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Watching Wildlife In and Around Grand Teton National Park

Mar 28th - 11:20am | robmutch

Nice write-up Kurt. On my last photo trip to the Grand Tetons (last fall), I discovered a wonderful natural history guide to the park there at the visitor center in Jackson: "A Naturalist's Guide to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks" by Dr. Frank C. Craighead Jr. It's an outstanding guide for following the annual cyclical changes in flora and fauna at Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.

Was This the Best-Ever Use of a Bra in a National Park?

Mar 28th - 10:44am | Anonymous

It's probably all an advertising lie. Never trust those people to say anything t true.

Interior Officials Want to Allow Concealed Carry in the National Parks

Mar 28th - 10:31am | Sut

Interesting artical the what if's are unsupported though.

Showdown at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Mar 27th - 23:32pm | Ray Bane

Thank God that there are rangers who put the protection of the resource and the principles of the service ahead of personal comfort and ambition.

Mar 27th - 19:46pm | Anonymous

This is typical of how the entire federal government functions.

What Should a Park Do With "Surplus" Wood? Yellowstone National Park Has One Answer

Mar 27th - 21:01pm | JimB

Anonymous -

Mar 27th - 16:51pm | Anonymous

With the incredible amount of beetle killed tree available throughout SW Montana, I am not sure why someone would want to drive the extra distance into Yellowstone Park to get firewood.

Mar 27th - 11:44am | Richard Smith

If you ever camped in British Columbias' fine campsites, you will know that they have cut up wood, free for campers to use. What a nice idea. Too bad I have never seen it here in the states.

Mar 26th - 21:06pm | JimB

Anonymous - Sorry if I gave the impression the policy is "new." It was brought to my attention with the suggestion that the information isn't known to everyone, and therefore might be of interest to some readers.

Mar 26th - 19:38pm | Anonymous

I received a firewood collection permit in 1999 and again in 2001. So what is so "new" about this policy?

Mar 26th - 08:07am | tahoma

Yellowstone's plan for surplus wood disposal sounds reasonable if the fees cover the administrative costs.

Federal Judge Issues Scathing Opinion in Blocking "Concealed Carry" In National Parks, Wildlife Refuges

Mar 27th - 19:47pm | Anonymous

I would note that in NPS areas with grizzly bears, the carrying of bear pepper spray is legal. You can find it in most gift shops in Yellowstone or Grand Teton. One of the problems with carrying a handgun is that it's not likely to take down a 400+ lb grizzly bear and it's very, very difficult to hit a full-gallop grizzly.

Mar 27th - 06:14am | Bob Janiskee

Pike, would you please help me find documentation for this claim? November 2005, Carnegie was attacked and killed by wolves while hiking in remote Northern Saskatchewan [Canada]. Carnegie is the first human known to have been killed by healthy, wild wolves in North America.

Mar 26th - 20:07pm | Kurt Repanshek

Pike, As you point out, this "debate" offers quite the smorgasbord of statistics, plenty to go around.

Mar 26th - 19:50pm | Pike

Most if not all of Frank's examples can be found on the website of the self proclaimed "most aggressive group in the gun control movement" - The Violence Policy Center. Instead of me visiting the NRA website and regurgitating what I just read, you should just visit www.nra.org.

Congress Passes Sweeping Public Lands Package, National Parks Will Benefit

Mar 27th - 14:35pm | Anonymous

Tomp, god we could use you now in Yosemite National Park...more then ever. I agree in periodic closing of certain national parks in order to reestablish areas that have been human grazed to pieces from excessive usages. Something like rotational grazing, in which they do on the open range land to reestablish grasslands for better palatability for livestock.

Mar 27th - 13:35pm | Zebulon

Tomp. Thanks for sharing your opinion, but basically you seem to having a basic bias against bikes on narrow trails. I happen to disagree.

Mar 27th - 12:04pm | tomp

Zebulon--

Mar 26th - 23:38pm | Zebulon

Frank N, there's currently 200 million acres of federal land closed to bicycles (from what I read). How much more do we need to close? Based on the comments of a few politicians, I'm hopeful that access will change over time. It'll probably be too late for me, but it'll happen in time for my kids.

