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Exploring the Parks

2018 Year In Review: Exploring The Parks

This year took National Parks Traveler contributors to parks – near and far, big and small – that showcase the diversity and history of our planet. The Traveler took readers to Chile, Portugal, and Tanzania. A little closer to home, follow a daring journey into Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska, which, at 13.2 million acres, is the largest national park in the United States, or tag along with Jim Stratton on his trip to smaller, lesser-known units of the National Park System.

Experience Winter, Minnesota Style, At Voyageurs National Park

Winter is a cold, snowy, and decidedly solitary season at Voyageurs National Park, where fellow visitors can be hard to spot. Take December 2017, for instance. The park recorded just 110 visitors, down from 196 a year earlier. But if you relish skimming through the woods on skis or snowmobiles, like to study tracks of what crossed the meadows and frozen ponds, or crave to see the dancing Northern Lights overhead, well, a visit to Voyageurs should be given serious consideration.

Exploring The Dune Shacks Of Peaked Hill Bars Historic District At Cape Cod National Seashore

Remnants of the past, of poets and artists who sought the stark inspiration offered by isolating, windswept dunes on the outer beaches of Cape Cod, stand weathered gray. Some appear wobbly and are almost hidden by their embracing dunes, while others stand atop the hills of sand with sweeping views out into the Atlantic.

Fall Spectacular: What's That Sound? Where To Listen To -- And Look For -- Wildlife In The National Parks

In the fall, animals and birds prepare for winter. Bears eat constantly to fatten up before they slow down. Many birds are already on their migration path. Elk and other ungulates are preparing for the mating ritual, the rut. Take a look -- or stop and listen -- in many national parks this fall and you'll catch a glimpse of this autumnal spectacular.

The Lock And Dam Bring A New Perspective To An Old River

The citizens of Minneapolis are coming together to give new life to the riverfront along the Mighty Mississippi. Nearby, old mills are now museums, warehouses are co-op apartments, light transit abounds, and pedestrians walk new trails. This bustling metropolis is looking towards the river, knowing that in order to preserve historic structures in historic areas that have outlived their usefulness, you have to give them new life with a new purpose.

Fall Spectacular: Fall Colors From a National Park Lodge

A disadvantage of living in South Georgia is the scarcity of fall colors as the days grow cooler and the nights become longer. The glorious reds, bright yellows, and vivid oranges produced by oaks, maples, cottonwoods, sumac, and other broadleaved trees and shrubs are in short supply where we live. Having both grown up in the Midwest, we miss the changing of the colors during the fall seasons.

Exploring The Parks: When Fall Comes To Denali National Park

Autumn is a spectacular time to visit Denali National Park. The alpine and subalpine tundra at higher elevations gleam with fall color by mid- to late-August. The taiga at lower elevations is aglow in reds by early September, a time when the aspen and balsam poplar near the park entrance turn brilliant yellow and gold.

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