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Op-Ed Columns

Essay: Revisiting Mountains Without Handrails

Forty years ago, I read Mountains Without Handrails: Reflections on the National Parks by Joseph L. Sax, a law professor and astute observer and student of America’s National Park System. I knew few national parks then and wondered what such a provocative title might mean. Now, after 40 years of exploring and studying the parks, I reread Sax’s book to see if his reflections back then might be relevant today. I think they are.

Op-Ed | Grand Canyon Needs Permanent Protection From Uranium Mining

Arizonans know that water is life; it is vital to us all and sustains our livelihoods. We cannot afford to let powerful industry interests sacrifice our water to pollution or depletion. We also cannot let those same interests destroy a landscape that supports an unparalleled regional economy and the livelihood of citizens who depend on it. But our water and our Grand Canyon is under attack by these very interests that see profit in the ground and downplay the risk of negative health impacts for generations to come.

Op-Ed | What Is A Park Visit?

Our community of park enthusiasts are avid counters and collectors, of parks, passport stamps, pictures, pins, apparel, and any number of other things. All of us collect experiences and memories. Ask any serious park system aficionado how many parks they have visited, and you are likely to get a reflexive answer, given with the same depth of thought that goes into providing a name. Hi, my name’s Dave, by the way. I am one among fewer than a hundred people known to have claimed visits to all 419 current National Park Service units. We are a small group. But despite devoting much of the past seven years to exploring our nation’s park system at every opportunity, I often feel as if I’ve barely scratched the surface. The more I know and see, the more I must accept the vast unknown and unseen.

Op-Ed | Support The Working Landscapes Of Point Reyes National Seashore

Ranching in Point Reyes National Seashore is a valuable heritage that is being falsely maligned. Anti-ranch activists contend agriculture was never meant to stay in the Seashore, citing one clause or another from enabling legislation or House hearings. But the first thing you learn when you try to go to the source is that there is no one source.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

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

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.