National Parks Traveler

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis and the grounds around the "Gateway Arch" could look very different in the years to come, depending upon the outcome of a plan that is currently being developed. This plan could have far-reaching implications and public comments are currently being accepted. Here's what you need to know about this issue.

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By Jim Burnett - January 26th, 2009 4:13am

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Rocky Mountain National Park: It Shames the Andes and Alps

"l ain't never seen them, but my common sense tells me the Andes is foothills, and the Alps is for children to climb." So said mountain man Del Gue in one of the memorable lines from Jeremiah Johnson. He was, of course, comparing those mountains to the Rocky Mountains.

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By Kurt Repanshek - January 26th, 2009 4:00am

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Great Basin National Park: It's More Than Simply A Cave

What in the world was Jim Hansen thinking back in the 1990s when, as a U.S. representative from Utah and chair of the House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands, he said Great Basin National Park should be removed from the National Park System?

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By Chance Finegan - January 25th, 2009 5:35am

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Yellowstone Geologist Worries About What Goes "Bump" At Night

Who hasn't been jarred awake at night wondering what went "bump!"? Hank Heasler doesn't worry too much about it...unless his cellphone starts chirping.

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By Kurt Repanshek - January 25th, 2009 3:21am

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When Stephen Mather Called, Bob Yard Came Running

He labored in the shadow of the National Park Service’s founding fathers, but Robert Sterling Yard was one of the best advocates the agency ever had.

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By Bob Janiskee - January 25th, 2009 3:00am

Secretary Salazar on Guns in Parks: He'll "Take A Look At It"

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar was non-committal, though with a decided rightward lean, when asked by a National Park Service employee whether he would challenge the recent rule change to allow park visitors to arm themselves.

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By Kurt Repanshek - January 24th, 2009 11:42am

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Aztec Ruins and the River of Lost Souls

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 24th, 2009 4:25am

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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 24th, 2009 4:13am

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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 3:59am

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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.