News

Seashores

Lodges

Battlefields

Parkways

Monuments

Recreation Areas

  
                           U.S. National Park News

       
Missing hiker describes her 3 days lost in Mount Hood National Forest(August 13) - "Plump and juicy" was how a slug looked to Pamela Salant as she spent three days lost in Mount Hood National Forest with a fractured leg. "It looked really tasty, but it was not," the 28-year-old Portland woman said. She had been surviving on caterpillars and berries, and gobbling up a slug seemed like the natural thing to do. Complete Story
 

 
Yellowstone National Park seeks volunteers to help with trail restoration on Public Lands Day(August 11) - Yellowstone National Park is seeking volunteers to help with Public Lands Day — a day when the public gets free entry to national parks. Public Lands Day is Sept. 24. The celebration first started in 1994 and the Park Service says it has become the nation’s largest volunteer effort. Yellowstone is seeking 20 volunteers to help with trail restoration work along the Clear Lake-Ribbon Lake Loop Trail in the Canyon area. Volunteers should register by Sept. 10.
 
Statue of Liberty Interior Will Close for a Year(August 10) - Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says it needs a $27.25 million renovation for additional safety improvements that he promised in 2009. Officials said the work, which is expected to take a year, could not begin sooner because they did not finish the planning and arrange the financing until a few months ago. Complete Story

Joshua Tree Nat'l Park Celebrates 75th Anniversary(August 10) - Entrance to Joshua Tree National Park will be free today as the park celebrate its 75th anniversary. ``This is an historic occasion for the park, and we wanted to do everything possible to make the public feel welcome and to encourage their participation in Joshua Tree National Park's 75th birthday,'' Superintendent Mark Butler said. Complete Story

Cabins could be removed in Yosemite(August 9) - Officials are taking steps to remove more than 70 historic cabins from an area of Yosemite National Park's popular Curry Village that was permanently closed after a series of rock falls in 2008. Though no final decisions have been made on the fate of the buildings, an environmental report released Tuesday states that park officials want to remove the structures to "maximize safety for park visitors and employees and eliminate the need for administrative access to the closed area." Complete Story

Rocky Mountain National Park visitors at 5-year high(August 9) - Rocky Mountain National Park is having its busiest summer in more than five years, so park your car where you don't have to fight for a parking space and hop on a bus to get into the mountains. That's the message National Park Service officials want you to hear when you arrive in a very crowded Estes Park before you visit some of the national park's most popular places. Complete Story
 
Denali National Park is a bit too popular(August 9) - Denali National Park and Preserve, home to 20,320-foot-tall Mount McKinley, gets about 400,000 visitors a year, mostly between May and early September. The park has more than 6 million acres — but just one road. The 92-mile Denali Park Road is paved for the first 15 miles, but motorized access beyond that is permitted only via shuttle or tour bus. For years, the number of vehicles allowed down that stretch of road during the summer season has been capped at 10,512. Complete Story
 
Zion Canyon Narrows Reopen for Visitor Use(July 17) - The popular Zion Canyon Narrows (The Narrows) have reopened for visitor use to both day hikers and overnight campers. Due to high water from an above average snowpack this past winter and a prolonged snowmelt, The Narrows have been closed for a longer than normal period this summer. Water levels have now dropped to a level that is considered safe for visitors to navigate The Narrows which is below 120 cubic feet per second water flow. Complete Story

Lassen Volcanic National Park Road Opens This Weekend(July 17) - Park Superintendent Darlene M. Koontz announced today that the main road through Lassen Volcanic National Park will open for through traffic this Saturday, July 16. “The park road crew and Caltrans have cleared snow along the 30 mile highway through the park, road turnouts, and trailhead parking areas. We are happy to have this primary access to Lassen National Park open for our summer visitors,” stated Ms. Koontz. “This year’s heavy snowfall seemed to come later this winter and spring, which extended the time it took to open the road.” Complete Story
 
Denali National Park - Climber’s Body Found on Mount McKinley(July 9) - The search for solo Austrian climber Juergen Kanzian concluded Thursday evening, June 30 after NPS mountaineering rangers at the 14,200-foot camp located the climber’s body using a high powered spotting scope. The park’s A-Star B3 helicopter flew to the site and aerial observers confirmed the findings based on the color and style of the climber’s gear, although they were unable to land at the site due to the steep terrain. Kanzian appeared to have fallen down a steep snow and rock gully known as the Orient Express, coming to rest at an elevation of approximately 15,300 feet. Complete Story
  

Free admission to national parks on June 21(June 18) - The National Park Service is offering free admission Tuesday to more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees. our YouTube videos featuring dads. The fee-free day marks the first day of summer on June 21. Other fee-free days remaining this year are Sept. 24, which is called Public Lands Day, and Nov. 11-13, Veterans Day weekend.

Some park concessions offer deals on fee-free days. For the first day of summer, Swan Mountain Outfitters at Glacier National Park in Montana is offering $5 off standard trail rates for kids riding with a full-paying adult, $5 off per rider on groups of six or more, and $5 off for Montana residents. Details at http://www.parkpartners.org/Special-Offers-for-2011.htmler.

