National Parks Traveler Episode 172: What Parks Will You Visit This Summer?

Memorial Day Weekend is the traditional kickoff to summer. Where will you go in the National Park System?

Memorial Day Weekend is the official kickoff to summer. Now, there’s no doubt that many of us have already been to a unit of the National Park System in 2022, but this weekend is the traditional start to venturing into the park system.

If you don’t know where to go, or what to do, I’ve invited Kim O’Connell, a contributing writer at the National Parks Traveler, and Lynn Riddick, the Traveler's masterful podcaster, to help sort through the options. 

:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode Intro with Kurt Repanshek
:38 Black Woods - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
:59 Potrero Group
1:26 Eastern National Passport
2:08 Interior Federal Credit Union
2:29 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
2:52 Memorial Day Weekend: Kurt Repanshek discusses summer park adventures with Lynn Riddick and Kim O'Connell
15:28 Whispering Winds - Grant Geissman - Sounds of the Caribbean
15:40 Wild Tribute
16:06 Washington’s National Park Fund
16:39 Yosemite Conservancy
16:59 The Everglades Foundation
17:13 Memorial Day Weekend: Our conversation with Kurt, Lynn, and Kim continues
33:18 Caribbean Song - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of the Everglades
33:30 Great Smoky Mountains Association
33:50 Friends of Acadia
34:14 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
34:45 Memorial Day Weekend: Kurt, Lynn, and Kim wrap up their discussion of where to go in the park system this summer.
42:30 Escalante - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of Peaks, Plateaus and Canyons
42:49 Episode Closing
43:32 Orange Tree Productions
44:03 Splitbeard Productions
44:13 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.