyon allows you to concentrate on the scenery instead of a search for a parking place. The shuttle will continue to run during November, but on a reduced schedule. Here's what you need to know for a visit.

Anniversary Celebration of California Desert Protection Act at Mojave National Preserve

October 31 isn't just about pumpkins and goblins anymore. The date also marks the anniversary of the California Desert Protection Act, a major milestone for Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks and the Mojave National Preserve. The day will be celebrated at a special event on Saturday at the Mojave National Preserve.

It's Official - Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial is the Newest NPS Unit

It's a long way from the big city with the same name, and the park's history may not be familiar to many Americans, but Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial has a compelling story, and it's now the newest addition to the National Park System.

After Plenty of Debate, General Management Plan for Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is Completed

It's taken nearly two years and created more than a little controversy, but the final General Management Plan for Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis (which includes the "Gateway Arch") has been completed and released for public review. What happens next?

Traveler's Checklist - Big Bend National Park

If you're looking for dramatic desert scenery, a chance to get away from crowds, and lots of variety in elevation, climate and things to do, you'll find all that and more in Big Bend National Park in Texas. Here are some tips to help you plan a visit.

Can't Connect to Some NPS Websites? Don't Take it Out on Your Computer

Having problems connecting to some pages on NPS websites? Don't blame your computer or your service provider. There's an outage affecting some NPS sites on the Internet.

A Miss is Much Better than a Mile for Hikers Rescued in Two Separate Falls

Hikers in two widely separated NPS areas were injured in falls during the past week. The incidents led to challenging rescues, but they could have been a lot worse. In both cases, the men escaped what would likely have been a catastrophic plunge by the narrowest of margins.