National Parks Traveler Episode 175: Surviving The Covid Pandemic At Yosemite

This past week’s historic flooding at Yellowstone National Park shows the power of nature. It will take many months and many millions of dollars to help the park fully recover. However, much progress is being made. Check the National Parks Traveler regularly for the latest updates. 

The Yellowstone flood recovery in and around the park will play out for many months, and perhaps years, down the road, and bring many stories to light. The covid pandemic also has played out for longer than most expected, and it continues to generate stories.

By now the impact of the Covid shutdown in the National Park System is well-known, and we regret that many park-related businesses in the gateway communities may not have made it. The National Parks Traveler did want to circle back to one particular business that we had featured in an article in May 2020 – Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides.  In this week’s podcast, Lynn Riddick talks to the owner of SYMG to see how the company has fared ever since.

 

:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode Intro with Kurt Repanshek
1:08 Blue Mist - Randy Petersen - The Sounds of Shenandoah
1:24 Potrero Group
1:50 The Everglades Foundation
2:00 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
2:27 Interior Federal Credit Union
2:46 Great Smoky Mountains Association
3:09 Lynn Riddick visits with the owner of Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides to see how the company survived the Covid pandemic.
18:02 Vista Verde - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of Peaks, Plateaus and Canyons
18:13 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
18:33 Eastern National Passport
19:15 Washington’s National Park Fund
19:48 Wild Tribute
20:13 Friends of Acadia
20:37 Yosemite Conservancy
21:03 Lynn's conversation with the owner of Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides continues
31:31 Bass Harbor - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
31:45 Episode Closing
32:09 Orange Tree Productions
32:40 Splitbeard Productions
32:50 National Parks Traveler footer

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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 376 | ESA's Future

Since this past December here at the Traveler we’ve been bringing you a series of stories on the Endangered Species Act and the threatened and endangered species it’s intended to keep from going extinct.

For me, it’s been an eye-opening series because of what our editors and writers have learned about threatened and endangered species — from birds to trees and even to grasses — and the work being done to help them recover. It’s certainly not an easy task, and one that often takes decades before you can see progress.

May 31st, 2026 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 375 | Rethinking Public Lands Stewardship

Public lands stewardship has most definitely changed under the second presidential administration of Donald Trump. Land-management agencies such as the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management have lost thousands of employees, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is on a mission to turn the country’s public lands into a cash cow of sorts.

May 24th, 2026 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 374 | Cook Inlet's Beluga Whales

A fast-track proposal to develop a gold mine near Alaska’s Cook Inlet and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is alarming scientists, environmental groups and local communities because of the devastating effects it is expected to have on the region’s critically endangered beluga whales.

May 17th, 2026 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 373 | Southern Campaign of the American Revolution

America’s 250th birthday is coming up this summer, festivities will be held all over the country, and history buffs will be delving into the various nooks and crannies of the National Park System to see where they can visit sites of Revolutionary War battles.

Don't overlook South Carolina and its three park sites that preserve Revolutionary War battlefields – Kings Mountain National Military Park, Cowpens National Battlefield, and Ninety-Six National Historic Site. 

May 10th, 2026 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 372 | Print Ain’t Dead

We’re living in somewhat tumultuous times in the print media industry. Well-familiar titles are either disappearing, shrinking drastically, or shifting over to the internet. On top of that, the advent of Artificial Intelligence has some readers wondering how much human effort and talent went into the piece they're reading.

May 3rd, 2026 Read More

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The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks 

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

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

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks 

FREE for iPhones and Android phones.