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National Park Mystery Photo 25: No Carpenter Nearby

Jul 21st - 11:26am | Bob Janiskee

This mystery photo was taken at the Cowboy Camp in Canyonlands National Park. Congratulations to Amy for providing the correct answer - and very quickly, too. Kudos to Catherine for honoring Amy's point. Be sure to check back with Traveler tomorrow for more details about the Cowboy Camp. BTW, I was with Kurt when he took this photo.

Jul 21st - 10:23am | Catherine

Canyonlands?

Jul 21st - 10:21am | Matt W

Is it Bryce Canyon?

Jul 21st - 07:43am | Amy

Canyonlands! Cave Spring Hike in the Needles section.

Jul 21st - 05:58am | Bob Janiskee

Not Pipe Springs, Peg.

Jul 21st - 04:16am | peg

Pipe Springs National Monument in Northwest Arizona, i think.

Reader Participation Day: California, or Utah, For A National Park Trek?

Jul 21st - 11:06am | MRC

I agree with Bob. California is it for the diversity. The Utah parks are spectacular, the sandstone formations of Arches are defying gravity like nothing else I've ever seen. The lush green Zion canyon in the desert and mountain surroundings is a miracle. Capitol Reef lets you see the stratification of the rocks that makes all the features of the Colorado Plateau possible.

Jul 21st - 10:59am | Blackfeet Dreamer

For a true road trip, Utah hands down. Sometimes it seems a chore getting around California. With Utah it's like you are driving through a continuous national park on the way to the National Parks. There's no down time! And you have a feeling that you are in a place that is truely unlike anywhere else on Earth.

Jul 21st - 10:36am | y_p_w

Uh - Redwood National Park. ;) I haven't even been to all the national parks in California, although I've been looking for an excuse to make it to Redwood NP.

Jul 21st - 10:34am | Anonymous

If you have a couple of weeks, visit both areas. We took a road trip in May from our home near Kansas City to the west coast. We stopped at parks in several states: Fossil Butte, Golden Spike, Great Basin, Pt. Reyes, Muir Woods, Golden Gate, San Francisco Maritime, Pinnacles, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Death Valley, Lake Mead, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Arches.

Jul 21st - 10:24am | Sandpiper59

We have been to both CA and UT parks. It depends on the time of year. Traveling in the fall after the kids are back in school and college has started, I would choose CA. The crowds at Yosemite and other parks in California in the summer really detract from the experience. If you can travel in the fall or winter, there is nothing like Yosemite with little to no other visitors.

Jul 21st - 10:15am | JoAnna

If forced to choose, I would go Utah. I could go to Utah's parks over and over again without ever being bored.

Jul 21st - 10:09am | Alaska Bill

Why not both? I'm now heading into week six of a twelve week trek to the Parks of Colorado, Utah, California and Nevada.

Jul 21st - 09:47am | Keith Duke

I've been to both on many occassions and I keep going back to Utah. The beauty is breath taking and don't forget about Grand Canyon North Rim, Natural Bridges, Zion, Bryce and my personal favorite is Arches which is right across the street from Canyonlands and then you have the salt flats.

Jul 21st - 09:20am | Bob Janiskee

This is my personal opinion, not that of the Traveler. California is a miniature United States. It's just plain unfair to pit the national parks of a smaller, substantially less diversified state like Utah against California's parks. I absolutely love the Utah parks; in fact, I visited five of them as recently as two months ago.

Jul 21st - 08:44am | Gaelyn

Was just in Utah at Cedar Breaks NM, not on your list of parks of course. Went there to escape the heat. During hot weather there's quite a few parks on both these lists I might try to avoid. Yet it would still be a tough decision between the two states. Guess I'd just go for both.

Jul 21st - 08:19am | Lee Dalton

Of all the many states I've visited and lived in, Utah has far more variety and greater overall scenic wonders than any other. It's really "Life Elevated" if you can just ignore the insanity of our legislators.

Jul 21st - 08:18am | Janine Smith

For me it's Utah. The state has so much to offer in five national parks that are so close together. You can even add the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to a trip there. They are all amazing!

Jul 21st - 08:14am | Jon

Why choose? Visit them all!