Wildfire Closes Carlsbad Caverns National Park(June 14) - In New Mexico, a new wildfire has forced the closure of Carlbad Caverns National Park and is threatening the visitor's center there and the nearby town of White City. Melissa Block speaks with John Benjamin, the park's superintendent, about the fire, the threat it poses to the national park and the firefighting efforts there. Complete Story  
 
Rainbow Bridge National Monument Awarded ‘America’s Best Idea’ Grant(June 12) - The National Park Foundation announced today that it is proud to award Rainbow Bridge National Monument a grant to support the launch of Providing Opportunities for Underserved Navajo Nation Youth Populations to Participate in Ecological Restoration Activities. Complete Story  
 
Grand Canyon National Park - South Carolina man dies in Colorado River(June 11) - Park Rangers from Grand Canyon National Park recovered the body of 39 year-old James J. Waring Jr., of Lexington, South Carolina yesterday following a boating accident on the Colorado River. Mr. Waring was part of a six person private river trip that launched from Lees Ferry on Sunday, June 5 with a scheduled take out at Pearce Ferry on June 22. Early reports indicate that the group of six was traversing Hance Rapid at River Mile 76, when one of two row boats, carrying three people, flipped. One person swam to shore, a second was able to stay with the boat and eventually make it back to shore, and the third, Mr. Waring, was carried down river. Complete Story
 
Free Fly Fishing Workshops on the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway(June 10) - Free fly fishing workshops will be held the weekend of June 11 and 12 at William O'Brien and Minnesota Interstate State Parks.The workshops are led by Park Ranger John Weinberg and volunteers from the Federation of Fly Fishers. Complete Story
 
Yosemite National Park Unveils New Exhibit to Feature Early Visitor Photographs, Prints, and Artifacts(June 5) - A new exhibit entitled "Views & Visitors: The Yosemite Experience in the Early 20th Century," will open to the public on Wednesday, June 8, 2011. It will run until October 31, 2011. The exhibit will be in the Yosemite Valley Museum (adjacent to the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center) and will feature photographs, prints, artifacts and ephemera from Yosemite's early years. An Opening Reception will be held at the Yosemite Valley Museum on Tuesday, June 7, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. There is no cost to attend and food and drink will be served. Complete Story
   
Missing Lake Mead Boater Presumed Drowned, Identified(June 5) - The National Park Service has concluded its search and rescue efforts for the missing boater on Lake Mead and will transition to a search and recovery operation tomorrow. The missing man who is now presumed drowned is identified as Ruben Aguirre-Martinez, 38, of Las Vegas. Complete Story

Zion National Park and the Zion Lodge(May 25) - Zion Lodge offers a combination of cabins and motor lodge rooms, all of which we have found to be quite nice. A major remodeling of the 40 cabins has just been completed. Xanterra replaced carpeting with fir floors, installed custom-made furniture manufactured by an Indiana company that has a long history of making furniture for national parks, and contracted with Pendleton Woolen Mills to recreate blankets and draperies based on historical photographs. Complete Story
 
Who Should Pay For National Park Rescues?(May 25) - A recent search for two lost skiers at Grand Teton National Park cost $115,000. Should people who take part in riskier outdoor sports help pay for rescue operations? Complete Story

Jack Potter, 'conscience' of Glacier National Park, retires after 41 years(May 24) - Friends, colleagues and fellow conservationists call him the conscience of Glacier National Park, a fitting term of endearment for a somewhat unlikely candidate, particularly given Jack Potter’s humble beginnings. He started his career with the National Park Service scraping dishes at a Many Glacier café and, having achieved the mantle of leadership over the next 41 years, helped shape some of the most influential resource protection policies of his time. Complete Story
 
Yellowstone National Park and Its Super Volcano(May 23) - The nation's oldest park is also one of the most studied. The interest is not just in it's amazing vistas and wildlife, but in the volcanic beast below the park. Yellowstone sits atop one of the world's biggest, active volcanoes, one capable of laying waste to much of north America. Complete Story

Grand Canyon - Body retrieved from 700 feet below canyon rim(May 22) - The body of a young man recovered from below the rim on Friday, May 6, in Grand Canyon National Park, has been identified as that of 24-year old Robert Watson of White Plains, New York. The body was discovered by a search team on April 25. Due to the inaccessible nature of the terrain, extensive planning and twenty-five personnel were needed to recover the body which was located almost 700 feet below the rim. Complete Story

First Ever "National Kids to Park Day" This Weekend(May 21) - As a nation we have a special day to take our children to work. Now, with the help of National Park Trust, children will be treated to a weekend experience -National Kids to Parks Day on May 21st – a nationwide park play-in to promote healthy lifestyles and foster an appreciation for America's magnificent national, state and local parks. Complete Story

Pacific Fisher Den Found in Yosemite National Park(May 20) - Yosemite National Park is home to more than 400 species of animals, including a number of species that qualify for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The park provides habitat for a wide variety of wildlife due to its undisturbed ecosystems in the Central Sierra Nevada. Wildlife species in Yosemite range from aquatic invertebrates to large mammals. Complete Story
 
