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Booker T. Washington National Monument Announces 2013 Events

Submitted by David and Kay Scott on May 3, 2013 - 1:34am
Booker T. Washington National Monument recently published a calendar of events for the current year. July has been declared Junior Ranger Month during which the monument’s rangers will offer activities each Wednesday and Saturday at 10 a.m.

Traveler's Gear Box: Lock Laces

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on May 3, 2013 - 1:14am
"Lock Laces" make lacing up your shoes a quick process.

Updated: Future Of Point Reyes National Seashore Oyster Farm Hinges On Congressional Intent

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on May 2, 2013 - 10:50am
Deciphering recent congressional intent, not always an easy task, currently is at the center of an oyster company's bid that it should be allowed to remain within Point Reyes National Seashore waters, despite past congressional intent that those waters be designated wilderness.

Yellowstone National Park's East Entrance To Open Friday

Submitted by NPT Staff on May 2, 2013 - 9:50am
The East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park will open for the season Friday as originally scheduled, according to park officials.

Isle Royale National Park Gets Help From Coast Guard Icebreaker For Summer Opening

Submitted by Jim Burnett on May 2, 2013 - 1:30am
It's been a very long winter for parts of the country, and some national parks are facing some extra challenges in getting ready for the upcoming summer season. Few parks, however, have had to call on the Coast Guard for help from an icebreaker as part of their summer reopening.

Centennial Celebration Planned For Glacier Park Lodge

Submitted by David and Kay Scott on May 2, 2013 - 1:29am
This year marks the 100th anniversary for completion of Glacier Park Lodge. Constructed in 1912 and 1913 by the Great Northern Railway, the lodge is one of the classic western lodges built to lure tourists to travel by train to the scenic West.

Rocky Mountain National Park Receives Heavy Snowfall, Facilities Close

Submitted by NPT Staff on May 1, 2013 - 12:12pm
May Day greeted Rocky Mountain National Park with more than a foot of fresh snow, a good spring storm that will boost the park's snowpack heading into summer.

A View From The Overlook: Robber Baron

Submitted by PJ Ryan on May 1, 2013 - 2:30am
The robber barons: There were around 25 or 30 of them, depending on who was doing the counting; these were the men (there were no women, unless you count Hetty Green) of almost unlimited wealth and power who dominated America at the end of the 19th century. Their names are familiar even today; Rockefeller, Carnegie, Morgan, Duke, Harriman and so on.

National Parks Traveler's Essential Friends + Gateways

Submitted by NPT Staff on May 1, 2013 - 2:10am
Traveler's 2nd Annual Essential Friends + Gateways publication, a collaboration between the Traveler and a core group of national park foundations, cooperating associations, trusts, friends groups, and gateway communities, is aimed at enhancing and furthering the now nationally significant role of these organizations and entities in the preservation and enjoyment of our parks.

Trails Damaged By F4 Tornado Reopened In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Submitted by Jim Burnett on May 1, 2013 - 1:36am
With 800 miles of trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, just keeping up with normal wear and tear in the heavily visited park is a challenge for park employees and volunteers. That job became much more difficult when an F4 tornado ripped a 17-mile-long swath through the park and adjacent areas back in 2011, toppling thousands of trees.

Reader Participation Day: Do Dogs And National Parks Mix?

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on May 1, 2013 - 1:33am
Are dogs a good fit with national parks?

Photography In The National Parks: To The Sun And Beyond In Glacier National Park

Submitted by Deby Dixon on April 30, 2013 - 2:35am
Of course I wanted to go to the Sun in Glacier National Park - the very idea of capturing everything between earth and sky, with my camera and lens, filled me with the same visions that I experienced as a child, when walking into a candy store to choose just one piece of chocolate. I wanted them all.

Corporate Donation Enables Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area To Open Milford Beach This Summer

Submitted by NPT Staff on April 30, 2013 - 2:22am
Just when it looked like Milford Beach at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area would be closed this summer due to the budget sequestration, a corporation has stepped up with the money to open the beach.

"The Last Spike" - Separating Fact From Tradition At Golden Spike National Historic Site

Submitted by Jim Burnett on April 30, 2013 - 2:22am
If you were a contestant on one of several TV shows that test your knowledge of famous historical events, how would you fare if the question involved the driving of the "golden spike" to mark the completion of the transcontinental railroad? If you happened to miss a key fact or two, you'd be in good company, and the staff at Golden Spike National Historic Site has to contend with some long-established traditions that don't quite "hit the nail on the head."

Snowplows From Wyoming, National Park Service, Bust Through Drifts In Yellowstone National Park

Submitted by NPT Staff on April 30, 2013 - 1:30am
It wasn't exactly like the meeting of the Transcontinental Railroad at Promontory Summit in 1869, but there still was plenty of celebrating when snowplows from the state of Wyoming and the National Park Service met near Grant Village.

