National Parks Traveler

Aztec Ruins and the River of Lost Souls may sound like a title for the next Indiana Jones movie, but these are real places that you can visit—and you won't even need a passport or a hyper-active spirit of adventure. One small disclaimer is in order: The Aztecs had no connection with these impressive remains of a long-departed civilization.

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By Jim Burnett - January 23rd, 2009 9:53pm

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Post-Inauguration Facts and Figures from the NPS – but Don't Expect a Crowd Estimate

The Big Day on the National Mall has come and gone, thankfully without major incidents. The National Park Service has compiled a few behind-the-scenes facts and figures, but contrary to published reports, there won't be an official estimate of the crowd from that agency.

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By Jim Burnett - January 23rd, 2009 11:37am

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Secretary Salazar Mulls Reopening Top of Statue of Liberty

Is it time to reopen Miss Liberty's crown to the general public? Interior Secretary Ken Salazar thinks so.

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By Kurt Repanshek - January 24th, 2009 9:06am

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A Major Overhaul at Ford's Theatre National Historic Site Raises a Few Eyebrows

Ford's Theatre National Historic Site in Washington, D.C. is completing major renovations just in time for the celebration of the Lincoln Bicentennial next month. Part of an ambitious $50 million project to create an expanded "Lincoln Campus," the scope of the work has raised eyebrows among some history buffs.

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By Jim Burnett - January 22nd, 2009 12:21pm

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Interior Secretary Salazar Uses the "S" Word On Second Day at the Office

Well, they're tossing the "s" word around at Interior again. You know, the "s" word. "Science." Let's see if they pay closer attention to it than the old administration.

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By Kurt Repanshek - January 22nd, 2009 7:11pm

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Don't Try this At Home: Driver's Life Saved By Vegetation and Ledge at Colorado National Monument

Every now and then, you have to thank your lucky stars. That, no doubt, is what's going through the mind of a Colorado man who narrowly avoided serious injury, if not certain death, at Colorado National Monument.

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By Kurt Repanshek - January 22nd, 2009 5:40pm

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It's Not Too Early To Start Planning This Summer's National Park Vacation

Sure, the calendar says January, there's a lot of snow out there across the country, and you haven't even thought about filing your income taxes. But it's still not too early to begin planning your national park vacation for this summer.

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By Kurt Repanshek - January 22nd, 2009 11:07am

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Freeze On New Regs Could Impact Efforts to Expand Mountain Biking in National Parks

A freeze on new regulations proposed in the waning days of the Bush administration puts in limbo a number of rules and actions that affect national parks. One pending rule, for instance, could expand mountain biking in the parks.

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By Kurt Repanshek - January 21st, 2009 4:44pm

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Fatal Glider Crash at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Additional details are becoming available about the recent tragic crash of a glider at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

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By Jim Burnett - January 21st, 2009 2:35pm

National Park Foundation Loses Its Honorary Chairperson

The departure of George and Laura Bush from Washington left a hole at the top of the National Park Foundation. Laura Bush, you see, had been its honorary chairperson.