National parks are not alone in grappling with crowds. Many gateway communities surrounding our national parks are notable for their own amazing offerings -- natural beauty with tranquil spots for solitude and reflection…and nice venues for dining, listening to live music and pursuing year-round outdoor recreational and leisure activities. But when the management of visitation in these areas is unchecked, and the very resources that make these places highly desirable destinations are strained, can anything really be done?
The community of Jackson, Wyoming, hopes so. Recognizing that residents, business owners and visitors all share in the responsibility of preserving the area’s unique character and allure, stakeholders throughout Teton County have put together a comprehensive sustainable destination management plan. The goal is to protect the beauty of the area, preserve a healthy environment and, at the same time, enhance visitor experience, business growth and quality of life for residents.
This week the Traveler’s Lynn Riddick talks with Crista Valentino of the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board to find out what’s in the plan and how it will help.
By Jess Repanshek - May 7th, 2023
:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode Intro with Kurt Repanshek
1:10 Vista Verde - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of Peaks, Plateaus and Canyons
1:52 Potrero Group
2:18 Yosemite Conservancy
2:41 Friends of Acadia
3:09 Jackson Hole Sustainable Destination Management Plan
20:15 Almost Home - Randy Petersen - The Sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains
20:26 Traveler Promo
20:39 Washington’s National Park Fund
21:11 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
21:34 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
22:08 Jackson Hole Sustainable Destination Management Plan Continues
34:46 Sieur de Monts - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
35:00 Interior Federal Credit Union
35:20 Great Smoky Mountains Association
35:41 The Everglades Foundation
35:54 Jackson Hole Sustainable Destination Management Plan Continues
45:36 No’Easter - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
45:59 Episode Closing
46:22 Orange Tree Productions
46:55 Splitbeard Productions
47:05 National Parks Traveler footer
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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 304 | Into the Thaw
Most, if not all of us, have bucket lists. Places we want to visit…but don’t always get the opportunity.
This is Kurt Repanshek, your host at the National Parks Traveler. One of the destinations on my bucket list is Gates of Arctic National Park and Preserve and the Noatak River that runs through it. A week or two floating the river sounds pretty ideal to me.
December 8th, 2024
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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 303 | Change Happens
Change happens…and sometimes it doesn’t.
Change certainly is underway in Washington, where the incoming Trump administration is putting its players in position with promises of changing, or maybe upsetting, the status quo.
Against that, the National Park Service continues to face long-standing problems with not enough staff or funding, compounded by National Park System damage from hurricanes, tornadoes, sea level rise, wildfires, just about everything under the sun.
December 1st, 2024
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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 302 | Omnibus Lands Bill
As the calendar runs down on the current session of Congress, there are a number of pieces of legislation that would involve or possibly impact the National Park System if they find their way into an omnibus lands bill that gains passage before the session adjourns.
November 24th, 2024
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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 301 | Red-Cockaded Woodpecker--A Decision Too Soon?
The vulnerable red-cockaded woodpecker is known to be found in national park units throughout the southeast. Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park in Florida, Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee are just a few of the parks that either are, or once were, home to the woodpecker.
November 17th, 2024
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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 300 | Wildlife at Play
Humans like to play, right? We play cards, we play baseball and basketball, we go fishing or take a hike into the mountains. It’s our play time, time to recharge, refocus, relax.
November 10th, 2024
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The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.
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.
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