Tagged: national-park

How to Avoid Traffic at Yosemite National Park's Entrances

After years of keeping traffic and crowds under control, California's Yosemite National Park has once again become a nightmare to visit, and federal mismanagement is clearly to…

The List of U.S. National Park Free Days for 2026

About a quarter of the country's 400 or so national parks, monuments, historical sites, seashores, forests, and other areas normally charge entrance fees. But there's a long tradition…

The Unexpected Travel Effects of the Federal Shutdown

No matter how common they have become, U.S. Government shutdowns can be painful, especially for travelers.Already, the action that began on October 1 is affecting everything from…

Grand Canyon Wildfire: How It Happened, What's Destroyed, and What Travelers Should Know

Nearly a hundred years ago, the Union Pacific Railroad commissioned architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood to design a resort hotel at its depot on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in…

U.S. Senate to Force Sale of Millions of Acres of Publicly Owned Vacationland

There is an update to this story at the bottom of the post.The U.S. Senate is marking public lands to be pillaged, and preservation groups are sounding the alarm to call fans of…

Trump Budget Cuts Could 'Wipe Out' Operations for At Least 350 National Park Units

"The president's proposed budget plan is beyond extreme. It is catastrophic."That's what Theresa Pierno, the head of the National Parks Conservation Association, said in an urgent…

Arizona Road Trip Itinerary: Tucson to Grand Canyon in One Week

Few destinations connect as deeply within the American psyche as Arizona, and with good reason. The entire state is one giant road tripper’s dream. There’s a lot of rich territory to…

The U.S. National Parks Bring In Much More Money Than They Take from Federal Funding

To my mind, the U.S. National Park System (NPS) is invaluable. Its 85 million acres span all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and every U.S. territory. In these parks are…

Chuckwalla: Some of U.S.'s Oldest Land Becomes Newest National Monument in California

In 1906, the United States Congress passed the Antiquities Act to help prevent the looting and destruction of tribal lands by greedy and careless people. That law is being invoked by…

How to Get U.S. National Park Reservations if They're Sold Out

The U.S. national park system responded to the coronavirus pandemic by becoming more like everything else in our lives: cumbersome and overcomplicated.Such is life in 2024. At least 9…

King Charles to Open Scotland's Balmoral Castle, Where QE2 Died, to Tours

Fans of the British Royal Family probably thought this announcement would ever be made. King Charles of the United Kingdom has announced that he will be opening Balmoral Castle, his…

The Cost of Going Cashless at U.S. National Parks As Many Switch to Plastic-Only

A growing number of sites operated by the U.S. National Park Service no longer accept cash for entrance fees or other services. In 2023, Badlands National Park in South Dakota, Crater…

Best Hotels Near Glacier National Park: Stay Near the West and East Entrances

Finding that perfect combination of comfort and convenience when you’re experiencing the wildness of the Glacier National Park in Montana isn’t difficult considering the number of…

Best U.S. National Park Lodges for Families

From erupting geysers at Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, America's best national parks feature some of the most beautiful sights that nature has to offer. These national…

Best National Parks in the USA

What are the best national parks? There are dozens of U.S. national parks to choose from, starting with the first national park (and still one of the best national…

Great Smoky Mountains to Charge for Parking and Raise Camping Fees

Parking at Great Smoky Mountains National Park will soon require a fee. Starting March 1, 2023, vehicles parked in any lots within the preserve, which straddles the Tennessee–North…

Hiking to the World’s Tallest Tree Could Get You a $5,000 Fine, Jail Time

A fine of $5,000 and up to 6 months in jail await those who attempt to hike to the world's tallest tree, the National Park Service has announced. Dubbed Hyperion, the coast redwood…

What to Do in Maui if You Don't Have Much Time

For a smallish island, Maui has wildly diverse ecosystems and communities—there’s a lot to see and experience. If you only have three days, concentrate on some of Maui’s most…

Banff Without a Car: How to See the Canadian Rockies by Foot, Bike, Shuttle, and Bus

Like most national parks across North America, Banff, the scenic stunner in Alberta’s mighty Rocky Mountains, is currently dealing with soaring popularity—and all the accompanying…

Glow in the Dark! Dazzling Bioluminescent Attractions—and How to See Them

If you want to add a dose of surreal whimsy to your next vacation, bioluminescent phenomena should do the trick. We’re talking cavern walls lit by glowworms. An ocean of dolphins…

Grand Canyon National Park Opens First New Hotel Buildings in Five Decades

Grand Canyon National Park has brand-new hotel lodgings on park grounds—the first ones in more than 50 years, according to the hotel's operator. The freshly constructed and…

Happy Trails! 8 Great Hikes for Families—from Day Trips to Overnight Treks

Taking a family hike is a fun and rejuvenating way to immerse yourself in the epic landscapes of the United States. Whether you opt for a quick day trip or a guided multinight journey,…

Hikers Follow Glow-in-the-Dark Guideposts on This Stargazing Trail

A scenery-focused hike in the dark sounds counterintuitive, but not when the nighttime amble is at Exmoor National Park, a coastal stretch of unspoiled moors between Devon and Somerset…

Pioneering Daredevils of Rock Climbing Are on Top at New Yosemite Museum

The sheer granite cliffs of California's Yosemite National Park are the "center of the rock-climbing universe," according to the nail-biting 2018 documentary Free Solo, which follows…

Great Smoky Mountains Adds Parking Fee to Access Beloved Waterfall

There's no entrance fee at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In fact, when Tennessee and North Carolina turned over the land to the federal government in the 1930s, one of the…