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Visiting the Parks

Lassen Volcanic National Park Gets Its First Purpose-Built Visitor Center, and It’s a Dandy

Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of our oldest national parks, but it has never had anything more than a makeshift visitor center. Until now, that is. A 92-year wait ends today, October 4, when the park celebrates the grand opening of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center at the park’s southwest entrance.

Steamtown National Historic Site Schedules Leaf Peeper Excursions in the Poconos

Steamtown National Historic Site has scheduled eight steam-powered train trips to two popular destinations in the Poconos during the fall foliage season. Critics complain about Steamtown’s sparse excursion schedule, but there’s little to dislike about these leaf peeper outings.

Fall Is A Great Season in Glacier National Park

Fall is a great time to visit many parks, and Glacier National Park in Montana is no exception. Summer crowds are gone, the weather is often great, and although it's not New England, there's also some fine fall color to enjoy from aspen, cottonwood, and birch. Larch also provides magnificent shades of yellow, and this conifer is unusual because it loses its needles after they change color.

Padre Island National Seashore Offers Lots of Fun for Visitors and Lots of Problems for Managers

Padre Island National Seashore celebrates its 46th anniversary on September 28. Extending along the Texas Gulf Coast from Corpus Christi to the Mexican border, this narrow coastal barrier offers plenty of high quality recreation. There are many managerial difficulties, though, and some may get lots worse.

Grand Canyon Railway May Expand Rail Service to the South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon Railway currently operates two trains daily between Williams, Arizona and the Grand Canyon’s South Rim tourist hub. Now the Park Service is considering whether to allow a third daily train and an evening excursion trip from the South Rim.

The Abandoned Keane Wonder Mine at Death Valley National Park is Too Dangerous to Visit

Citing serious safety hazards, the National Park Service has barred public access to the abandoned Keane Wonder Mine site at Death Valley National Park. The old mine site, which has already claimed one visitor’s life, is loaded with hazards of many kinds.

National Parks Will Waive Entrance Fees on September 27, National Public Lands Day

You’ll love what they see at the national park entrance gates on Saturday, September 27. It’s the 15th annual National Public Lands Day, and all parks will be waiving their admission fees. It’d be nice if you volunteered to help with the site restoration and cleanup efforts planned for that day.

Visitation Decline at Great Smoky Mountains National Park Has Area Businesses, Residents, and Governments Worried

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the busiest of the flagship National Parks, reports 5% lower visitation at its main entrances and anticipates 250,000 fewer visitors this year. The related decline in visitor-based income and tax revenues has area businesses, employees, and governments fretting.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.