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Assateague Island National Seashore Rangers Troll Internet For Big Catch

Oct 8th - 15:21pm | Anonymous

i bet she drove an orv. THose orv fishermen should be banned from the beach!

Wyoming Congressional Delegation Pushing Interior Secretary To Move on Yellowstone Snowmobile Plan

Oct 8th - 14:39pm | Anonymous

There should be a huge internal combustion usage fee for for recreational vehicles- boats, PWC, off road vehicles. Mercifully PWC are banned from ocean waters in the SF Bay area, where I live. We get along fine without them. Get a canoe, sailboat or a kayak, or a bike, or snowshoes, or skis. Gas is dead, and killing us. If you love speed get a race car, i'm totally cool with that.

Oct 8th - 14:03pm | Betty H

Frank N, I second your motion !!!

Oct 8th - 12:54pm | dapster

I personally would not hold my breath waiting for the DOI to act. While it is encouraging that constituent’s voices are being heard via their elected representatives, I doubt that their wishes will be granted. More legal wrangling is sure to follow.

Oct 8th - 12:44pm | jsmacdonald

One issue on motorized use outside the park - the travel plan for Gallatin National Forest has been all but struck down by a judge. There is a good chance that a lot of the national forests outside of Yellowstone will be managed more as wilderness areas. So, there may be a fair amount of restriction on snowmobiles - there already are on the wilderness areas north of the park.

Oct 8th - 10:42am | Frank N

Great idea. Let's put into place yet another winter use plan that ignores the law, the courts, the EPA, the Organic Act, science and tons of public comments. Then we can spend a few million more taxpayer dollars doing yet another study, which will be ignored; and having yet another comment period, which will be ignored.

Valley Forge Development Gains OK

Oct 8th - 14:16pm | Marylander

It's really a shame that when the park was created that they didn't include more land. It's just way too tiny and the enormous hotels/traffic/noise/construction/homes/businesses/city life is already built up right to some of its borders. It is hard for my 4th graders to imagine the area as a battle ground when they are watching the chaos of the hotels in the background.

Oct 8th - 12:20pm | Anonymous

Mary Bomar, Director of the National Park Service, is the primary one responsible for this problem, more than the Zoning Board. She once had an option to buy the property, held for her as a favor by a friendly land conservation group. She surrendered that option which enabled the Valley Forge developer to buy this land for this disgraceful project .

It’s Good to be the President When You Visit Gettysburg National Military Park

Oct 8th - 12:02pm | Lepanto

Well, I do think the President of the US goes wherever he wants, BUT there are several more interesting things about this, AND, see at the end my plea for understanding of how this looks to the Average Park Ranger, that all, except perhaps the Secret Service insiders should be able to understand:

Oct 7th - 17:43pm | Anonymous

Oh dear, I mentioned my husband working for the Secret Service and it suddenly all becomes "satire". I am die-hard nothing political. It's nothing for you to change to a "satire" intent after the fact but you clearly were extremely jealous of a President getting the VIP treatment even in your follow-ups.

Turkey Hunters Appreciate Wildlife Habitat Preservation at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Oct 7th - 20:49pm | Marylander

I agree that the Pinnacle Overlook is spectacular, and have seen many, many wild turkeys in the Cumberland Gap area. I fail to see turkey hunting as a sporty hunt, though. They are fairly large targets, don't move particularly fast, are loud and easy to find... where is the challenge in that?

Appellate Court Upholds Lower Court Ruling on Development at Gateway National Recreation Area

Oct 7th - 17:31pm | d-2

Other than to make sure I acknowledge when you seem to have the better of the argument, I don't plan to say any more on this topic. -- You make a good point about needing to move forward now on the leasing plan. I agree with that, and agree the long delay is unconscionable

Oct 6th - 14:23pm | Water Witch

Dear d-2: I've been away, and just got a chance to read your reply. I can't comment on the NPS staff and administration, other than to say that from what I've seen the personnel at the Sandy Hook Unit seem to have done the best that they can with available resources, perhaps hampered by higher-ups.

Oct 4th - 12:19pm | d-2

Dear Water Witch: thanks for your deeper, complex analysis. 1. For the record, I agree, and have agreed, that this historic lease is a good idea at Ft. Hancock.

Oct 4th - 03:14am | Water Witch

More for d-2 -

Oct 3rd - 17:10pm | Water Witch

Water Witch Dear d-2: That’s more than a few questions, but I’ll do my best, and return to the issue if I leave it incomplete.

Oct 2nd - 11:28am | d-2

Dear Water Witch: Please clarify by just answering a few specific questions, relating to your rebuttal. It is important for us to understand if your comments are balanced and take all facts into account, or if you are just an advocate of the developer and opponent of the Colemans.

