You are here

Home » Traveler's View

Traveler's View

Traveler's View: Has The Golden Age Of National Parks Slipped Away While We Weren't Watching?

Is it just a pandemic phase we're going through, or has the golden age of national parks slipped away while we struggled with reservations for camping and even entering parks, when the Instagram age has made photos seemingly more important than experiences in the parks, and when a Facebook page that tracks the "dumb, dangerous, illegal, and what-where-they-thinking exploits" of Yellowstone National Park gained traction?

Traveler's View: Interior Needs To Stand Up For Big Cypress National Preserve

For too long Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida has been treated akin to a sacrificial lamb by the National Park Service and Interior Department, as decisions on issues such as wilderness designation and oil exploration have gone against the Park Service's prime directive, which is to preserve nature for future generation's enjoyment.

Traveler's View: Study Air Tour Management Plans Carefully

Though we had paddled halfway down Yellowstone Lake into an area of Yellowstone National Park that is managed as wilderness and where it would take you a day or more to reach on foot, we hadn't entirely escaped the 21st century. From time to time throughout our five days on the lake the throb of planes fell down upon us from high overhead.

Traveler's View: Biden Administration Should Block Big Cypress Oil Drilling

Whoever is confirmed as Interior secretary for the Biden administration should shut down Burnett Oil Co.'s plans to drill for oil in Big Cypress National Preserve and bring an end to any new prospecting or drilling in the biologically diverse and ecologically vital park in South Florida.

Traveler's View: Big Cypress National Preserve Drilling Plan Needs EIS

Once the Biden administration has a Senate-confirmed Interior secretary, that person needs to see that the National Park Service conducts an environmental impact statement, not a less rigorous environmental assessment, on the current plans to drill for oil in Big Cypress National Preserve.

Traveler's View: There's No Need For Mountain Bike Trails At Great Smoky Mountains

Is there really a need for 13 miles of mountain bike trails, with more asphalt and supporting infrastructure, to be cut into an undisturbed section of the Foothills Parkway at Great Smoky Mountains National Park? How would the "experience of riding a narrow roller-coaster with a rhythm of twists and turns" enhance the visitor experience at this wondrous realm of nature?

Traveler's View: The National Park Service Shouldn't Weaken Sea Turtle Science

The National Park Service should strive to protect a critically endangered species, educate the public, and contribute to research into species such as the Kemp's ridley sea turtle, not diminish the Sea Turtle Science and Recovery Program at Padre Island National Seashore.

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.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

FREE for iPhones and Android phones.