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Senate Poised To OK Legislation That Would Grow National Park System, But Questions Loom

In one of the largest expansions of the National Park System in decades, a nearly 1,700-page bill to fund the Defense Department carries amendments to add roughly a half-dozen units to the park system and add acres to others. But the measure also raises concerns over whether Congress is micro-managing National Park Service decisions when it comes to wildlife management under the Endangered Species Act, and how donors to the system should be recognized.

39th Annual Festival Of Christmas Past Coming To Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will stage its 39th annual Festival of Christmas Past celebration, complete with music, stories out of the past, and even apple cider, on December 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sugarlands Visitor Center on the western side of the park.

For Some Park Visits, Getting There Is Definitely Part Of The Fun

The enormous variety of areas in the National Park System means there's also quite a range of experiences when it comes to getting to and from your park destination. Whether you're taking the subway or city bus to an urban park or riding a train, small plane or ferry to reach your destination in Alaska, there are plenty options for a memorable trip...and sometimes they can be memorable indeed.

Concerns, Opposition Voiced To Proposed Entrance Fee Increases At National Parks

As more and more units of the National Park System roll out proposals to increase their entrance fees to bring them in line with a standardized schedule developed by National Park Service leaders, public opposition is being voiced, with some newspapers and towns opposing the increases and individuals maintaining they're untenable and unfair.

Possible Congressional Battle Looming Over Parks Legislation Attached To Defense Authorization Bill

In what could be the most significant legislative action pertaining to national parks since 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives is being asked to approve a defense authorization bill that has been amended to create a number of new units of to the National Park System, from a Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park in New York to a Manhattan Project National Historical Park spread across a handful of states.