Oct 2nd - 08:24am | Water Witch

The debate on Fort Hancock has included much comment on “using historic leases to displace public use of prime park assets” which, in the case of the Fort, is completely wrong. The grounds of Fort Hancock have been, and will continue to be, freely used by the public.

There's Plenty to See Above Ground at Wind Cave National Park

Oct 7th - 16:55pm | Anonymous

Good thing there is a lot to do above ground since the National Parks pass is about worthless underground.

Park History: Biscayne National Park

Oct 7th - 12:47pm | Mitchell Orbatell

Which has better snorkeling, Key Largo or Biscayne Bay? How inexpensive each is also matters. I'm not interested in paying $$$$ to go out on a boat. Thanks!

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Not Immune to Bear Problems

Oct 6th - 21:13pm | Bob Krumenaker

Thanks, Jim, and thanks, Rick, for the kind words -- I hope to see both of you again soon. I, too, wish a few more of my colleagues would take advantage of the forum that the Traveler offers. Bob

Oct 4th - 13:04pm | Rick Smith

I hope the readers of the Traveler will appreciate Bob's summary of the situation. It is not often that a superintendent uses the Traveler as a way to explain the NPS's side of a potentially controversial issue. Thanks, Bob, for taking the time to do this. Rick Smith

Oct 4th - 11:45am | JimB

Bob - Thanks for an excellent summary of the situation. Based on my experience with bears at other parks, I'd fully agree that you and your staff have taken a very reasonable approach.

Oct 3rd - 22:52pm | Bob Krumenaker,...

The visitor season is practically over at the Apostle Islands and therefore closing Manitou Island is relatively easy. Even in the middle of the season, however, we've found that most visitors coming by boat respect a closure sign, particularly when it explains that the closure is for their own safety.

Oct 3rd - 10:37am | Kurt Repanshek

Vince, Rangers do have the authority to issue warnings and citations, but they pretty much have to catch the violations in action. It is unfortunate that this bear managed to find a human-provided buffet, and you'd think rangers would be able to figure out who left the Spam behind.

Oct 3rd - 10:34am | Vince

people or bear problem the damage is already done. They closed the island they say ,so are they patrolling 24 hours to stop boaters from just dropping in? It's unfortunate but if the bear is backing trained wildlife mangers into outhouses what are the chances that some boating day tripper won't trigger an attack? I think that this animals future is in serious jeopardy.

Oct 3rd - 10:10am | Anonymous

Sounds like you have a people problem, more than a bear problem. Where did he get the Spam?

Mount Rainier National Park Proposing to Reroute Section of Wonderland Trail

Oct 6th - 14:53pm | Anonymous

I hope they take the high road. Place the trail above the floodplain. In 5-10 years, the blasting will look "natural" too.

Park History: Dinosaur National Monument

Oct 6th - 10:13am | SaltSage236

Of all our NPS-managed national monuments, Dinosaur most deserves to be elevated to national park status. Dinosaur, as you elucidate above, is an amazing place, an oft-overlooked gem of a park full of opportunities for adventure. It even features one of the top 10 largest natural arches in the world, Outlaw Arch, discovered in 2006 in a side canyon of the Yampa River.

Lassen Volcanic National Park Gets Its First Purpose-Built Visitor Center, and It’s a Dandy

Oct 6th - 10:01am | dkcase

Very impressive. I would caution as an engineer and designer that people study closely the comments that are being made in current plumbing engineering literature regarding waterless urinals.

Oct 4th - 11:33am | JimB

Frank - Costs for actual operation won't be known until the building has been in use for a full year - anything at this point would just be a guess, and if those projections are available, I haven't seen them.

Are There Really 391 Units in the National Park System? You Won’t Think So After You Read This!

Oct 6th - 09:27am | Lone Hiker

I think the fast food analogy is quite apropos........more concern about quantity than quality. Unfortunately, many times those staffing the units (both NPS and Colonel McBell King in the Box) are about as competent as their counterparts as well, and from employer standpoint, probably interchangable without a notable dropoff in the level of services rendered to the public.

Oct 3rd - 08:48am | chris2ferw1516

Not to be picky but....for #7, correct spelling: Frederick Douglass. We're used to having to correct. [Ed. Nice catch; it's been fixed.]

North Cascades National Park – Forty Years on the Map, Seventy Years in the Making

Oct 6th - 09:10am | Phil

Funny you mention Dharma Bums. Kerouac, a Lowell, MA native is celebrated in his home town in October with a celebration called "Lowell Celebrates Kerouac." This past weekend was the main weekend for LCK and here at the Lowell NHP, we had writer/photographer, John Suiter give a presentation on his work "Poets on the Peaks." Mr.

Oct 4th - 21:44pm | Sabattis

I believe the same bill also established the third component of the North Cascades Complex - the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.

