National Parks Traveler | National Parks Traveler

More than six decades after promising to build a road along the north shore of Fontana Lake in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the National Park Service has signed off on a deal to settle the matter with a cash payout of $52 million. Today's action brings an end to the long saga of the so-called "road to nowhere."

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 28th, 2007 12:23pm

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Possible Wolf Spotted in Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park officials, who just recently announced a program to reduce elk numbers in their park, might get some help from nature. Officials say a black-colored canine spotted on December 4 possibly was a wolf.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 28th, 2007 10:04am

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Park History: Shenandoah National Park

Cradled by the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, Shenandoah National Park is perhaps best described as Great Smoky Mountains National Park's sister park.

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By Chance Finegan - December 26th, 2007 10:26am

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Groups Sue Park Service Over ORV Use in Big Cypress National Preserve

A coalition of seven groups is suing the National Park Service over its decision to reauthorize off-road vehicle use in an area of Big Cypress National Preserve, saying the move directly impacts sensitive Florida panther habitat.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 22nd, 2007 9:46am

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Missing Snowshoer's Body Found on Mount Rainier

The body of a 22-year-old Washington man killed in an avalanche on Mount Rainier National Park has been recovered.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 22nd, 2007 9:14am

Dinosaur, Four Seasons on the Green and Yampa Rivers

Tucked away where northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah converge, Dinosaur National Monument is a remote, oft-overlooked place. Writer Hal Crimmel and photographer Steve Gaffney give it substance and definition.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 21st, 2007 11:44am

Park History: Exploring the National Parkways

Along with "parks," "seashores," "lakeshores" and "battlefields," the National Park System counts a number of "parkways" that fall under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Though most are incredibly scenic byways, there also are two major metropolitan arterials in this collection.

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By Bob Janiskee - December 20th, 2007 3:34am

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Search Under Way for Missing Snowshoer On Mount Rainier

Rangers at Mount Rainier National Park have been working to find a 22-year-old Washington man who was swept down the mountain by an avalanche.

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 19th, 2007 8:44pm

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Senators' Letter to Open National Parks to Concealed Weapons

Attached is the letter a number of senators sent to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne asking him to overturn the National Park Service's ban on concealed weapons in national parks.

Firearms-Parks Letter.pdf

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 19th, 2007 5:07pm

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Robin Winks on the Evolution and Meaning of the Organic Act

The late historian Robin Winks long has been heralded for his distillation of the National Park Service Organic Act. In this, the latest parks essay from the George Wright Society, his words are recalled. Denis Galvin, a former deputy director of the National Park Service, provides an afterword.

George Wright Society-Winks.pdf

Winks-National Park Service Organic Act.pdf