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Say What? Overheard in the Park...

Submitted by Jim Burnett on October 7, 2011 - 12:36am
The late entertainer Art Linkletter was known for his "Kids Say the Darndest Things" interviews, but a recent trip to a park reminded me that grown-ups aren't immune from that tendency either—especially when they're on vacation.

National Park Mystery Spot 29 Revealed: A Hole in the Ground

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on October 6, 2011 - 2:59am
You didn't really need a crystal ball to figure this one out.

Cape Lookout National Seashore Officials Pick Beaufort Location For Ferry Service

Submitted by Anonymous on October 6, 2011 - 1:29am
Cape Lookout National Seashore officials have selected a new location in Beaufort, North Carolina, to base a ferry service serving Shackleford Banks and the Cape Lookout area of the national seashore.

Ambitious Plan To Rebuild Concessions Operations In Kings Canyon Scaled Back Due To Lack of Funding

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on October 6, 2011 - 1:21am
An ambitious look at how to improve the concessions available at Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park has come to disappointing conclusion: The Park Service can't afford to make all of the proposed changes, and so will focus on only one aspect of the initial proposal.

Debate Over Oyster Farming At Point Reyes National Seashore Offers Differing Perspectives

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on October 6, 2011 - 1:08am
Since 2005, Kenny Lunny has worked hard to clean up not only after his oyster farm at Point Reyes National Seashore, but also after his predecessor's operation. So when he received word from the California Coastal Commission that it was concerned about "marine debris" from his company, he was surprised.

Spend Your October Weekends Visiting Mabry Mill Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Submitted by Anonymous on October 6, 2011 - 1:07am
If you live close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, you might consider visiting Mabry Mill on weekends this month to enjoy programs ranging from making apple butter to basket-making demonstrations.

The Ozark Hellbender, Found In Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Declared Endangered By USFWS

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on October 5, 2011 - 10:47am
The Ozark Hellbender, the largest member of the salamander family, today was designated as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

National Park Mystery Spot 29: You Need to Go Down to Go In

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on October 5, 2011 - 2:59am
What does Tinker Bell have to do with Tolkien? Work through this month's Mystery Spot puzzle and find out.

Who Killed Mountain Lion Associated With Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area?

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on October 5, 2011 - 1:49am
California authorities are trying to apprehend the individual or individuals responsible for killing a mountain lion believed to have genetic ties to Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

California Coastal Commission Questions Drakes Bay Oyster Co. On Trash In Point Reyes National Seashore

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on October 5, 2011 - 1:35am
Barely a week after Point Reyes National Seashore officials released a draft environmental analysis assessing whether an oyster company is harming the seashore's waters, allegations have been made that the company has been dumping debris in the waters.

Shiloh National Military Park Doing Away With Entrance Fees

Submitted by Anonymous on October 5, 2011 - 1:13am
You'll no longer be charged to visit Shiloh National Military Park. You read that right. The park administration has decided to do away with entrance fees because of the multiple entry points in the park.

Reader Participation Day: Where Do You Go To See Fall Colors In The National Parks...And To Flee the Crowds?

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on October 5, 2011 - 1:07am
It's easy to name colorful parks come fall. Acadia National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Shenandoah National Park are just three. But where do you go to see spectacular fall colors...without the crowds?

It's That Time Again. Shenandoah National Park Sets Facility Closing Dates

Submitted by Anonymous on October 4, 2011 - 1:51am
Yes, the weather is gorgeous, and the fall colors haven't yet peaked, but the folks at Shenandoah National Park are glancing at the calendar and will be closing some facilities in the not too distant future.

Grand Canyon National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area To Celebrate Earth Science Week

Submitted by Anonymous on October 4, 2011 - 1:39am
Earth Science week is on its way, and at least two units of the National Park System are marking it with activities for the entire family.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways, A River System At Risk, Part II

Submitted by Susan Flader on October 4, 2011 - 1:38am
Earlier this year Ozark National Scenic National Riverways was named to American River's list of Most Endangered Rivers. In part two of her article Susan Flader, who long taught in the University of Missouri-Columbia History Department, looks at many of the problems the riverways faces.

Birding in the National Parks: Spotting Egrets, Herons, and More In Big Cypress National Preserve

Submitted by Kirby Adams on October 4, 2011 - 1:31am
Hopefully everyone’s planning a birding excursion to Alaska after reading Kurt’s review of his adventures in Glacier Bay National Park. In the meantime, a less frigid destination might be suitable for most travelers during the impending winter.

