In this week’s show, we talk with Toby O’Rourke, the president and CEO of Kampgrounds of America, about a study KOA commissioned to gauge Americans’ interests in returning to campgrounds on and near public lands as the fight with the coronavirus pandemic continues. The findings are quite interesting and point to renewed interest in camping as a recreational pursuit. After that conversation, we tempt you to explore the dark side of the National Park System. No, not the night skies overhead, but rather the subterranean world of Jewel Cave National Monument and Wind Cave National Park, two parks in South Dakota separated by fewer than 20 miles as the crow flies.
By NPT Staff - May 17th, 2020
:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode introduction with Kurt Repanshek
1:35 Oh Susanna - Grant Geissman - The Sounds of the Grand Canyon
1:54 Kampgrounds of America CEO Toby O'Rourke discusses their Covid-19 survey of campers.
12:22 The Offering - Bill Mize - The Sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains
12:28 National Parks Traveler coronavirus edition promotion
12:41 Washington’s National Park Fund promotion
13:16 Friends of Acadia promotion
13:45 KOA camping discussion continues
25:32 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation promotion
25:57 Grand Teton National Park Foundation promotion
26:30 North Cascades Institute promotion
26:57 A Tale of Two Caves: The Dark Side Of Jewel Cave National Monument And Wind Cave National Park
35:05 Escalante - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of Peaks, Plateaus and Canyons
36:12 Episode closing
36:35 Orange Tree Productions promotion
37:14 National Parks Traveler footer
Spur a discussion about traveling to a national park for a vacation and odds are that it will revolve around getting out into nature, looking for wildlife, perhaps honing your photography skills, or marveling at incredible vistas.
Will the discussion include destinations that portray aspects of the country’s history, or cultural melting pot?
Tens of millions of people in the United States will be able to witness a Total Solar Eclipse on Monday as the rare astronomical event cuts a path from Texas to Maine, up to 122 miles wide in some spots. This is a great opportunity to see the exact moment when the moon fully blocks the sun, creating a blazing corona visible to those observing from the center line of totality.
With March madness down to the Sweet 16, and Opening Day of Major League Baseball having arrived, we’re going to take a break this week and dive into our podcast archives for this week’s show.
This is Kurt Repanshek, your host at the National Parks Traveler. My NCAA bracket was busted the very first day, and while the Yankees won their opening day game against the Houston Astros, I don’t think they’ll go undefeated this year.
One of the most popular public events in the National Park System was the release of sea turtle hatchlings, shuffling off into the Gulf of Mexico at Padre Island National Seashore. I say was, because the number of those public events has been drastically scaled back in recent years.
Air pollution and climate change impacts can have outsized effects on the National Park System, as well as lesser noticed but just as concerning effects. But are those impacts spread across the entire park system, or clustered around a few?
Back in 2019 the National Parks Conservation Association looked at how air pollution and climate change were impacting parks. They have updated that study with the latest data from the National Park Service, and the current state of affairs remains concerning.
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The Essential RVing Guide
The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.
This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.
You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.
So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.
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