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Appellate Court Says National Park Service Violated First Amendent By Requiring Permits for Free Speech

Aug 11th - 23:30pm | Anonymous

Just what we need, more lunatics passing out pamphlets about their version of what constitutes a sin, without regulation.

Aug 11th - 16:49pm | chris

The meat of the ruling starts on page 18. What really bothers the judge is a lack of size limit for gatherings requiring permits. The parks have many reasons to need to know about large groups in advance, but they have no justification for not allowing a group of 8 people to gather at a picnic table.

Aug 11th - 12:12pm | RangerLady

My understanding is that the permits are used so the park knows when this is going to be occurring so they can place extra rangers in the area in case something goes wrong. I've never known a 1st admendment permit to be denied. A lot of towns require permits as well for the same reason.

Reader Participation Day: Acadia National Park, or Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Aug 11th - 21:16pm | the Bat

I have been to and enjoyed both. I would go back to Acadia simply because it is far less crowded. I love GSMNP but the continual traffic jam really sucks the soul out of it.

Aug 11th - 17:45pm | Barky

Acadia. Far too much country music near the Smokies. ;-)

Aug 11th - 11:21am | Richard

I live close the GSMNP and have only been to Acadia once. It's hard to say which is a better park. They are different and each one has positives and negatives. GSMNP has the mountains, an immense variety of flora and fauna, rivers, streams and waterfalls. Spring time in GSMNP is amazing! Acadia has the rocky shore, the carriage trails, great views from the top of mountains and hills.

Aug 11th - 10:59am | kathy trader

Acadia. Was just there last September, what a great place. Camping was great, we had the place to ourselves. And town--Bar Harbor- is only 10 minutes away. Love the beauty and the remoteness of it.

Aug 11th - 10:56am | RangerLady

I love GRSM because I'm originally from the Appalachians, but I've never been to Acadia and would love to go. That is going to be my big vacation in 2 or 3 years.

Aug 11th - 10:55am | PAYE

I have been to both and love both of them but if I had to choose, I would choose Acadia. In fact it is one of my favorite of all National Parks. Why? Because it is small. It feels to me like a more personal and intimate experience. You can really get to know the park more easily than is some of the larger parks.

Aug 11th - 09:34am | Melissa Amory

Acadia. No question about it. In the Smokies the people are a lot more concentrated - there aren't that many roads so everyone has to stay on the few that exist. And there are TONS of people. We were there right after Christmas last year and there were tons of people everywhere you went. We sat in traffic for hours on the Cades Cove Loop Road.

Aug 11th - 09:30am | Will

Since I work in GRSM I'd have to say Acadia. I've never been that far North and have heard amazing things about Acadia. I'm a big fan of open granite and being on the water in a boat, something you don't really get either of in the Smokies.

Aug 11th - 08:57am | Brad

I love them both, but if I could only choose one it would have to be Great Smoky Mountains. Being on a trail in those mountains and hearing one of the thousands of streams just gets into your soul. Acadia is beautiful and fun, and I want to go back, but there's just something about the Smokies.

Aug 11th - 08:56am | Anonymous

Been to both - Acadia hands down year round, IMHO

Aug 11th - 08:44am | Kerry Gallivan

Acadia for a more "complete", dramatic national park experience, however if I am wanting a more "wild" experience, with strenuous hiking, it would be GSM.

Aug 11th - 07:53am | Christy

I have not been to either, but Acadia is on the top of my list to visit! I can't wait to go!

Aug 11th - 06:29am | djjeffrey100

I prefer Acadia. We spent a wedding anniversary there in May several years ago. I love the New England feel and the rich history of Bar Harbor. I would like to go back sometime.

National Park Mystery Spot 14: An Outdoorsy Four-Letter Word that You Have Often Heard

Aug 11th - 18:20pm | Lee Dalton

Hmmmmm. Might just work. Those things are really fun, but it's frustrating as heck to get into it and discover that you've already been skunked. RangerLady -- what thinks ye?

