National Parks Traveler

I don’t usually look to elk for hiking companions, but as I worked my way from Nymph Lake to Dream Lake towards my final destination at Emerald Lake, I couldn’t ignore the cow elk and her young calf. We didn’t share the trail, but they paralleled my travels and stuck close to the cascading creek that wore the lakes like gems on a necklace. They enjoyed the succulent vegetation while I enjoyed the Rocky Mountain grandeur.

If you've ever decided to hike Delicate Arch during the high season at Arches National Park in Utah, you know how difficult it can be to find a parking spot at the trailhead. Park officials realize that, too, and have developed a proposal for improving the congestion there that they want your thoughts on.

Every so often, something pops up that sounds so fascinating, it simply must be investigated. That’s what happened the other day when I made my daily visit to the NPS Morning Report and found an article that set my curiosity ablaze. I don’t remember ever having heard of Kalaupapa and I know I’ll never be able to visit the place in person, but thanks to modern electronic communications and the Internet, I was able to visit.

Ben Otoo and Nicole Ridgwell are spending the summer living a dream as they scramble and climb among the remains of the long dead. These young paleontologists are photographing and mapping the world famous deposit of ancient bones at Dinosaur National Monument.