The National Park Service has a new app that's intended to cover all the units of the National Park System, but that's a tall order for parks that lack staff to provide robust content.

Straddling the highway at the eastern entrance to Riding Mountain National Park, a truss bridge made of hand-hewn logs and local stones featuring turret-like cupolas set on twin kiosks transports you to the 1930s and the early days of Canada’s national parks system. The gateway makes some people feel like they’re living the scene from Jurassic Park when the awestruck main characters first pass through a massive gate to an island theme park.

There was no getting into remote Auyuittuq National Park when I landed in Pangnirtung in that awkward stage of early winter when it’s cold and dark most of the day but the sea and river ice hasn’t fully frozen so it’s not safe to boat or snowmobile.

A new reservation system, reduced lodging space, and incredible demand combined to overwhelm Forever Resorts' reservation system for Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim of the national park.