Hurricane Milton's rapid growth into a Class 5 hurricane has National Park System units in Florida and bracing for a direct hit from the storm packing 175 mph winds and heavy rains.
Though its been part of the National Park System since 1933, when President Herbert Hoover designated it as a national monument, later this month Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado will mark 25 years as a national park.
A canyoneer fell to his death near the exit of Heaps Canyon at Zion National Park, in Utah. Three other canyoneers were rescued in a joint operation with the Utah Department of Public Safety.
Attempts by commercial vehicles to cross Great Smoky Mountains National Park via the Newfound Gap Road, and accidents involving some that tried, have prompted the National Park Service to close the road overnight.
De Soto National Memorial, still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Helene, is directly in the path of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to reach Florida on Wednesday as a major hurricane.