Oct 3rd - 13:21pm | greg

It's a little tangential, but North Cascades was incredibly influential on the life and work of Jack Kerouac (before it was a National Park).

Oct 3rd - 12:47pm | Random Walker

Suppose I will have to forgive you (being that you are not from these parts :-)) for not mentioning my hero Harvey Manning who was one of the most influential and outspoken advocates in the fight to preserve and establish Our North Cascades National Park.

Fall Into Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Kills California Woman

Oct 6th - 05:18am | Anonymous

Charlotte was a very dear old friend of mine and the entire event is horrible. I have not spoken to the family recently, but I have been to visit her grave and like her, it is beautiful. She is definately missed.

How Far Should National Park Rangers Go To Safeguard Your Life?

Oct 4th - 23:30pm | Anonymous

This just in from Lake Mead 19 year old Bullhead City man died at Lake Mead after he jumped into the water off of a boat and did not re-surface. Yes, a recovery followed, several divers risked their lives to pull the body up. If he wore a life jacket this would be a none event.

Oct 2nd - 14:24pm | JimB

George summed up a key to many visitor incidents when he noted, "Despite all the warnings and instructional material about the dangers in the parks, we still have visitors recklessly approaching wildlife, climbing over barriers to the edge of cliffs and bluffs, and ignoring other danger signs." Those attitudes also relate to the previous post about life jackets and education.

Oct 2nd - 13:47pm | d-2

Excellent comment, wise words Mr. Anoymous. At the same time, life guards also have a place, and can warn the public in the event of riptids or particularly dangerous surf. Some public high-use beaches should have life guards, and parks should not have to choose between resource protection projects and an appropriate level of life guards.

Oct 2nd - 13:08pm | Anonymous

Until the National Park Service addresses the over arching questions "why don't visitors do what they know they should do" it will continue to struggle with visitor use management. Yes, the National Park Service mission is as much about managing the visitor as it is the resources. Understanding human behavior and treating the public like adults is an answer.

Steamtown National Historic Site Schedules Leaf Peeper Excursions in the Poconos

Oct 3rd - 16:25pm | Wayne

I almost grew up in Steamtown when it was in Bellows Falls. I used to climb all over the trains, my father has endless hours of 8mm film of trains. I've yet to make it to the "new" location but my father just returned from a trip there.

Oct 3rd - 15:44pm | Kris

Ouch! Does Scranton really look that bad from the outside? Seriously...Jersey City? We can't possibly be worse than that. It's not as hip as some places, but it's trying.

Oct 3rd - 07:46am | Kris

Northeast PA, specifically Scranton, has been known lately more for being the hometowns of Biden and Clinton and maybe for "The Office," but once upon a time Steamtown was it's claim to fame. As a local, I can see something needs to be done with Steamtown...it's a sad site, and very pathetic how it's barely noticed anymore.

Updated: Groups Claim Yellowstone National Park Officials Abdicating Responsibility Over Snowmobile Access Issue

Oct 3rd - 14:11pm | dapster

"The Park Service is asking Congress to manage the park and publicly telling they public they are going to shut down the park," says Kristen Brengel, who long has monitored the snowmobile issue for The Wilderness Society. "Basically they are saying they can’t do their jobs. They can’t manage and they can’t figure out how to allow the public in through their own authority.

Brucellosis Solution: Kill All Elk and Bison in Yellowstone National Park

Oct 3rd - 11:34am | Frank N

Not to mention, when we are killing all these elk and bison, what exactly are the bears, wolves, mountain lions, eagles and coyotes going to be eating? My guess would be cattle. Then the demand will come up: we must kill all the predators! Soon the greatest intact temperate ecosystem remaining in North America will be no more. Only a memory. A story to tell our grandchildren.

Uranium Exploratory Drilling Near Grand Canyon National Park is Halted Pending a Full Environmental Review

Oct 3rd - 09:43am | Anonymous

To get a taste of the "Life and times" of this era of mining the S. Rim you might enjoy a personalize iMovie on Youtube.com/user/designsbydianne

Crews Remove Garbage From Marijuana Farms in Sequoia National Park

Oct 3rd - 08:57am | morgan34

Growing marijuana in a national forest is a total lack of consideration, the last time I checked marijuana was actually an illegal drug, these guys had a lot of nerve to do that. It makes you think about what they are really capable of.

Singer Dolly Parton Named Ambassador for Great Smoky Mountains National Park's Anniversary

Oct 2nd - 22:29pm | Ryan

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. I have always loved Dolly Parton's genuineness and coming from the heart her whole life. What a wonderful pick and a perfect choice. How many artists would write an entire album and donate the rights to a National Park? Beautiful. Even though it may be a few years before I can visit the area, I will get these wonderful souvenirs now!

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