Fall Color Without the Crowds at the Great Smoky Mountains or the Blue Ridge Parkway?

Submitted by Jim Burnett on October 4, 2011 - 12:19am
Both Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway are justly famous for their fall color—and a flood of mid-October visitors. Can you avoid the heavy traffic and still enjoy some autumn foliage by timing your visit a bit earlier? Here's a Traveler trip report.

Grizzly Bear Linked To Two Fatal Maulings in Yellowstone National Park Killed By Rangers

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on October 3, 2011 - 2:39pm
A grizzly sow tied to the fatal mauling of a hiker in Yellowstone National Park has been killed by rangers, and her two cubs have been placed in an educational zoo outside the park, Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk announced Monday.

Celebrating Wilderness In Shenandoah National Park

Submitted by Anonymous on October 3, 2011 - 1:56am
Thirty-five years ago Shenandoah National Park was bestowed with official wilderness by the Congress. That anniversary will be marked October 15-16 by the park and its partners.

House Natural Resources Committee To Consider Legislation Affecting North Cascades National Park, St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on October 3, 2011 - 1:54am
Keep your eyes on the House Natural Resources Committee this week, as the committee is expected to take action on measures that could set a precedent for "wild and scenic" rivers, force stocking of non-native fish in North Cascades National Park, and realign wilderness boundaries to allow for a road to be moved out of a flood-prone area in North Cascades.

National Park Service Offers Online Itinerary For Visiting Civil War Era Cemeteries

Submitted by Anonymous on October 3, 2011 - 1:44am
Military cemeteries are poignant reminders of past wars, of battles that tore the fabric of societies. Today you can walk these grounds at more than 100 national cemeteries that were created prior to 1870. In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, the National Park Service has put together an online itinerary you can use to visit these hallowed grounds.

Remembering Roger Kennedy: The Accessible Wild In Science and Religion

Submitted by Anonymous on October 3, 2011 - 1:38am
The impact the late-National Park Service Director Roger Kennedy had on the National Park Service won't be lost and can't be overestimated. In his 2008 book, Wildfire and Americans; How to Save Lives, Property, and Your Tax Dollars, Mr. Kennedy measured the values of both science and faith in protecting wildness. He presented the following talk, portions of which came from that book, in 2006 during an appearance at the University of New England.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways, A River System At Risk

Submitted by Susan Flader on October 3, 2011 - 1:13am
Earlier this year Ozark National Scenic National Riverways was named to American River's list of Most Endangered Rivers. In the following two-part article Susan Flader, who long taught in the University of Missouri-Columbia History Department, traces the riverways' history while pointing to many of the problems it faces.

Updated: Search Ends For Hiker Overdue In Kings Canyon National Park

Submitted by Anonymous on October 2, 2011 - 9:09am
A search for a man overdue in the backcountry of Kings Canyon National Park was resolved when the man hiked out of the park on his own, park officials said Sunday.

Biodiversity Inventory Coming To Saguaro National Park in October

Submitted by Anonymous on October 2, 2011 - 1:49am
Saguaro National Park is well-known for its namesake cacti, but what else can you find in the park when it comes to living things? An answer to that question is coming in late October, when the park is the focus of a two-day "bio-blitz."

Family Nature Summits Heading To Rocky Mountain National Park Next Year

Submitted by Danny Bernstein on October 2, 2011 - 1:35am
Family Nature Summit is an outdoor-oriented family nature camp which attracts about 350 people each year. In 2012, it will be in Rocky Mountain National Park and should be a splendid week.

Join The Pumpkin Party At Grant -Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site

Submitted by Anonymous on October 2, 2011 - 1:04am
There's at least one unit of the National Park System that will be celebrating the fall harvest: Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, where a pumpkin party on October 16 allows you to give back to the community.

"Adopt" A Bat, Help Yellowstone National Park

Submitted by Anonymous on October 2, 2011 - 1:01am
Though they might not be the most adorable or charismatic of Yellowstone National Park's creatures, bats are residents of the park. And by "adopting" one from the Yellowstone Park Foundation, you can help forward wildlife research in the park.

Annual "Walk In The Park" Coming To Mammoth Cave National Park On October 8

Submitted by Anonymous on October 1, 2011 - 1:58am
With fall colors building, the time is near to enjoy a hike in your favorite national park. If that happens to be Mammoth Cave National Park, you can join the annual "Walk in the Park" next Saturday.