Read Rachel Attias' ruminative essay on how a four month long cross country road trip and a journey to the Sperry Chalet in Glacier National Park changed her life. "You need to stop thinking so hard and either enjoy the drive or jump out of the car immediately."
Adventure in the 'Valley of Hearts Delight': Silicon Valley for the Outdoor Enthusiast
The Santa Clara Valley, better known by its modern nickname "Silicon Valley," was once also considered the “Valley of Heart’s Delight,” due to its abundance of wheat and produce, particularly pears, apricots, French plums (prunes), tomatoes, flowers, and grapes. The region is both agriculturally robust and scenic, home to a wealth of state parks that protect ancient old growth redwoods, and municipal parks with steep, rocky chaparral and riparian corridors
The Bald Eagles of Conowingo Hydro Station
Read Patrick D Hahn's elegant recollection of eagle sightings at the Conowingo Hydroelectric Generating Station and dam in Maryland, one of the greatest places in all of North America for closeup views of the national bird, the bald eagle. Click here to explore more with Patrick and us!
Our Recommendations for State Parks to Explore
While we’re currently experiencing a federal government shutdown, most National Park Service lands will remain open but unstaffed. Any portion that requires services (campgrounds, visitor centers, bathrooms, EMS/fire, etc.) will be closed. Risky, dangerous, and sensitive areas will also be closed. If any portion of a park (including the full park, in some cases) is shut and locked during off-business hours, it will be closed during the shutdown. NPS campgrounds are a different matter, with this being the official word from the Department of the Interior: "The NPS will cease providing services for NPS operated campgrounds, including maintenance, janitorial, bathrooms, showers, check-in/check-out and reservations. There is no guarantee their reserved campsite will be ready and available should they arrive during a government shutdown.”
With that in mind, we’d like to offer up some amazing state parks that are great options, and in many cases, close to these semi-closed National Parks. These state parks are also fantastic places to visit on their own, and in no way are we suggesting these as replacement parks, though they are fully open and ready to accept visitors! Click here to read the full list of these majestic parks.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, photo by Doorino / CC 2.0
2018 National Park Service Fee-Free Days
Camping with a Dog: The Best Tips for Fun and Safety
Shared public lands, or what you might commonly refer to as national parks, forests, and conservation areas, provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature with your pooch. If you’re bringing your pet along, however, there are several things to prepare for, including safe bedding and having a plan in place for injuries -- not to mention finding a park that is four-paw friendly. Find out more in Aurora's guest post by clicking here!
NPS Moving to Require Reservations to Enter Arches National Park
The National Parks Service is considering requiring all private vehicles to have a permit to enter Arches National Park based on time of day during the peak months of March to October.
Visiting the NPS in the ATL
Vacation Value Time: VVT
Our Guide to Washington, D.C., Part I
There’s so much to see in Washington, D.C.! We’re going to do a quick two-sentence and two-part guide to each of the National Park Service units in the Washington D.C. jurisdiction area, which does also includes a few sites in Virginia and Maryland. Here in part one, we’ll be exploring NPS units that you can visit without a car, either by walking, using public transportation or a quick hop using a cab or car share service. Click here to read the full guide!
A Coastal Gem: Channel Islands National Park
Read our guide to secluded Channel Islands National Park. Five islands, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara (the island, not the town), comprise the national park