Mar 26th - 19:56pm | Kurt Repanshek

Good point.

Mar 26th - 19:36pm | billy

Does the author has to show his or her bias by saying (EVEN THE RANKING REPUBLICAN) praised the bill. You should realize there are many conservatives that believe in the preservation of the planet. Try to get along with them and we might get a head in this task at a better pace.

Mar 26th - 17:17pm | Steve

Although the bill contains authorization language, it doesn't appropriate a single dollar to implement any of the provisions. That has to come later.

Mar 26th - 14:07pm | imtnbke

I'd say anything that is quiet, road-free, fairly remote and little-visited, and big enough to feel vast when traveling under one's own power.

Mar 26th - 14:02pm | Random Walker

I am wondering what your (all you NPT'ers :-)) definition of Wilderness is, not the "federal" definition but yours personally.

Mar 26th - 13:12pm | imtnbke

Frank N., I'd accept your proposed Wilderness restrictions in a heartbeat.

Mar 26th - 11:27am | Kurt Repanshek

IMTN, consider the captchas nothing more than an eye test;-) That said, I have a list of upgrades and improvements for the Traveler, and captchas are on it.

Mar 26th - 11:20am | imtnbke

One off-topic comment, which I hope people will indulge. I'm reading the front page of today's New York Times, which has an article on tent cities that have emerged in unlikely places like Sacramento and Fresno because of the rise in poverty and unemployment. They're latter-day Hoovervilles. This puts our disputes in perspective, I think.

Mar 26th - 09:09am | Frank N

Good news out of Washington for a change! Zebulon, nobody hates bike riders. No matter how many acres are designated Wilderness, there will still be millions of acres for bike riding.

Mar 26th - 03:12am | rscottjones

I'm very excited that the National Landscape Conservation System now has a permanent place in America's portfolio of protected public lands. The system has some real gems out there, many of them here in my home state of Arizona.

Mar 25th - 23:59pm | Zebulon

Wonderful, cyclists are getting kicked out of even more areas. Bike haters on the bike rejoice. More trails you won't have to share courtesy of the government...

Mar 25th - 16:47pm | Ray Bane

I wish that the bill had included final wilderness designation for millions of acres of parklands in Alaska.

Ignorance and Complacency—Common Denominators in Many Park Accidents

Mar 27th - 10:31am | Random Walker

I take full responsibility for my life, my ignorance and my complacency.

NRA Appeals Ruling Blocking Concealed Carry in National Parks

Mar 27th - 09:48am | Eric

Yo Bemis- I don't know where you live, but where I live it really is not that bad. Criminals don't rule the roost, I don't have to lock my door and feel perfectly safe walking at night or the trails during the day. Just as safe as I feel hiking and camping in the Parks I frequent. I know... I know some day I will wish you were here with your concealed weapon to save me.

Mar 26th - 12:21pm | Eric

Anonymous #3 and Colorado, I see alot of "Law Abiding Citizens" pro carry people now saying they are going to carry no matter what the law. If that is the case, why call yourselves "Law abiding"? I am a gun owner, and was on the fence on this subject but reading these comments about who cares about the law I'm gonna carry anyway, I am leaning on the side of no concealed weapons in the parks.

House Consideration of Massive Public Lands Bill Could Involve Gun Amendment

Mar 27th - 06:40am | RAH

I would like to thank Rick Smith for his comment which gave more info bot this land bill. My personal preference would have liked the gun rights language.But that can be handled as a separate issue. We do not need to weigh down bills with pet agendas. I would like more info on how the sequester of these lands impact any energy issues. Since preservation and mining often clash.

Mar 26th - 09:11am | Kurt Repanshek

That makes two of us, Old Ranger. I've been meaning to have a talk with him about national park issues, but figure he'd just want to mine them.

Mar 25th - 21:52pm | Old Ranger

I'm ashamed to admit that Rob Bishop represents me. Sorry about that. But at least with President Cheney out, our parks finally have a chance at survival.