Jul 21st - 07:54am | sue stickles

I live just outside Yosemite, and plan to go there again this week. Sequoia is my favorite, though both redwoods, kings canyon, and lassen are nice. Channel Islands is one I hope to get to soon. That said, I have been to Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion and they are all terrific. I just want to go back and visit them one at a time instead of all within a week.

Jul 21st - 06:58am | upsouth

Having done both I will have to say: Utah. Shorter distances between all of the parks and you can can add in Monument Valley with just a short detour across the state line. Yosemite and Death Valley were beautiful and extreme but it seemed like every corner you turned in Utah revealed a new wonder.

Jul 21st - 06:07am | Lawrence

Simple. Last year we traveled Utah. This year we travel California. Can't wait for Yosemite. It's been 37 long years.

Glacier National Park Visitor Pulls .357 On "Weird" White-Tailed Deer

Jul 21st - 10:49am | Former Park Ranger

The simple discharge of a firearm in a National Park is not a felony category crime and since the act was not committed in the presence of, or observed by a peace officer, issuing a citation for that discharge would not be legal. Only felony acts not committed in an officer’s presence maybe acted upon by a peace officer.

The World's Top Ten National Parks

Jul 21st - 07:09am | Yong Naturelover

And Pumalin Park in Chile? agred, it's more or less a private park, but big (2.500 sqkm) and pristine. doesn't it deserve to be in the top 10 , and if not, why ?

Bona fide Deal or Bailout? Should the NPS Acquire Grant's Farm near St. Louis?

Jul 20th - 23:05pm | Anonymous

As a St. Louis resident I can assure you that the Busch family is not in need of a bailout. They received billions when the company was sold to In-Bev. As the family seems to have lots of conflicts perhaps they see this as a way to keep the property in tact and as a public resource. Under the Busch family the company was as good a corporate partner as one could ever want.

Jul 20th - 22:42pm | Cornell

No, definitely not. This not what most people associate with Ulysses S Grant.

Jul 20th - 16:51pm | Anonymous

Some 20 years ago the National Parks Conservation Association recommended part of the old Anheuser-Busch brewery in St Louis as a potential national historic site. That might be more appropriate and feasible, especially with corporate support. Agree in any event that the farm should not be added as is to the National Park System.

Jul 20th - 14:55pm | Bogator

I don't know if Grant's Farm is the type of attraction that merits NPS designation, but as to the Busch's being involved with zoos, don't forget Busch Gardens Tampa, which as been operating as a zoo since the late '50's. The family was very involved with Busch Gardens, especially in the early days. So to say that they are not zoo people is not quite correct.

Jul 20th - 14:20pm | Scott F

What if they got rid of the animals and made the big house some kind of museum and make the whole park sort of a walking /bike riding thing, it's already got paved roads through the park (and it is right next to a great bike trail). Then tie the park park in with Ulyssess site across the street.

Jul 20th - 12:04pm | Anonymous

Grant's Farm does not meet the criteria for inclusion in any national park plans. It would also be an unacceptable drain on taxpayers. The family obviously wants the NPS, and taxpayers, to bail them out. To their credit though, it does sound like a nice family place to visit, so I would like it to be kept running.

Jul 20th - 09:27am | MikeD

Yes, I definitely agree that the park service shouldn't be running a zoo. In fact, St. Louis has a zoo, which, very similarly, is free but charges a hefty parking fee and will get you with food and gift shops. Maybe this could be a "satellite" zoo and transferred to the city.

Jul 20th - 03:38am | MRC

My mental image of Ulysses S. Grant is not connected with farming, so the significance of this site for the commemoration of the president seems to be pretty weak. The Busch family is about brewing, not about a zoo. The Barnums might justify a zoo, but not the Buschs.

Possible Wolf Spotted in Rocky Mountain National Park

Jul 20th - 22:30pm | Chip Thomas

On Sunday July 11, 2010 my wife and I were driving back from a hike at Cub Lake in RMNP and spotted what we believed to be a wolf running up the hill near the Moraine Park Museum. The animal looked exactly as described by Marie Maloney in her posting on July 15, 2010. It was not the typical longer, thinner legged coyote that we have seen before.

