National Parks Traveler

Fall hiking in the East conjures immediate thoughts of Acadia National Park in Maine, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, or Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. All three are justly famous for fall color, have hundreds of miles of hiking trails…and lots of traffic on the roads, especially on autumn weekends.

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By Jim Burnett - August 25th, 2013 2:35am

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Though Still Going Strong At 93, Seasonal Ranger At Glacier National Park Thinking About Retiring

At 93-years-old, Glacier National Park Ranger Lyle Ruterbories is contemplating retirement from his seasonal position at Kintla Lake Campground, but isn’t quite ready to make it official.

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By NPT Staff - August 25th, 2013 2:25am

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Traveler's Gear Box: Kokatat's Maximus Prime PFD

If you're going to play in the water -- rivers, lakes, and oceans -- you're going to need a PFD, aka life preserver. Now, how hefty of a preserver, well, that's another matter.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 25th, 2013 2:11am

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Rim Fire Expanding Run Into Yosemite National Park

The "Rim Fire" continued its spread in Yosemite National Park on Saturday, though the fire was far to the north of the iconic Yosemite Valley. While some park roads were affected by the blaze, most were open, park officials said.

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By NPT Staff - August 24th, 2013 4:25pm

Museum Store Opens In Renovated Benjamin Franklin Museum At Independence National Historical Park

A new museum store has opened in the newly renovated Benjamin Franklin Museum at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.

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By NPT Staff - August 24th, 2013 9:18am

Springhouse Branch Trail At Great Smoky Mountains National Park Closed To Horse Use

Heavy rains have created unsafe conditions for horses on the Springhouse Gap Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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By NPT Staff - August 24th, 2013 9:18am

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22-Year-Old Dies In Fall At Rocky Mountain National Park

Yet another climbing fatality has occurred in Rocky Mountain National Park, where a 22-year-old man has fallen to his death on Lumpy Ridge.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 23rd, 2013 8:40am

Yellowstone National Park's Winter-Use Plan Meets With Tempered Approval

Yellowstone National Park's latest winter-use management plan has drawn measured approval from two groups that had been concerned that its draft version was too weak to adequately protect the park's resources.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 23rd, 2013 8:01am

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My Nature Book: A Journal And Activity Book For Kids

Young children can get a little stir crazy riding in cars or planes for long distances en route to a national park vacation. That's where books -- yes, books! -- come in. And with My Nature Book: A Journal and Activity Book for Kids in hand, your kids can prepare for their vacation while heading there, and then document it in the same book.

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By Kurt Repanshek - August 23rd, 2013 8:01am

Exploring The Parks: Yellowstone National Park By Canoe

Ahab had his white whale, Moby-Dick, which drove him to his death. I had the Common Loon, a fish-loving, deep-diving waterfowl that mocked me with its tremolo call as I stood on the shore of Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park.