National Parks Traveler

Walking out of the visitor center at Capitol Reef National Park will be one of the most surreal experiences of your life, as you pass through a portal not only into a red-rock cathedral but also back into the past. The park is a pure slice of heaven in the desert, seemingly waiting for Irma to open up a pie stand.

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By Chance Finegan - December 18th, 2007 3:10am

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Dying in the Parks: Park Service Concerned About Suicides

Each year nearly 100 people attempt suicide somewhere in the national park system. That's a troubling statistic for the National Park Service.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 17th, 2007 9:29am

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Economic Greed Tarnishes Our National Park System

For longer than the National Park Service has been in business, capitalists have pulled at national parks, looking for a way to get their financial cut of natural resources. Should we be surprised at this behavior? Of course not. Disappointed? I'd like to think so.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 15th, 2007 11:43am

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Congressional Research Service--Recreation on Federal Lands

The growing and diverse nature of recreation on federal lands has increased the challenge of balancing different types of recreation with each other and with other land uses. Motorized recreation has been particularly controversial, with issues centering on access and environmental impacts.

CRS-Recreation on Federal Lands.pdf

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 14th, 2007 9:48am

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Are The National Parks Not Part of Our Federal Lands?

A funny thing seems to have happened to U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Mike Crapo on their way to fighting to keep public lands in the public's hands: They overlooked the 84 million acres of the national park system.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 13th, 2007 6:25pm

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Mountain Bike Association Considering Bid To Alter Park Service's Rulemaking Policies

The International Mountain Bicycling Association quietly is exploring a bid to change National Park Service rule-making policies with hopes of cutting through the bureaucracy to open up more park terrain to cyclists.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 13th, 2007 3:30am

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Secret Service View Teddy Mather As Protestor, Not Presidential Material

In an effort to encourage the presidential candidates to pay attention to national park issues, the National Parks Conservation Association has launched its own candidate, Teddy Mather, a bear named for national parks champion President Teddy Roosevelt, and Stephen Mather, first director of the National Park Service.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 12th, 2007 4:12pm

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Hurricane Ridge Road in Olympic National Park Closed Due to Storm Erosion

A week after a powerful storm pounded Olympic National Park erosion continues to eat away at the Hurricane Ridge Road. Park officials say the road will be closed this weekend while crews work on it.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 12th, 2007 3:51pm

Rocky Mountain National Park Officials Select "Lethal Reduction" To Help Reduce Elk Herd--Updated

Rocky Mountain National Park officials have decided to use a variety of adaptive management tools, including "lethal reduction" and birth control, to manage elk inside their park. The plan could take effect as soon as January.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 11th, 2007 12:44pm

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Entrance Fee Repeal Legislation Would Have Little Impact on National Parks

Legislation introduced to Congress this week by senators from Montana and Idaho would limit the fees land managers could charge for recreation on public lands. However, the measure would have little impact on units of the national park system.

Fee Repeal Act.pdf