Features

A curious set of prehistoric clay disks has been discovered in Noatak National Preserve in northwestern Alaska, leading archaeologists to believe they've encountered a new aspect of the region's past.

You might not like it, but fall is in the air. Sure, the temperatures might not feel like it, but the migratory birds know what time of year it is and soon will be taking flight. Around the National Park System there are more than a few parks where you can see this in action.

Finally, the most-anticipated month for visiting national parks has arrived. That's right, September, the month when apples ripen and are ready for picking. From Pennsylvania to Utah and on west to California, the desire to bite into a nice crisp apple, or pick a bag or bushel for pies and sauce, are luring visitors to parks.

Earlier this year we ran a story by former Park Service historian Richard West Sellars that examined how fully the National Park Service at Fort Laramie National Historic Site recounts the history of the 19th Century Indian Wars. The following article from Robert Pahre takes a broader look at how the National Park Service interprets Native American history.

A more expansive, and inclusive, National Park System, stronger educational outreach, and a revised approach for managing today's natural and cultural resource challenges are among goals laid out in a blueprint for leading the National Park Service into its second century.

Bears in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks have been in the news a bit this summer, both because of their behavior and the behavior of tourists watching the bears. The following column, which Todd Wilkinson posted on his Wildlife Art Journal site the other day, will have you scratching your head over how there haven't been more bear-human incidents this summer.

This northern Minnesota park's waterway system, consisting of four large island-studded lakes connected by narrows, was once the route of the French-Canadian voyageurs. A large peninsula with a glaciated, boreal forest landscape completes the ensemble.

The truly essential items for the birder’s or wildlife watcher’s gearbox are few, but binoculars are pretty difficult to do without.

Standing under the iconic arch at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is awesome. But the site has so much more worth exploring.

Change is constant, and magical, at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Here change is taking place right in front of you.

Crown jewels like Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite get huge numbers of visitors, but most of the Million Club's heavy lifters don't even have National Park as part of their name.

University of Georgia researchers have determined that unusually cold seawater, as with unusually warm seawater, can be deadly for the coral reefs that can be found in places such as Virgin Islands and Biscayne national parks.

Black bears, once thought to be long gone from Big Bend National Park, have been on the comeback, though the recent drought could create problems for the small population, as Meghan Hicks has learned.

Virginia has plenty of Civil War battlefields, many of which are part of the National Park System. One that seems to rise above others, though, is Petersburg National Battlefield, which history has left with a massive crater from a poorly executed Union attack.

How far are you willing to go out of your way for a meal? For Appalachian National Scenic Trail thru-hikers, that question could take on more relevance if the U.S. Postal Service closes down some of its smaller operations in a cost-saving move.

Here at the Traveler we put our heads together to come up with a list of where best to watch wildlife in the National Park System. We're sure you can help us grow this list.

"Two" has important meaning in the context of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, and so do many other numbers.

Everglades National Park offers some of the best birding in the National Park System, but you need to be alert for the hazards -- gators, poisonous snakes, mosquitoes, and sharp, slippery rocks, as Kirby Adams discovered.

Four years ago we brought you a video that touched more than a few nerves. The subject was hunting brown bears in Katmai National Preserve and raised the question of whether it was really sporting or ethical. While the resulting uproar died down, it's creeping up again as Park Service officials seek public comment on a proposal to allow two sport-hunting guide businesses to operate in the preserve.

Having deflated the tires of his Suburban so each held only about 20 pounds of pressure, John Couch drives me out onto the seashore under a bright June sun. The ocean is rhythmically slapping the beach, the air is warm, not yet too humid.