All Parks News

President Barack Obama has made another Northwest-friendly appointment to a high post in his administration.

With a bulldog named Bud and a $50 wager on the line, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson unwittingly created an American tradition.

Karen Lasch and her family recently pulled over their car near a glacier-fed creek in Mount Rainier National Park, piling out for a glimpse of the snowcapped peak in the distance.But she hadn't given much thought to the impact that she, millions of other tourists and the national parks themselves have on the wilderness.

The 2009 tourism season is off to a decent start, and officials remain optimistic that Montana and Wyoming tourist attractions will appeal to bargain-conscious travelers despite a slow economy.

NEW YORK CITY – The American crocodile, the Channel Islands fox, and the Hawaiian goose are just a few of the endangered species that could benefit from a partnership established today between the National Park Service and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

The National Park Foundation is proud to announce winners of the 2009 Junior Ranger Essay Contest. The winners are: First Place - Skyler Baldwin of California; Second Place - Jason Roy Maki of Washington State; and Third Place - Caroline Bollinger of Virginia.

Carla and Jim Boerman of Walworth, N.Y., have been campers for nearly two decades, starting when their twin daughters, who are now in college, were just 18 months old. Their family has stayed in Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks, and they've sampled campgrounds in New York and neighboring states, graduating from pop-ups to small travel trailers to a 30-foot fifth wheel.

The depths of the Grand Canyon. The graceful sandstone arches of southern Utah. The grizzly bears of Glacier National Park. Half Dome towering over the Yosemite valley. The rolling blue hills of the Shenandoah. The haunted swamps of the Everglades. The bubbling pots and steamy geysers of Yellowstone.

If you’ve read any of my past columns, you know I’m a strong proponent of designating more Wilderness, but when considering whether to support including our national parks under the National Wilderness Preservation System, I have to wonder if it’s a good idea. Here’s why.

Get outside, pack a picnic, play on a playground, compete in a sport and enjoy the sunshine! The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is celebrating National Park and Recreation Month this July - and they want all Americans to join in.

  A new law permitting concealed loaded firearms at National Parks will not take effect until February and the Interior Department will continue to enforce Reagan-era restrictions until then, a spokeswoman said today.

How much do you know about the star-nosed mole found in Acadia National Park? What about hagfish or kangaroo rats? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

The grandest canyon, the hottest desert, the tallest forest.

Get off the grid and into the wild this summer. Thankfully, you don’t have to travel very far for a scenic retreat in the great outdoors. From thunderous waterfalls to picturesque canyons and starry skies, America’s national parks give you a taste of the wilderness, but also offer some great lodges right on the grounds so you don’t necessarily have to rough it. We’ve rounded up five summer specials at rustic cabins and lodges in Shenandoah, Denali, Yosemite, and more from only $128/night.