Fishing, Boating, Surfing, Permits Available for Gateway National Recreation Area Beginning Feb. 1

Jul 20th - 20:56pm | R. Ott

I was very disappointed to find out Gateway discontinued the off road surfing permits for the Breezy Point tip this year, now with a surfing permit you have to park in the fishermans lot and walk miles to access the point and one of the best surf breaks in the area. In 2009 we enjoyed parking in the sand lot and surfing the uncroweded, natural beach break at Breezy.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Agrees Whitebark Pine Trees Might Need ESA Protection

Jul 20th - 19:04pm | Anonymous

David and Sylvia,

Jul 20th - 11:06am | Sylvia Fallon

Thanks, Kurt, for this great article. To further address anonymous' question I would just add that the excerpt anonymous has cited refers to lodgepole pine and spruce-fir which have historically seen many mountain pine beetle outbreaks. Outbreaks in whitebark pine's range have been rare and occurred during brief warming periods in the past.

Jul 20th - 11:02am | David G.

Anonymous, your Veblen quote discusses A) the state of Colorado, which includes very little, if any, Whitebark, and B) lodgepole pine and spruce, which are very different from Whitebark Pine.

Jul 20th - 10:43am | Janet

Anonymous,

Jul 20th - 08:38am | Kurt Repanshek

Anonymous, all I'll suggest is that you read the papers I referenced, some of which touch on your concerns.

Jul 20th - 08:32am | Anonymous

Then how do they explain the outbreaks in the 1940s, in 1909, and even prior to the twentieth century. According to Veblen in a publication published under the auspices of Colorado State University, The University of Idaho, The Colorado State Forest Service and The Colorado Forest Restoration Institute:

Jul 20th - 08:18am | Kurt Repanshek

Anonymous, I've read through a lot of scientific papers, and the authors always seem to couch their conclusions with many qualifiers so as to stop short of agreeing 100 percent on something. With that said....Attached to the story at the following link is NRDC's petition, and it references various studies.

Jul 20th - 07:51am | Anonymous

Kurt - Could you site the specific scientific study that has conclusively tied the spread of the mountain pine beetle to climate change.

Body of Missing Oklahoma Man Found in Yellowstone National Park

Jul 20th - 15:25pm | Sandpiper59

I am so sorry that he chose to end his life this way. He served our country and for that we should all be grateful. No matter what led him to this choice, he deserves our respect for his service to our country. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

Judge Tosses Personal Watercraft Rules at Gulf Islands National Seashore, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Jul 20th - 13:19pm | Dave

I just took my family on a PWC tour of pictured rocks on July 10. An excellent trip. We were the only PWC's to be seen. There were a few other private boats (2 to 3) as well as tour ships.

Man Who Poached Elk in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Receives Jail Time, Heavy Fine

Jul 20th - 12:50pm | Roger

His hunting license should have been revoked permanently. But, he was already hunting illegally so I doubt the loss of a license will do much good. Losing is autographed rifle hurts a lot more.

Independent Review Calls on National Park Service To Bolster Its Natural Resource Stewardship and Science

Jul 20th - 12:07pm | Rob Mutch

Absolutely! the NRSS should have a MUCH larger role in the NPS....science, front and center. As time passes, there is only going to be more and more pressure on the parks.

Update: SPOT To The Rescue: Hiker With Broken Leg Summons Help With SPOT

Jul 20th - 11:30am | Mr. Incredible

Yeah, actually. I rented one from them a couple of weeks ago with good results.

Teamwork Pays Off in Three Mass Casualty Incidents at Great Smoky Mountains NP

Jul 20th - 08:47am | Pigeon Forge Ca...

Our prayers go out to all of the people involved in the accidents. We are very thankful for the emergency response teams that worked diligently to take care of the accidents.

Was This the Most Environmentally Insensitive Movie Ever Filmed in a National Park?

Jul 20th - 06:01am | Bob Janiskee

That one is easy to answer, Kolby. Since using an inert substance is cheaper and easier than using dangerous chemicals, there is no doubt that the film crew used an inert substance.

National Park Quiz 84: Ringer II

Jul 20th - 05:15am | Bob Janiskee

I agree that this item could have been worded better, Anon, so I've edited it and written an explanation that gives both Bellefontaine and Detroit their due. Let me know if the weaselspeak is too much for you to bear. :o)

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