Exploring the Parks

Tracing 17th-Century Spain's “Royal Road of the Interior Lands"

During the 17th century, Spanish explorers cut the Royal Road of Interior Lands in the Southwest. Our intrepid reporter takes to the route today to see where it leads.

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By Barbara 'Bo' Jensen - August 2nd, 2024 12:56pm

Cumberland Gap, the Cleft Between North and South

Scenery and history come together at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, which preserves a western passageway cut by Daniel Boone and fought over during the Civil War.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 2nd, 2024 12:59pm

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Mount Rainier National Park, By Any Other Name...

Changing the name of a national park is no easy thing, indeed, it might be impossible. Proof of that can be found in the four fruitless efforts to rename Mount Rainier National Park as Mount Tacoma National Park.

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By Kurt Repanshek - June 12th, 2024 2:30am

On The Ground On The Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Somewhere in the ten miles from the visitor center at Mississippi National River and Recreation Area in St. Paul, Minnesota, across the river to Minneapolis, I crossed an invisible line. It would have risen like a wall of ice, perhaps a mile high, just 15,000 years ago – a line demarcating the extent of the last glaciation.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 2nd, 2024 1:03pm

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Diving Into The Parks With Brett Seymour

It's been said that the night skies are the other half of the National Park System. Well, maybe it should be viewed as one "third," with another third being the surface of the park system and another the underwater resources.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 1st, 2024 2:21am

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Three Days In And Around Badlands National Park

You could be excused if you only chose to spend a couple of hours touring Badlands National Park from your car, since there aren’t many trails and most of what you can see is from the road and overlooks. That would be a shame, though, because there is plenty to do in and around Badlands for a good three-day stay.

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By Rebecca Latson - May 20th, 2024 1:29pm

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Fly Specialists Converge To Name Hundreds Of Smokies Specimens

Flies pester you as you walk through Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and recent studies have demonstrated just how many species of flies you might encounter on your hike.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 9th, 2024 4:16pm

Fossils Telling Stories Across The National Park System

Thirty-two-million years after a saber-tooth cat stalked prey on the landscape known today as Badlands National Park, a 7-year-old girl working for her latest Junior Ranger badge spotted the animal's fossilized skull protruding from a hillside.

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By Kurt Repanshek - October 16th, 2024 5:35pm

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The Sinagua —The People Without Water

They have been called the Sinagua – The People Without Water. Spanish explorers referred to this region as Sierra Sin Agua, “mountains without water,” and archaeologists adopted the name.

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By Barbara 'Bo' Jensen - October 1st, 2024 12:40pm

The Land Of Standing Up Rocks

The namesakes of this place are disturbingly absent, their names erased. Yet, the trails somehow bring the Chiricahua leaders to mind, as if, according to Apache mysticism and worldview, the land itself still tells their stories.

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By Barbara 'Bo' Jensen - November 20th, 2024 2:17pm

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INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

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

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.