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Snow Delays Spring Opening Of Clingmans Dome Road At Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Submitted by Jim Burnett on March 27, 2013 - 1:40pm
The calendar may show it's spring, but you wouldn't know it by conditions across much of the country this week. Among the areas where winter just won't let go is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where a recent snowstorm will delay the planned spring opening of the road to Clingmans Dome.

Parkway Superintendent Phil Francis Retires After A Career of Parkway Firsts

Submitted by Randy Johnson on March 27, 2013 - 3:57am
Phil Francis, the National Park Service’s superintendent for the Blue Ridge Parkway since 2005, is retiring on April 1st.

Passport App From Eastern National Wins Honors At Association Of Partners For Public Lands Conference

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 27, 2013 - 1:58am
The Passport To Your National Parks® iPhone application was selected as the winner of the Electronic Media category at the 10th annual Association of Partners for Public Lands Media and Partnership Awards.

Grand Canyon National Park Has Plans To Celebrate Earth Day

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 27, 2013 - 1:51am
A film on the work of conservationist Aldo Leopold is just one of the highlights of the Earth Day celebration planned at Grand Canyon National Park next month.

Isle Royale National Park's Wolf Population Down To Just Eight, No New Pups Last Year

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 27, 2013 - 1:16am
Just eight wolves can be found at Isle Royale National Park, the lowest count ever tallied, and no new pups were brought into the population last year, another first that seemingly moves the population closer to extinction.

Updated: Republicans Criticize New National Monuments.....And Push For National Historical Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 26, 2013 - 12:54pm
No out-of-pocket expenses were required by the National Park Service to take control of three national monuments designated this week by President Obama, and contrary to claims by two Republican congressmen many members of the public supported the designations.

Birding In The National Parks: Looking For The Regulars At Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Submitted by Kirby Adams on March 26, 2013 - 2:40am
Sometimes, if you look around, you can find some pretty good birding in your own backyard.

Cuts To Grand Teton National Park's Staff Will Delay Emergency Response, Close Some Facilities

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 26, 2013 - 2:33am
Climbers, backcountry travelers, and even front-country campers at Grand Teton National Park will face longer response times if they get in trouble this year as a result of federal budget cuts, according to the park superintendent.

Songs For Junior Rangers: An Interview With Jeff Wolin

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 26, 2013 - 2:03am
Have you heard about the new award-winning Songs for Junior Rangers CD? Written by Ranger Jeff Wolin of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, this collection of kid-friendly songs was released recently by the National Park Service, and will have kids singing, dancing, and laughing as they learn fun facts about history and nature.

Final Season Of Bear Lake Road Construction In Rocky Mountain National Park

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 25, 2013 - 1:59am
You can expect one more summer of road construction in the Bear Lake area of Rocky Mountain National Park, but this should be the end of the project that began back in 2003

Wine, Drilling, Interior Secretaries And The National Parks

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 25, 2013 - 1:55am
Wine, drilling, Interior secretaries and the national parks. That's quite a collection of park-related topics. Let's take a look at what's going on.

North Cascades National Park Given Go-Ahead To Implement Stehekin River Plan

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 25, 2013 - 1:46am
North Cascades National Park officials have received the go-ahead to implement a plan for mitigating flooding along the Stehekin River, a plan that calls for relocating a stretch of road, adding some recreational amenities, and moving some structures out of the flood plain

Hard-Rock Mining Ban Around Grand Canyon National Park Upheld By Federal Judge

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 25, 2013 - 1:21am
An effort to overturn the Obama administration's moratorium on new mining claims on some 1 million acres around Grand Canyon National Park has been rejected by a federal judge.

Parks Beyond Borders: Icelandic National Park Rangers and Partners Train in United States; Wales' Brecon Beacons Gets Dark Sky Designation

Submitted by Randy Johnson on March 24, 2013 - 4:35am
Icelandic park rangers and partners just finished a two-week visit to the United States, learning about American-style national park management, development and conservation at national parks in Washington and Oregon.

The Graphic History Of Gettysburg - America's Most Famous Battle And The Turning Point Of The Civil War

Submitted by Jim Burnett on March 24, 2013 - 1:49am
Gettysburg: The Graphic History of America
This "illustrated history" offers a concise and readable overview of "America's most famous battle and the turning point of the Civil War." Although the target audience is older children and young adults, the book provides a nice visual summary of the Battle of Gettysburg for almost any reader.

