Exploring the Parks

Revisiting Jasper One Year After The Once-In-A-Century Wildfire

On a bedrock knob overlooking a mountain town in Alberta, I played citizen scientist by putting my smartphone in a holder and taking a photo of the fire-scarred landscape.

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By Jennifer Bain - September 30th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

Units of the National Park System are where they are because of history, a particular subject or event, or a landform. With Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area in Washington state, it’s all about water.

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By Rebecca Latson - September 29th, 2025

What To Know About Visiting Great Smoky Mountains For Fall Colors

October is peak season for fall colors at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here's a list of pro tips to help plan your visit.

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By Compiled from NPS releases - September 29th, 2025

Photography In The National Parks: Favorite Spots At Mount Rainier’s Sunrise Area

For this month’s photo column, Traveler contributing photographer Rebecca Latson shares with you how to get to her very favorite spots for photography at Mount Rainier National Park.

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By Rebecca Latson - September 23rd, 2025

Some Like It Hot! Studying Thermophiles In Yellowstone National Park

Thermophiles thrive in hydrothermal features where scalding temperatures would burn other life. What can we learn from the unique adaptations of these heat-loving microorganisms?

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By Yellowstone Volcano Observatory - September 24th, 2025

A Day In The Park: Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in California is a park unit which bounced back from a devastating 2018 wildfire to offer hiking trails, history, and – thanks to the star of the show Whiskeytown Lake – plenty of water-based opportunities for paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing.

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By Rebecca Latson - September 22nd, 2025

The Best Season For Watching Wildlife In National Parks Is Here

Without a doubt, the fall months are the best in the National Park System for seeing wildlife.

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By NPT Staff - September 18th, 2025

There’s More To Sable Island Than Just Wild Horses

There she was, alone on the beach enjoying the late-summer summer. Blue-grey with beautiful speckling, the harbour seal had a dog-like snout and holes on either side of her head instead of ear flaps. These rather docile seals usually haul out in groups to avoid predators but this one was resting by herself in a shallow pool.

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By Jennifer Bain - September 17th, 2025

Volunteers Remove Invasive Cape Ivy From Areas Around Point Reyes National Seashore

Cape ivy is a fast-growing vine native to South Africa.

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By Justin Jang and Valentin Kostelnik, San Francisco Bay Area Network Salmonid Monitoring Program - September 16th, 2025

How to Take A Volcano’s Temperature

If only we could stick a thermometer into a magma chamber… That’s not really possible, but fortunately each mineral in a volcanic deposit is like a microscopic thermometer that records magma chamber temperature over time!

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By Yellowstone Volcano Observatory - September 16th, 2025

INN Member

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

Exploring the Parks

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The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

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