National Parks Traveler

Aztec has nothing to do with the Aztecs of Mexico and Central America. But it does have everything to do with Ancestral Puebloans. It may be one of many places people from Chaco moved to when Chaco was abandoned. Occupation here began in about the late 1000's and flourished until around 1130. By the late 1200's, this settlement was abandoned as so many others had been. As is the case elsewhere, no one knows why.

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By Lee Dalton - July 3rd, 2014 2:20am

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UPDATED: Threat Of Tropical Storm Arthur Leads To Closure Of National Park System Units

The prospect of Tropical Storm Arthur slamming into North Carolina's Outer Banks has prompted the National Park Service to close Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial at noon Wednesday.

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By NPT Staff - July 2nd, 2014 8:13am

Watching Wolves And Bears At Banff National Park

Are there wolves and bears at Banff National Park in Canada? You bet, as this video clearly shows. It was taken from a remote camera set up along the Bow Valley Parkway during a seasonal travel restriction. With humans out of the picture, the wildlife came into view.

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By NPT Staff - July 2nd, 2014 3:03am

Trails I've Hiked: Hamburger Rocks At Capitol Reef National Park

Some couples like to celebrate wedding anniversaries with a steak dinner at an up-scale restaurant. To celebrate our lucky 13th anniversary, my husband, Craig, and I decided to commemorate the special occasion with hamburgers instead - a hike to Hamburger Rocks in Capital Reef National Park, that is.

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By Colleen Miniuk-... - July 2nd, 2014 2:56am

Going-To-The-Sun Road Expected To Be Open End-To-End This Weekend In Glacier National Park

Barring the unexpected -- a significant late June snowstorm -- the entire Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park in Montana should be open from West Glacier to St. Mary this coming holiday weekend.

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By NPT Staff - July 2nd, 2014 2:44am

Exploring The Parks: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, The Video

Hugging the coast of California, Golden Gate National Recreation Area might on first blush come across as a human-congested landscape, but there are places you can go that speak to the purely natural side of the park, as this video shows.

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By NPT Staff - July 2nd, 2014 2:23am

Birding In The National Parks: Odd Birds Showing Up In National Parks

I write this from the south shore of Lake Superior, not far from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Two days ago, while casually birding the lakeshore, my wife Sarah spotted a Black-crowned Night-heron. That’s an extremely unusual bird to find as far north as the Superior shore.

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By Kirby Adams - July 1st, 2014 3:15am

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Celebrate Independence Day On The National Mall In Washington, D.C.

Perhaps the grandest Fourth of July celebration in the National Park System will be held in Washington, D.C., on the National Mall, where you can watch a parade, enjoy the Folklife Festival, listen to the U.S. Navy Band, and, of course, marvel at one of the largest fireworks displays in the country.

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By NPT Staff - July 1st, 2014 2:55am

Essential Summer Guide '14: Mix History And Wilderness At Cumberland Island National Seashore

Cast across more than 36,000 acres, Cumberland Island National Seashore is, as its name implies, on an island, the largest of Georgia’s Golden Isles. Make the ferry boat crossing from St. Marys and you’ll discover history of those long ago enslaved here, blueblood manses, about 18 miles of waveswept beaches, and nearly 9,000 acres of official Wilderness.

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By Kurt Repanshek - July 1st, 2014 2:35am

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Yosemite Grant Anniversary Used To Kickoff Mariposa Grove Revitalization

One-hundred-and-fifty years after President Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant, the anniversary was used to launch an ambitious revitalization of the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park.

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By NPT Staff - July 1st, 2014 2:28am

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