Desert Treasures: Spring Blooms In Big Bend National Park

Submitted by George Miller on March 24, 2013 - 1:46am
Thoughts of spring wildflowers usually bring visions of lush hills and meadows with picturesque streams. But not the desert. Certainly not arid West Texas. Yet by April, especially in years following a wet autumn, wildflowers and cacti turn the rugged landscape of Big Bend National Park into a palette of rainbow hues. And migrating birds add their colorful magic to the trees and thorn-covered vegetation.

Cape Cod National Seashore Rebuilding Facilities With Climate Change In Mind

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 24, 2013 - 1:43am
Hurricane Sandy and the Blizzard of '13 are history, but in their wake National Park Service managers are rebuilding with an eye on more of the same potent storms in the years ahead. At Cape Cod National Seashore, that also means keeping sea level rise in mind.

Shuttle System Back Running At Zion National Park

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 23, 2013 - 1:32am
Shuttle buses once again are ready to carry you into Zion Canyon at Zion National Park, with daily service resuming this Sunday and continuing through October 28.

Updated: Five National Monuments Expected To Be Designated Next Week

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 22, 2013 - 8:23am
Five national monuments, including one in Delaware, the only state without a National Park System presence, are expected to be designated next week by President Obama.

Energy Development Knocking On Door Of Elkhorn Ranch At Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 22, 2013 - 2:22am
North Dakota's energy boom continues to close in on Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where officials are concerned about a proposal to drill for oil on the doorstep of Theodore Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch.

Volunteers Sought To Help Build Birding Database At Death Valley National Park

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 22, 2013 - 1:37am
Planning is under way to develop a bird species baseline for Death Valley National Park, and volunteers are being sought to help with the data collection.

Secrets Of The National Parks, The Experts' Guide To The Best Experiences Beyond The Tourist Trail

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 22, 2013 - 1:29am
National Geographic Secrets of the National Parks: The Experts
Just in time for travel season, National Geographic has added another title to its collection of national park-related books. This one entices with a promise to reveal the "Secrets of the National Parks."

Congress Passes Continuing Resolution, Cutting National Park Service Funding Even More

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 21, 2013 - 5:17pm
While Congress averted a federal government shutdown by sending a Continuing Resolution for funding the rest of the fiscal year to the president on Thursday, the measure further cuts the National Park Service's budget, according to an advocacy group.

Magistrate Finds Lassen Volcanic National Park Officials Destroyed Evidence In Boy's Death

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 21, 2013 - 12:24pm
Lassen Volcanic National Park officials "purposely destroyed material evidence" in the case of a young boy who was killed when a retaining wall on the Lassen Peak Trail collapsed, a U.S. magistrate has concluded.

National Parks Being Lobbied To Do Away With Bottled Water, Install Filling Stations

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 21, 2013 - 2:33am
It's been more than a year since bottled water and corporate America collided at Grand Canyon National Park, and the push continues to get more national parks to phase out packaged water in favor of fresh tap water and refillable bottles.

Concession Opportunity On The Blue Ridge Parkway

Submitted by David and Kay Scott on March 21, 2013 - 1:49am
The National Park Service recently released a prospectus soliciting proposals for the operation of Mabry Mill and Rocky Knob Cabins; two concessions on the southern Virginia section of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Car Break-ins Reported At Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 21, 2013 - 1:15am
Heading to Lake Mead National Recreation Area for spring break? Don't leave any valuables in your rig. Park rangers report a number of break-ins of vehicles in recent weeks at some of the NRA's most-popular hiking trails.

A View From The Overlook: Comfort Zones

Submitted by PJ Ryan on March 20, 2013 - 1:57am
One of the banes of being a high-ranking bureaucrat is the necessity to issue a report on the reason for your existence. That is, your progress in achieving the goal (or goals) of your office, or sadly, the reasons you have not succeeded.

Merced Wild And Scenic River Management Plan III: Will The Latest NPS Plan Protect The River (Or Hold Up In Court)?

Submitted by Barbara Moritsch on March 20, 2013 - 1:44am
With their latest management plan for the Merced River now out for public review, Yosemite National Park officials now face the task of defending it. Will it protect the river, and can it withstand a court challenge?

Acadia National Park's Spring Opening Delayed By Budget Cuts

Submitted by NPT Staff on March 20, 2013 - 1:33am
Spring will arrive a month later than normal at Acadia National Park, as budget cuts necessitated by the federal sequestration have forced park officials to delay opening roads and facilities.