Bald Eagle Nesting Areas Protected in Voyageurs National Park(May 16) - Voyageurs National Park biologists conducted the 39th consecutive spring aerial bald eagle nesting survey (1973-2011) to determine the number and location of nesting bald eagle pairs on April 19, 2011. Seventy-five (75) nests were surveyed. Adult pairs were observed incubating at 37 nests compared to 30 in 2010, 38 in 2009, 29 in 2008, 30 in 2006, 26 in 2004 and 2005, and 20 pairs in 1999. Complete Story
 
Climber dies after falling into crevasse on Mount Rainier(May 11) - A 33-year-old climber died after skiing into a crevasse Tuesday on Mount Rainier, according to a news release from Mount Rainier National Park. Tucker Taffe was on the Nisqually Glacier at about 13,2000 feet Tuesday morning with three others, said park spokeswoman Patti Wold. He fell 100-150 feet, she estimated. Complete Story

Shenandoah National Park celebrates 75 years with a trivia contest(May 11) -Quick: The nation's densest population of what large mammal lives here? What U.S. president had a summer White House here? Where's the one spot in Virginia that sells legal moonshine? Complete Story

Missing hikers found safe in Zion National Park(May 10) - Two hikers who were listed as missing in Zion National Park have been found. Evgenia Buzulukova, 25 from Roy, Utah and Jonathon Wilson, 28 from Portland, Oregon, were located in the Left Fork of North Creek (The Subway) on April 19, at approximately 10 p.m. in safe and stable condition. The two eventually reached a point in The Subway where the very high and cold water conditions were such that they did not think it was safe to continue. They decided to wait at this spot for help from other hikers who may be in The Subway. Complete Story

Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Exhibits and Signage Unveiled in Georgia(May 9) - Unveiling ceremonies were held on April 12, 2011, for the first set of exhibits to tell the story of Cherokee removal camps along the Trail of Tears. During the summer of 1838, hundreds of Cherokee in northwest Georgia were forced from their homes and taken to the Cedar Town removal camp. There they waited to be moved to camps in Tennessee, and then to begin their walk to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. Complete Story
 
Thousands of downed trees close trails in Smokies(May 6) - On the North Carolina-Tennessee line, more than 20 miles of trails and a number of campsites in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are closed because of extensive tree damage from tornadoes that ripped through the area. Park officials have closed trails to Abrams Falls, the Ace Gap Trail, Hatcher Mountain Trail, Rabbit Creek Trail and portions of Hannah Mountain and Little Bottoms trails. Horse riders also are barred from trails at Abrams Falls and Abrams Creek Ranger Station because of the downed trees.
 
Scalpers flipping Yosemite reservations(May 6) - Ticket scalping is a crass reality for the Giants, the Lakers and Lady Gaga, but here's a hotbed of price-gouging you may have missed: Yosemite National Park. Campsite reservations and permits to scale Half Dome have become such hot commodities that the National Park Service is scrambling to halt the auctioning of park access to the highest bidder. Complete Story
 
Yellowstone hopes to release bison back into park for summer(May 4) - The fate of more than 600 bison is still in question after they were captured wandering north of Yellowstone National Park. The captured bison are being held in holding facilities near Gardiner. "We're at a point where we want to release a test group of bison and monitor what they do on the landscape. That will help us decide what kind of strategy to move forward with in the coming days," park spokesman Al Nash said. Complete Story

Climber dies after ice fall in Denali National Park(May 3) - Ice cascading down Ruth Gorge killed a Lower 48 climber early Thursday, according to the National Park Service. The man was alone in his tent when the large piece of ice tumbled down around 1 a.m. and he died hours later while being flown off the mountain in the park's high-altitude helicopter. The National Park Service declined to release the name of the dead climber, pending notification of next of kin. After completing a climb up 10,300-foot Moose's Tooth, not far from Mount McKinley, two climbing parties including the climber who perished were camped on what's known as Root Canal, a glacier landing strip and camping area directly south of the challenging peak. Complete Story

Mountain guides provide a helping hand on McKinley at a hefty price(May 2) - May 1 is the traditional opening for climbing season on Mount McKinley, North America’s highest peak. Thousands of climbers from around the world will com to Alaska to take a stab at setting foot on its summit. Each man or woman who tries will have a different experience, and each will come away with a unique story. In this piece, we examine the costs of guiding services. Complete Story

Retired teacher killed in fall at Grand Canyon National Park(May 1) - A woman killed in a fall Thursday afternoon in Grand Canyon National Park was identified Saturday as Barbara Evert, 78, of Englewood. Members of the family told that Evert was an avid climber and the former director of the Colorado Mountain Club climbing school in Golden. Evert reportedly also had been a teacher at Englewood High School.Park rangers reported that a woman lost her footing and fell 100 to 140 feet. She suffered head injuries and died at the scene, they said.  
  
National Park News 2011
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec