National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 267 | Padre Island's Sea Turtles

One of the most popular public events in the National Park System was the release of sea turtle hatchlings, shuffling off into the Gulf of Mexico at Padre Island National Seashore. I say was, because the number of those public events has been... LISTEN NOW

  • A pre-sunrise autumn view of Mount Rainier seen from the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park
    "The Mountain" Is Out, Mount Rainier National Park
    Mount Rainier National Park - Rebecca Latson

    On a clear, sunny day when 14,410-feet-tall Mount Rainier may be seen from miles away, the locals will tell you "The Mountain is out, today."

  • Visitors walking along the Avenue of Flags with Mount Rushmore in the background.
    Walking The Avenue Of Flags At Mount Rushmore National Memorial
    Mount Rushmore National Memorial - National Park Service

    "Majestic figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, tell the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of this country. From the history of the first inhabitants to the diversity of America today, Mount Rushmore brings visitors face to face with the rich heritage we all share."

  • Two visitors walk on a trail facing a large brown rock buttress, a paved path leads to three exhibits at Split Rock Viewpoint, Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
    Split Rock Viewpoint, Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
    Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail - National Park Service

    The 1,300-mile Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail is not a single hiking trail but rather, a route traveled by Mormons who fled Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1846-1847. Along this route you can see some amazing landscapes while learning about this route and the hardy people who traveled it.

  • A ranger canoeing along the Mississippi River, Mississippi National River And Recreation Area
    Canoeing The River, Mississippi National River And Recreation Area
    Mississippi National River and Recreation Area - NPS - Kyle Just

    "In the middle of a bustling urban setting, this 72 mile river park offers quiet stretches for fishing, boating and canoeing, birdwatching, bicycling, and hiking. And there are plenty of visitor centers and trails that highlight the fascinating human history of the Mississippi River."

  • The hearth of a home at Morristown National Historical Park
    The Hearth Of A Home, Morristown National Historical Park
    Morristown National Historical Park - National Park Service

    "Kitchens were one of the busiest rooms in the home not just for cooking of meals, but also washing of laundry."

  • Mescal Historic Mining District at Mojave National Preserve
    Mescal Historic Mining District At Mojave National Preserve
    Mojave National Preserve - National Park Service

    "The Mescal Historic Mining District was a small-scale producer of tungsten and tin in the Mojave Desert, and produced tin for domestic World War II stockpiles. Due to the temporary nature of mining activity on the site, some of the features have deteriorated, but the character and significance of the site remains strong."

  • The cliff dwelling ruins of Mug House in the backcountry of Mesa Verde National Park
    The Cliff Dwelling Ruins Of Mug House, Mesa Verde National Park
    Mesa Verde National Park - Rebecca Latson

    Mug House, built around 1,100 - 1,200 AD, was so named from the discovery of three pottery mugs tied together with a rope and hanging in one of the rooms of this cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park.

  • Group of cavers sitting in passageway with headlamps on, Mammoth Cave National Park
    Cavers On The Trog Tour, Mammoth Cave National Park
    Mammoth Cave National Park - NPS - Ashley Decker

    "Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world's longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, earning it the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve."

    Cave tours are a unique and immersive way to understand and safely explore Mammoth Cave. You can go to the website to learn more about tours, tickets, and times.

  • An aerial view of Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park off the coast of Florida
    Fort Jefferson From Above, Dry Tortugas National Park
    Dry Tortugas National Park - National Park Service

    "Fort Jefferson, the largest all-masonry fort in the United States, was built between 1846 and 1875 to protect the nation's gateway to the Gulf of Mexico. Supply and subsidence problems and the Civil War delayed construction. The fort was never completed because of fears that additional bricks and cannon would cause further settling and place more stress on the structure and the cistern system. Distinguishing features include decorative brickwork and 2,000 arches. Time, weather, and water continue to take their toll, necessitating ongoing stabilization and restoration projects."

  • And bird's eye view of the grounds of Fort Stanwix National Monument.
    A Bird's Eye View Of Fort Stanwix National Monument
    Fort Stanwix National Monument - National Park Service

    "For centuries, the Oneida Carrying Place, a six mile portage connecting the Mohawk River and Wood Creek, served as a vital link for those traveling by water from the ocean to the Great Lakes. When Europeans arrived, nations fought for control of the carry, the homelands of the Six Nations Confederacy, and the rich resources of North America. In this struggle, Fort Stanwix would play a vital role."

  • A small fort surrounded by tall green grass with a line of trees in the background beneath fluffy clouds in a blue sky, Fort Necessity National Battlefield.
    A Fine Sunny Day At Fort Necessity National Battlefield
    Fort Necessity National Battlefield - NPS - Victoria Stauffenberg

    "The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal of French power from North America. The stage was set for the American Revolution."

  • An aerial view looking north at a fort located at an oxbow bend of a river, Fort Laramie National Historic Site
    An Aerial View Of Fort Laramie National Historic Site
    Fort Laramie National Historic Site - John Gilpin via NPS

    "Originally established as a private fur trading fort in 1834, Fort Laramie evolved into the largest and best known military post on the Northern Plains before its abandonment in 1890. This 'grand old post' witnessed the entire sweeping saga of America’s western expansion and Indian resistance to encroachment on their territories."

