If you plan on visiting Big Bend National Park during Spring Break (March – April), you'll need to make camping/lodging reservations outside the park, since all park campgrounds are full. If you are visiting during March, specifically, be aware of road construction delays and closures. And, to protect nesting falcons, some trails are closed to the public February 1 - May 31.

Big Bend National Park will be building a hiking trail near Panther Junction where there long had been discussions to build a multi-use trail open to mountain biking, Superintendent Bob Krumenaker announced Wednesday.

Winter is one of photographer Rebecca Latson’s two favorite seasons of the year during which to visit a national park. There are fewer people, the vistas are much clearer due to fewer water molecules in the atmosphere, and the landscape looks so much different than it does during the warmer seasons of the year. So, this month’s photo column by Rebecca is about winter photography within the National Park System. Yes, she’s written about this before, but it’s always nice to have a little refresher course for those who regularly read the Traveler, and it’s a good introduction to winter imagery for those readers who are new to the Traveler.

For those allergic to snow, ice, and sub-freezing temperatures, there is an escape to national parks in the lower half of the United States, parks that offer sweeping panoramas, interesting wildlife, warm and even hot temperatures, and lots to do.