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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Sounds Of Nature In National Parks Are Being Trampled By Noise

Standing on the rippled hillside of Checkerboard Mesa in Zion National Park, the sound came in waves as eastbound flight after eastbound flight from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas passed overhead about every 10 minutes, adding to the cacophony of traffic from the park road 100 or so yards away.

Sandy Solitude On Memorial Day

Memorial Day is the traditional start of the summer tourism season. In places like the Four Corners region, it may be the busiest time of the year as people try to visit the national parks before the summer heat arrives. I love the region but I dislike crowds. So, when I found time for a week off at Memorial Day last year, the challenge was clear: could I visit a Southwestern national park without the crowds? As a lover of wilderness, the challenge was even greater: could I find solitude in that park?

Finding Fall Color In Unexpected Places

Many areas in the National Park System are famous for autumn color, and visitors flock to places like Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Acadia National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park to enjoy the seasonal palette of natural beauty. There are, however, some other parks where fall color can be either a surprise—or a favorite destination for savvy travelers.

New Second-Generation Superintendent at Great Sand Dunes National Park Returns to Her Roots

Father-daughter duos as National Park Service superintendents are a bit unusual, but Lisa Carrico will bring some uniquely personal connections to the job when she assumes her new post early next month at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

International Planetary Dunes Workshop Brings Aeolian Scientists to Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

Terrestrial and planetary dunes scientists from three continents met in May at Alamos, Colorado, to explore opportunities for collaborative planetary dunes research. The dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve are similar to ones on Mars, so a field trip to the park was a workshop highlight.

Photo-shopped or Actual?

While the image might look like a photo-shopped creation blending a majestic bull elk with sand dunes and snow-capped peaks, this setting actually can be found in the National Park System, and not in Alaska.

The photo was taken in Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado. According to park officials, quite a few elk live year-round "in the grasslands west of the main dunefield." They head to spring-fed creeks, such as Big Spring Creek, to slake their thirst.

National Park Service
www.nps.gov/grsa

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