National Parks Traveler

Spruce Flat Falls is one of the hidden gems of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The hike is about a mile each way, not too rugged, but with a bit of a climb. The trail passes through a thicket of Mountain Laurel, which will be in bloom the first week or two in May. It's also a wonderful spot for photography.

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By William Britten - April 19th, 2011 2:22am

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The National Parks, Our American Landscape

If the cover photo of The National Parks, Our American Landscape, doesn't encourage you to call in sick and head into the national parks, well, perhaps one of the hundreds of other images inside this book will.

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By Kurt Repanshek - April 19th, 2011 2:16am

10 Best of Everything, National Parks

In a catchall bid to categorize the national parks, the staff at National Geographic has a new book for you just in time for National Park Week. 10 Best Everything, National Parks, is a book of lists, with the parks as a backdrop for those lists.

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By Kurt Repanshek - April 18th, 2011 2:31am

Essay Contest Winners View National Parks as "America At Her Best," Cite Need For Preservation, Benefits For Kids

Why national parks need to be preserved, how they reflect "America at her best," and how parks benefit kids were the themes expressed by the winners of the Traveler's first Take Your Family to the National Parks essay contest.

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By Kurt Repanshek - April 18th, 2011 2:16am

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Essay Winner: 13-Year-Old Spencer Sablan on Why President Obama Should Protect The National Parks

In the 12-15 age bracket, Spencer Sablan, of Las Vegas, Nevada, took up the challenge of writing President Obama to urge him to preserve the National Park System for all it offers visitors.

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By Kurt Repanshek - April 18th, 2011 2:15am

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Essay Winner: 17-Year-Old R.J. Huber On How To Address Threats To National Parks

In his essay in the high school division, R.J. Huber, 17, of Cincinnati, Ohio, cited threats he sees to the National Park System and proposed solutions to counter them.

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By Kurt Repanshek - April 18th, 2011 2:15am

Essay Winner: 11-Year-Old Marion Watson On Why National Parks Are Good For Kids

In addressing the value of national parks to kids, 11-year-old Marion Watson, of Petoskey, Michigan, not only drew colorful imagery with her essay, but wrote it on paper she decorated with colorful birds and flowers.

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By Kurt Repanshek - April 18th, 2011 2:14am

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Just How Healthy Is National Park Food For You?

Hiking in a national park certainly is good for your health, but did you ever wonder whether that meal you purchased in the park was offsetting the benefits of that hike? In a bid to help you judge, the National Park Service is working to determine just how nutritious meals purchased in the parks are.