Exploring the Parks

Trails I’ve Hiked: Big Trees Trail

Another popular trail to experience at Sequoia National Park in California is the Big Trees Trail. This 0.7-mile combination paved/boardwalk trail is a great introduction to giant sequoias and their environment. It’s wheelchair-friendly and dotted with informational signs stationed all around the trail.

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By Rebecca Latson - November 11th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

All units of the National Park System protect and preserve something, be it history, culture, landscape, wildlife, one or more ecosystems, or all the above. If you happen to travel to or through Kansas, you should stop off for a visit to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in the Kansas Flint Hills.

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By Rebecca Latson - November 10th, 2025

National Parks Quiz And Trivia #93: - The Sequoia And Kings Canyon Edition 2

It’s time to test your national parks knowledge with this November quiz and trivia piece. This one is all about Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California. See just how much you really know about these national parks. You will learn something new and you may even know more than you realize!

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By Rebecca Latson - November 8th, 2025

Appomattox: Where America’s Civil War Neared Its End

The National Park Service site that marks the spot where the Confederate Army surrendered to the Union Army at the end of the Civil War is worth a day-long exploration.

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By David and Kay Scott - November 7th, 2025

Trails I’ve Hiked: Moro Rock

All national parks have at least one must-hike trail. At Sequoia National Park in California, the iconic trail you should tackle during your visit is the hike up the over-350 concrete steps to the top of the granite dome known as Moro Rock, looming 6,726 feet (2,050 meters) above sea level.

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By Rebecca Latson - November 4th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Point Reyes National Seashore

When you think of a national seashore, East Coast and Southern beaches probably come to mind. But the West Coast is home to a national seashore, too. Point Reyes National Seashore in California combines sandy beaches, rugged headlands, grasslands, and forests into a little over 71,000 acres (28,733 hectares) of landscape.

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By Rebecca Latson - November 3rd, 2025

Autumn In Yosemite

There are Western units of the National Park System offering amazing autumn leaf colors. Yosemite National Park is one such unit, where even a single day in the park during the fall season will amaze you with eye-popping colors provided by oak, maple, dogwood, cottonwood, alder, and aspen trees.

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By Rebecca Latson - November 1st, 2025

Photography In The National Parks: Favorite Spots At Mount Rainier’s Paradise Area

For this month’s photo column, Traveler contributing photographer Rebecca Latson shares with you how to get to her very favorite spots for photography along Stevens Canyon Road and at the Paradise Area of Mount Rainier National Park.

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By Rebecca Latson - October 28th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

We may think only of boating on Lake Powell at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and while this is one of the most popular activities here, it’s not the only activity. There is hiking, swimming, fishing, photography, scenic driving, and even off-roading on offer. There’s also lodging and camping within the park, so you don’t have to go far from the fun to overnight.

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By Rebecca Latson - October 27th, 2025

Funding Fuels A Refresh Of How Red Bay's Basque Whaling Story Is Told

On Saddle Island, a new boardwalk snakes between a memorial to the Basque men who came to Labrador to hunt whales and a reconstructed tryworks where blubber was rendered to produce the oil that once lit the lamps of Europe.

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By Jennifer Bain - October 30th, 2025

INN Member

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

Exploring the Parks

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

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