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Reader Participation Day: What Would You Like To See On National Park Websites?

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Published Date

May 25, 2011

What information do you think should be on the homepage of every national park website?

Some of the first websites folks head to to research national park matters are, of course, those run by the National Park Service. What suggestions would you make to the agency to improve its sites?

Is there any specific information you think should be on the homepage of each park's site?

The look and feel of each website is the same, well almost the same.  Some are missing information that I'd like to see on every website, preferably in a clear accessible corner, not three levels deep.

For instance:

*  When did the unit become part of the NPS system? Some parks proudly proclaim it - the Smokies 1934. For others, it's very difficult even when talking to rangers and volunteers at the site. There's always an official day, even if the unit had a convoluted history.
 
* Who is the current superintendent of the park? I like to put a face and a name to the park.
 
* Where is the park located? Just an idea of the state (s) and which corner. This might not be important for large, iconic parks, but for small units it would be helpful to see quickly if your road trip passes close to the park.

What suggestions would you pass on to the Park Service's webmeisters?

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Comments

Submitted by admin on May 25, 2011 - 11:10am.

Legible maps when downloaded for .pdf files; when a whole park is crowded on one page it is very difficult to read.  Also, lots and lots of webcams!


Submitted by Badge529 on May 25, 2011 - 12:33pm.

Lodging, camping and better map access.


Submitted by admin on May 25, 2011 - 1:12pm.

A list of all "units" for multi-unit parks (such as Jean Lafitte).

As a pertinent aside, the NPS website is frustratingly difficult to use and too often down for maintenance. I've been trying for two days to get information on a particular unit but the webpage has been down for updating all that time. And the links to testimony regarding legislation don't work half the time either. So raspberries all around.


Submitted by admin on May 25, 2011 - 1:18pm.

A list of all units of multi-unit sites.

Ironically, after venting about the difficulty of using the NPS website--often down for maintenance, bad links, removed pages--the Traveler website wouldn't let me post (the captcha is too difficult in event the moderators haven't been told this enough.


Submitted by admin on May 25, 2011 - 1:31pm.

1. Photos.  Most parks now have the "Photos and Multimedia" link on the left, but they do not all use this...

2. Webcams!  Glacier NP has a whole page of these.

3. Jobs.  The park could easily at a minimum, explain that park jobs are listed on usajobs.gov and provide a link.  Or even better, they could actually list current positions w/such links.

4. Links to their Facebook pages (for the few parks that maintain FB pages) - and for those who don't have FB pages, they should add them!

5. Trivia!  Park trivia would be fabulous, and then we could download it and take it on our road trip to the park to learn more about it...


Submitted by admin on May 25, 2011 - 1:53pm.

I'd like for all the Parks to consistently show statistics, such as park acreage and average visitation as well as number of miles of park roadways and hiking trails.


Submitted by admin on May 25, 2011 - 2:04pm.

Oh, and the range in altitude for each unit would be nice, minimum elevation from sea level to highest elevation.

In other words, all this geographical & tourist info that can be researched online to be in one concise place at nps.gov for every unit.  That would be awesome.


Submitted by admin on May 25, 2011 - 2:09pm.

Have something like Google Maps where you can pick a spot and see the view from there, and take a virtual tour. Mainly, though, I'd like up-to-date weather, such as Accuweather or Weather.com provides.


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