Aug 11th - 16:20pm | Bob Janiskee

It's impractical to hold off on the answer until the next day, Lee, but there might be a way to give RangerLady and the the other Left Coast folks a fighting chance. I could schedule the release of the Mystery Spot and Mystery Plant puzzlers for, say, 11:00 a.m. eastern time. That would be 8:00 a.m. on the Left Coast. Wadda think?

Aug 11th - 15:11pm | Lee Dalton

RangerLady is right -- it's really hard for us westerners to beat those doggoned easterners unless we want to get up before breakfast. How about holding off on handing out the answer until the next day?

Aug 11th - 12:04pm | Bob Janiskee

@ Tomp: Connie's comment (which provided the correct answer) was the only comment we received prior to yours. As for the Google approach to getting the correct answer, well, it's always available if you want to use it. As you've pointed out, I didn't try very hard to make this one Google-proof.

Aug 11th - 11:00am | RangerLady

I agree with tomp as well, only it's called Rapidan, not Camp Hoover (gave tours there so I'm a little picky) I do have to say that living in a different time zone makes it hard to get the answer in first. The eastern time zone people always beat me!

Aug 11th - 10:34am | tomp

Camp Hoover in Shenandoah NP. I'm curious how many correct answers came in before my attempt; I'd bet quite a few. Also, this was an easy one to google (I checked my answer): doubletop brownhouse "national park" gave the answer as the second hit (your post was the #1 hit).

Aug 11th - 05:24am | Bob Janiskee

Congrats to Connie, who was the first to identify this mystery spot.

Aug 11th - 05:01am | Connie

Rapidan Camp (Brown House; President Hoover) located in Shenandoah National Park

Fatal Fall from Angels Landing in Zion National Park

Aug 11th - 17:27pm | Anonymous

"more government" created the park

Three Rescues in One Day: Just Another Day For Rangers in Rocky Mountain National Park

Aug 11th - 16:36pm | Cliff Leverette

Looks like maybe men should walk, women of all ages should drive.

Inupiat Heritage Center On Top Of The World

Aug 11th - 16:31pm | d-2

My understanding is the New Bedford national historical park bill was stuck in the Senate, but that the liaison by the NPS planners with the people in Barrow interested in the relationship between the two sites came to the attention of Senator Stevens. He then helped un-stick the legislation and included the connection to Barrow, AK.

Aug 11th - 16:18pm | d-2

Considering the death of Senator Ted Stevens, it is worth reflecting that without his support for this Heritage Center connected to the national park in New Bedford, it is likely one or both would not exist.

Boy Scout on Backpacking Trip to Zion National Park Found Dead

Aug 11th - 15:06pm | Lee Dalton

Whoa up there, anonymous. That seems like a comment that might come from someone who has never tried to keep tabs on a herd of enthusiastic young people. There are times when, no matter how hard you try or how many safeguards may be in place, things happen. Don't judge until you know ALL the facts.

Aug 11th - 12:41pm | Anonymous

"he had a buddy, he went off the trail. this was no one's fault."

On Bison Science, Bison Politics, and the Rebisoning of the West

Aug 11th - 14:31pm | Anonymous

How about rebisoning the Valles Caldera?

Who Are Those Masked Men At Colorado National Monument?

Aug 11th - 14:24pm | Jan

Three cheers for the work that these unsung heroes perform for our National Parks and National Monuments. These stone masons definitely deserve all the appreciation we can show them. Those of you in cars, please slow down for the flaggers who are safe guarding these brave men that are working to restore the historic stone walls.

Aug 11th - 11:12am | Lee Dalton

Y'know, rangers seem to get all the credit when it comes to our parks, but the people who REALLY keep them going are guys like these.

Aug 11th - 11:02am | kathy trader

I want one of those! We had the worst gnats this year at PA state Park, French Creek. We were trying to play frisbee golf (they have a nice course), and the gnats were brutal! We had to quit.

Musing From Canada's National Parks

Aug 11th - 09:47am | pkrnger

We discovered that the Canadian parks, especially the parks of the Candadian Rockies were much more pet friendly than US parks. It was not uncommon to find dogs, well behaved, walking off the leash on trails next to their owners. The hikes to Parker Ridge and Wilcox Pass for views of the Columbia Icefield and the Sasketchewan and Athebasca Glaciers were both rewarding experiences.