  • Fort from a distance across maritime hammock and salt marshes, Fort Matanzas National Monument
    A View Of Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida
    Fort Matanzas National Monument - National Park Service

    "Throughout its history, the story of Fort Matanzas has been closely intertwined with that of the city of St. Augustine and the Castillo de San Marcos. This Spanish outpost fort was built in 1740-1742 to guard the Matanzas Inlet and to warn St. Augustine of British or other enemies approaching from the south. Fort Matanzas now serves as a reminder of the early Spanish empire in the New World. In addition, the park, which is located on barrier islands along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzas estuary, provides a natural habitat rich in wildlife with the salt marsh, scrub, and maritime hammock now protecting endangered and threatened species like the historic Fort Matanzas protected St. Augustine long ago."

  • A view from a somewhat spotted window of the Bastion looking out onto the grounds of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
    A View Of The Grounds From A Window In The Bastion, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
    Fort Vancouver National Historic Site - Rebecca Latson

    According to the National Park Service, "In the northwest corner of Fort Vancouver's protective palisade wall, a three-story tower called a bastion or blockhouse rose above the surrounding plain. From the top, Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) employees could keep watch over the Columbia River valley and its gently rolling hills. The bastion was a common feature of HBC posts throughout North America. They typically had open slits or windows through which guns and cannons could be aimed at attacking enemies ... Though Fort Vancouver's bastion never saw any real military action it was still certainly an imposing structure. The tower, shaped like an octagon, was built into the northwest corner of the palisade. It stood three stories tall and was capped with a pointed roof. It was the tallest building at the fort. At the top level, eight three-pound iron guns pointed through small windows in each of the bastion's eight sides. When not in use, the windows were shuttered. The entrance on the ground level was probably on the bastion's southeast wall since that was the only side accessible from inside the fort. When the HBC left Fort Vancouver, the bastion fell into disrepair along with the rest of its buildings. Sometime after 1860, it burned to the ground. While it stood, however, the bastion was an important part of Fort Vancouver's image, and a key way that the HBC projected strength in a tangible, visible way."

  • An aerial view of a fort surrounded by water with a marina on one side and a beach on the other at Fort Monroe National Monument
    An Aerial View Of The Historical Buildings Of Fort Monroe National Monument
    Fort Monroe National Monument - National Park Service

    "Only from an aerial view can the entire breadth of Fort Monroe [National Monument] be taken in all at once. Consisting of many significant examples of historic, cultural, and natural resources the almost 600 acres of Fort Monroe, VA has been a National Historic Landmark since 1960."

  • An aerial view of the pentagon-shaped Fort Pulaski surrounded by a moat, Fort Pulaski National Monument
    The Pentagon-Shaped Fort At Fort Pulaski National Monument
    Fort Pulaski National Monument - National Park Service

    According to the National Park Service, "Fort Pulaski National Monument is located in Georgia and was added to the Network in 2019. Fort Pulaski National Monument was captured by US forces in the Spring of 1862, an event which served as the impetus for General David Hunter to issue a series of orders formally emancipating the enslaved people of coastal Georgia and South Carolina. The fort was later garrisoned by United States Colored Troops in 1866."

  • A front view of a log fort with an American flag surrounded by tall green trees at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.
    Fort Clatsop, Lewis And Clark National Historical Park
    Lewis and Clark National Historical Park - Rebecca Latson

    "F" is for "Fort" and all the forts and their history preserved as or within units of the National Park System.

    According to the National Park Service, "In November 1805, the Corps of Discovery reached the Pacific Ocean. Having found 'the most practicable and navigable passage across the Continent of North America,' the mission was complete. Although eager to begin the journey home, members of the Corps knew that travel would have to wait until spring - more than one snowy mountain range stood in their path. The Corps would build a temporary home on the coast."

    "In early December, William Clark recorded that Meriwether Lewis had found a suitable location for their winter quarters with 'Elk Suffient to winter on.' Once completed, their home, a fortification measuring just fifty feet square, housed 32 men, 1 woman, a baby, and a dog. On Christmas Day, according to Joseph Whitehouse, '[w]e all moved into our new Garrison or Fort, which our Officers named after a nation of Indians who resided near us, called the Clatsop Nation; Fort Clatsop.'"

  • A narrow stream flows through a vast grassland meadow in Valles Caldera National Preserve
    The East Fork Of The Jemez River Flowing Through Valle Grande In Valles Caldera National Preserve
    Valles Caldera National Preserve - National Park Service

    "About 1.2 million years ago, a spectacular volcanic eruption created a 13-mile-wide circular depression in the earth now known as Valles Caldera. The preserve is known for its huge mountain meadows, abundant wildlife, and meandering streams. The area also preserves the homeland of ancestral native peoples and embraces a rich ranching history."

  • Silhouetted visitors enjoying the view from a small cave alcove at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    Enjoying The View Of Speleothems From A Small Alcove Underground, Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    Carlsbad Caverns National Park - NPS/Dale Pate

    "High ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus, and desert wildlife—treasures above the ground in the Chihuahuan Desert. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves—formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes."

  • Bison grazing on a snowy day above ground at Wind Cave National Park
    Bison Grazing On Snow-Carpeted Ground, Wind Cave National Park
    Wind Cave National Park - National Park Service

    "Wind Cave National Park protects two very different worlds - one deep within the earth, the other a sunlit world of many resources. Bison, elk, and other wildlife roam the rolling prairie grasslands and forested hillsides of one of America's oldest national parks. Below the remnant island of intact prairie sits Wind Cave, one of the longest and most complex caves in the world."