Spring Blooms Not Too Far Away in Shenandoah, Blue Ridge Parkway, And Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Mar 27th - 05:48am | Bob Janiskee

You've bum-rapped the system, Sharon, because it's really not fair to say that a "senior pass" is hard to get. In fact, it's one of the simplest things you'll ever do, national parks-wise. The major constraint here is that the America The Beautiful Senior Pass (abbreviated name) has to be purchased in person.

Mar 26th - 22:52pm | Sharon

Why is it so hard to locate a place to buy senior passes or other national park passes? I have been trying on the phone and the internet to locate to purchase a pass close to me. I seem to keep being told to call here, go there, and just like run around. No one seems to know where. Can you help?

Carrying Guns in the National Parks -- Is This Being Fast-Tracked?

Mar 26th - 20:03pm | Anonymous

Any capable and proficient adult who walks around in a remote area of a national park while unarmed has no business being there.

National Park Quiz 47: Spring

Mar 26th - 10:53am | Bob Janiskee

I didn't see that TV program you referred to, Rob, but now I wish I had.

Mar 26th - 10:33am | robmutch

Hmmm...I answered just 5 of 10 correctly, but, got #11 correct from having watched a recent Nat. Geog. or NOVA show (couldn't find the title) on forests of the world. Thanks Bob. rob --- Executive Director, Crater Lake Institute www.craterlakeinstitute.com

National Park Designation is an Unholy Mess

Mar 26th - 10:24am | Bob Janiskee

Further on the matter of Fort Moultrie. This morning while sorting through some old files I found an NPS tri-fold brochure distributed a long time ago (late 1980s or early 1990s) at Congaree National Park (then Congaree Swamp National Monument).

Mar 26th - 10:17am | Bob Janiskee

Two categories instead of 30 does have a certain appeal! Thanks for bringing the Parks Canada approach to our attention.

Mar 26th - 09:33am | Alan Hogenauer

Surprised that no one has mentioned Parks Canada, where it's either National Park (primarily natural/scenic) or National Historic Site. Nice and clean and simple! Alan Hogenauer

Spring Openings on Tap for Shenandoah National Park

Mar 26th - 10:22am | robmutch

Thanks for the update Kurt. Shenandoah N.P. has a lot of great info. on their website. I definitely need to make a photo visit some day. We are getting some much-needed late winter/early spring precipitation in the Pacific Northwest/Crater Lake N.P.

Park History: Mammoth Cave National Park

Mar 26th - 08:15am | Susan

Does anyone remember the ld hotel at Mamoth Cave ? I stayed there as a young girl when my family was on a Spring Field Trip. The Park Service was very proud that the hotel was 'nautrally air conditioned' from the air in the cave. Then sometime in the late 70s or early 80s the hotel was closed because the air from the cave contained radon gas.

Sections of Pacific Crest Trail Poached by Mountain Bikers; Could Problems Arise in National Parks?

Mar 25th - 21:15pm | imtnbke

Kurt, thanks for the suggestions on places to ride where mountain biking is allowed. I have ridden in the Sawtooths, assuming that's where the Williams Creek and Fisher Creek trail loop is located, the one between Ketchum and Stanley on the east side of the highway. Fine trails. I had to share them with a group of motorcyclists but they were polite, albeit unavoidably loud.

Designations Just One Example of Disparities Within the National Park System. Web Sites Are Another

Mar 25th - 19:54pm | Anonymous

For the most part, NPS Web content is principally driven by 1) a dedicated/interested NPS employee (and in a few cases, employees, plural) and/or 2) a dedicated/interested volunteer. This is pretty much consistent whether the park be large or small, old or new. In many cases existing Web content was created by that NPS employee and/or

NPCA Applauds National Park System's Cut of Stimulus Package, But Says Much Remains to Do

Mar 25th - 19:01pm | Anonymous

I am not sure "a lot of money" spent within the National Park system is money well spent (But I guess that wasn't the premise upon which the stimulus package was built). The hierachy within the National Park system has in the past stepped on many a Senator/Congresman's toes whenever one would question what was going on within the Park.

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.