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Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

National Parks Quiz And Trivia #35: The Waterfall Edition

Waterfalls soothe us with their sounds, inspire our imaginations by their very presence, and, even refresh us, on occasion, with their cool spray. From the Pacific Northwest to the Eastern Seaboard, these cascades if water – named and unnamed – populate the National Park System. See how much you know about national park waterfalls, and maybe learn a little something, too.

Photography In The National Parks: Seeing The Forest For The Trees

Not all park forests are alike. Some forests thrive in moist, even waterlogged environments, while others flourish in much drier climates. Some forests remain green year-round while others burst with color in the fall. Some forests stand as stark testaments to the ravages of wildfires while other forests provide environments for trees to grow to mind-boggling heights and widths. All these forests and their trees flesh out the story of a national park visit and the Traveler’s contributing photographer Rebecca Latson provides example images, tips, and techniques to help you capture the forest story of your own park trip.

An Early Autumn Morning At Crystal Creek Falls, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

The silky water cascade of Crystal Creek Falls over grayish rock on an autumn morning, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

"Walk the paved trail behind the gate for about 1/3 mile until you reach a picnic and barbecue area. The falls are immediately ahead of you. As you look at Crystal Creek Falls, you will see a small concrete structure on the right. This building houses an overflow valve for the tunnel. The valve is used when letting water out through Carr Powerhouse is not an option. The excess water from the tunnel then spills into Crystal Creek. When the overflow structure was built, the Bureau of Reclamation rerouted Crystal Creek.

Rebecca Latson
An Early Autumn Morning At Crystal Creek Falls

Photography In The National Parks: Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Western landscapes are suffering more than a glancing blow from this year’s wildfires. Many of those fires are encroaching upon National Park System units. Two years ago, a wildfire devastated 97% of the 42,000 acres of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in California. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of park staff and their partners, most of this park is once again open for recreation, including landscape and bird photography. Before heading home from her Redwood National and State Parks visit, contributing photographer Rebecca Latson took a detour over to Whiskeytown, returning with tips on what you can see and photograph within this recreation area risen from the ashes of the 2018 Carr Fire.

Photography In The National Parks: My 10 Fave Shots from 2020

Every New Year, the Traveler’s Rebecca Latson keeps a tradition of showing her favorite shots captured during her national park photo travels of the previous year. In this month’s column, Rebecca reviews her 10 favorite images from 2020, telling us why she likes those particular shots and how she captured them. Maybe her favorites places are already yours, or maybe they will be new favorites for you to photograph.

2020 Year In Review: Parks, A Pandemic, And Photography

Despite 2020’s coronavirus pandemic causing cancellation of a number of park photo trips, Traveler’s Rebecca Latson still managed to visit several of the National Park System’s units in a safe, distanced manner. Over the year, Rebecca shared tips, techniques, and favorite places to photograph as well as how to stay safe and healthy while doing so. Here’s a look back at her articles and photos.

Traveler Special Report: Coping With 21st Century Wildfires

The 1988 wildfires that drew the nation's attention to the world's first national park were considered simply part of the fire regime that historically has existed in Yellowstone National Park. But in the aftermath of the fires, "climate change" entered the country's lexicon and increasingly intense wildfires have forced the National Park Service in the West to both evaluate and refine its approach to battling flames that are arriving with greater and greater ferocity.

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