Op-Ed: Yosemite, The Fate Of Heaven Revisited

Submitted by Barbara Moritsch on April 29, 2013 - 2:06am
As shoulder seasons in Yosemite National Park continue to grow, does the National Park Service have a good plan for preserving the Merced River as it flows through the park's iconic valley?

Updated: NPCA President Tom Kiernan Leaves For American Wind Energy Association

Submitted by NPT Staff on April 29, 2013 - 1:32am
National Parks Conservation Association President Tom Kiernan, who three years ago was ready to leave the park advocacy group to head a charity in New Hampshire, has been hired as chief executive officer of the American Wind Energy Association.

Exploring The Parks: Andrew Johnson National Historic Site

Submitted by Danny Bernstein on April 29, 2013 - 1:19am
President Andrew Johnson was the first president to be impeached. But there's much more to our 17th president. His story is told well at the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in Greeneville, Tennessee. By the time you finish your visit, you might like the man.

America’s Premier Hut System is 125 Years Old—A Classic Appalachian Trail Adventure

Submitted by Randy Johnson on April 28, 2013 - 4:07am
America’s premier hut system is 125 years old this year. Scattered for 56 miles along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in New Hampshire, the Appalachian Mountain Club’s system of 8 huts and two major lodges are all about a day’s hike apart. “This is an AT adventure of the first order,” says Rob Burbank, of the Appalachian Mountain Club. “Imagine an opportunity to hike one of the most rugged and spectacular sections of the Appalachian Trail with just a tooth brush in your pack!”

High-Tech Meets The Past Via Animated Fly-Through Tours Of Historic Locations

Submitted by Jim Burnett on April 28, 2013 - 2:03am
There are some historic features in the National Park System we just can't walk through in person, such as the remains of the Civil War gunboat USS Cairo at Vicksburg National Military Park. Now, thanks to some high-tech wizardry, anyone can take an animated "fly-through" and explore the interior of the ship—or five other historic locations around the country.

Sample Mountains-to-Sea Trail With May 4th Hike And Talk At Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Submitted by Jim Burnett on April 28, 2013 - 1:33am
The North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a thousand-mile route for hikers across North Carolina, and you can get a short sample with a two-hour hike followed by a talk about the trail on Saturday, May 4 at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more qualified hike leader and speaker, because Danny Bernstein has walked the entire length of the trail,

Grand Teton, Grand Canyon National Parks Just About Ready For Spring

Submitted by NPT Staff on April 27, 2013 - 1:59am
More access is coming to Grand Teton and Grand Canyon national parks, proof that spring is on its way to the Rockies and Southwest.

Yellowstone, Land Of Wonders: Promenade In North America's National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on April 26, 2013 - 2:00am
Yellowstone, Land of Wonders: Promenade in North America
If you, too, have paused before an faded and worn map of Yellowstone and wondered the same, then Yellowstone, Land Of Wonders: Promenade in North America's National Park is for you. But not only does this travelogue carry you back to the Yellowstone of 1883, but it's cast through the eyes of a Belgian writer who spent 10 days in the park that summer.

Traveler's Gear Box: Alite Continues The Evolution Of The Backwoods Chair

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on April 26, 2013 - 1:22am
Even chairs are subject to evolution, as Alite Designs so ably demonstrates with its Mayfly chair, a chair so light you could backpack with it, though it's likely more at home in your canoe or kayak.

Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Provides $500,000 To Connect Kids To Parks

Submitted by NPT Staff on April 26, 2013 - 1:02am
Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has sent $500,000 to the National Park Foundation to connect kids to nature in the national parks.

Bills To Expand Yosemite National Park Finding Bipartisan Support

Submitted by Jim Burnett on April 25, 2013 - 2:03am
Over a century ago, John Muir's vision for Yosemite National Park included areas that were not included in the present park. Now there's bipartisan support for efforts to add about 1,500 acres adjoining the western side of Yosemite to protect the area from development.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Needs Help Monitoring Elk And Visitors

Submitted by NPT Staff on April 25, 2013 - 1:44am
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking volunteers to assist rangers with managing traffic and providing visitor information on responsible elk viewing practices in the Cataloochee area of the park.

Mark Your Calendars: New River Festival Coming In June

Submitted by NPT Staff on April 25, 2013 - 1:41am
Cheat Fest? Been there. Gauley Fest? Done that. Second Annual New River Festival? Got it on the calendar for June 7-9.

National Parks: Going To The Dogs!

Submitted by NPT Staff on April 25, 2013 - 1:22am
If you plan to bring your dog with you on a visit to a national park, you should be prepared.

Plan To Attend 5th Annual Grand Canyon Celebration Of Art At Grand Canyon National Park

Submitted by NPT Staff on April 24, 2013 - 1:55am
It's still months off, but now is the perfect time to plan to attend the 5th Annual Grand Canyon Celebration of Art at Grand Canyon National Park this September.