You are here

Home » National Parks Traveler

When the Parkway Came

Part of FDR's "New Deal," the Blue Ridge Parkway was envisioned as an economic development tool that would pump both life and dollars into the Appalachian Mountain Range between Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks. But the long and winding road with the fantastic vistas also took a good deal of life out of the landscape as farms that stood in the path were razed and the families moved off.

Big Bend National Park Offers A Drastic Change From Vistas This Easterner is Accustomed To Seeing

It's not easy to get to Big Bend National Park. Located in the crook of Rio Grande River in West Texas where the river turns from a southeast to a northeastern direction, the park promises spectacular vistas, river canyons, and desert plants. But it's a 225-mile drive from Midland-Odessa and 325 miles from El Paso, the closest airports, so no one goes there on a whim.

Everglades National Park Introduces Newcomers to Camping via Reality TV and CAMP

Camping in the Everglades doesn't hold much appeal for many Americans today, especially if they're city dwellers. Throw in worries about bugs, alligators and giant pythons, and a campout in the 'Glades can be a hard sell. Everglades National Park is overcoming those hurdles with a new approach that started with a reality TV program and an approach called CAMP.