A Day In The Park

A Day In The Park: John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

At John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon, you really can spend just a day here and get a flavor for the three units comprising this park. And, while you could ostensibly hike almost (but not quite) every single trail in this national monument, you’d need to start your day very early with the understanding there is about an hour’s drive between each unit.

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By Rebecca Latson - October 13th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Padre Island National Seashore

Padre Island National Seashore in Texas was made for sunrises. Established in 1962 to protect 66 miles (106.2 kilometers) of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, this national seashore protects five species of sea turtle which nest or forage along the beaches and dunes, including one of the most endangered sea turtles in the world: the Kemp’s ridley.

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By Rebecca Latson - October 6th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

Units of the National Park System are where they are because of history, a particular subject or event, or a landform. With Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area in Washington state, it’s all about water.

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By Rebecca Latson - September 29th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in California is a park unit which bounced back from a devastating 2018 wildfire to offer hiking trails, history, and – thanks to the star of the show Whiskeytown Lake – plenty of water-based opportunities for paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing.

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By Rebecca Latson - September 22nd, 2025

A Day In The Park: Jewel Cave National Monument

The National Park Service (NPS) protects and preserves many unique environments and landscapes, including caves. Jewel Cave National Monument in South Dakota is one such unique cave system within the NPS purview. It’s worth a stop to spend the day here and take one or more of the four cave tours offered exploring the wonders and beauty of this cave’s subterranean landscape.

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By Rebecca Latson - September 15th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is probably not a planned destination on your national park trip, but it’s a worthy stop along the way. At this park unit, you’ll learn the reasons for placing “a vast arsenal of nuclear missiles” beneath the prairies and farmlands of the Great Plains in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado.

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By Rebecca Latson - September 8th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is situated in the city of Vancouver along the Columbia River in Washington State, with a small separate unit in Oregon City, Oregon. This national historic site is a window into the Pacific Northwest frontier and its culture. It’s a great stop along the way to your planned destination and you could easily spend a day there.

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By Rebecca Latson - September 1st, 2025

A Day In The Park: Cedar Breaks National Monument

Whether you are on your way to, or heading from, Bryce Canyon National Park, or you simply want to check out landscapes in nearby areas, spending all or part of a day at Cedar Breaks National Monument is worth the drive there. You’ll find few crowds, amazing views and geology, and, depending upon the time of year you visit, plenty of wildflowers.

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By Rebecca Latson - August 25th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Petroglyph National Monument

Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico is a unit of the National Park System highlighting past cultures while nestled within the present culture.

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August 18th, 2025

A Day In The Park: White Sands National Park

Picture 275 square miles (712 square kilometers) of sparkly, sugar-white, undulating sand dunes perfect for hiking, sledding, photography, or simply reflecting on a unique environment that is brilliantly bright, stark, and desolate to the general view, yet teeming with plant, animal, and insect life exclusive to the Chihuahuan Desert and White Sands National Park, in New Mexico.

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By Rebecca Latson - August 11th, 2025

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The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

A Day In The Park

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