Aug 11th - 00:02am | OnDaRoad

I love the Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, and Yoho areas, they are beautiful. Our northern neighbors have much beauty in their parks but to me these are the crowns jewels. I love the way they do the wildlife corridors as well. Thanks for the story.

Wolverine Sightings Growing in Rocky Mountain National Park

Aug 10th - 20:54pm | exploration

Nice. Seems like I wouldn't want to be too close to one. He looks like he is hungry or angry.

Cedar Breaks National Monument Great Backdrop For Perseids Meteor Showers

Aug 10th - 16:25pm | Ray Bane

I did two cycling trips across southern Utah both times passing through Cedar Breaks. It is truly a unique and lovely vista. Hope to get back sometime in the not too distant future.

Aug 9th - 21:56pm | Anonymous

Cedar Breaks is one of the great unkown gems of the NPS. Glad to see NPS realizing, again, the incredible opportunity to see the night sky from this beautiful place at 10,000 plus ft. elevation.

Loons Employed To Help Biologists Better Understand The Birds and Great Lakes Botulism

Aug 10th - 16:08pm | Larry Backlund

I was privileged to be an observer on the night of July 12th when Kevin Kenow from the USGS came to Minnesota to implant and tag loons. I had worked with him and the Minnesota DNR to identify Minnesota lakes that would be candidates for this project.

Easy Park Hikes - Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site

Aug 10th - 12:04pm | Jim Burnett

Brad - Thanks for the comment. The focus of this article was on the trails, but try to plan your visit during "business hours" when you can also take a tour of the house, and visit the farm. The interpreter did an excellent job when we toured the house last week, and she really helped us gain a new appreciation for Sandburg's life.

Aug 10th - 11:25am | Brad

Nice. This is a park we've not yet visited, but this article just moved it up on the to-see list.

Three Canyoneers Survive Flash Flood in Zion National Park

Aug 10th - 11:34am | JAF

Hey Dave, Thanks for helping my brother Jason to shore after he shattered his hip. I am sure that doing so was not without risk to you. You're a good dude,

Combating Oil and Antifreeze with Sustainable Design at Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Aug 10th - 11:24am | Gaelyn

Good project. Maybe if we can "see" what's seeping underground into caves we will also realize these same pollutants seep into the ground everywhere. At Oregon Caves NM, guest cabins sitting over the cave were removed long ago because of contaminants leaching into the cave.

"History Comes Alive" This Week at Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Aug 10th - 11:18am | Connie Hopkins

Last November I enjoyed my first visit to Springfield, IL. I was in town for a Bible Conference and my best friend and I played tourist as well. One of my favorites besides the Presidential Museum was the Lincoln Home Site! I was transported back in time and I swore if I had closed my eyes, I would've heard horses hooves clopping along down the streets!

NPCA Criticizes Utah Decision to Allow Strip Mine Near Bryce Canyon National Park

Aug 10th - 10:45am | Anonymous

Anonymous, take another look at the posts(s). The issue is where we get our coal from.

Consider Signing Up For Weekly Email Updates From the Traveler

Aug 10th - 08:36am | Lee Dalton

Thank you, Kurt. I'll sign up . . .

Aug 9th - 22:32pm | Kurt Repanshek

If you read daily, you certainly won't miss any stories...though from time to time there might be a special offer from a parks-related business. For instance, through August Traveler readers who receive the newsletter are being offered 15 percent off on musical CDs, park DVDs, and park calendars from Orange Tree Productions.

Alas, the Luxury Train Tour of Western National Parks Won't Even Leave the Station

Aug 10th - 03:50am | Darryl

The American Orient Express reportedly made money for several years before being sold two times to subsequent owners. It is now known that the last owner was on sketchy financial ground due to his other business ventures prior to the purchase of the AOE.

Young Woman Dies After Being Submerged in Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park

Aug 10th - 00:10am | Anonymous

There was a very nice young lady from Taiwan who worked at Glacier Park last summer. Her American name was also Irene but I don't know her true name. I saw this comment and my heart sank.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

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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.