Tagged: national-park-service

These Hugely Popular National Parks Will No Longer Require Reservations

You'll no longer have to make reservations to visit some of the most popular U.S. national parks during the busy summer months. The federal government has announced that it's dropping…

Warning: Trump Won't Let You Cover Up His Photo on Your National Parks Pass

Some nature lovers have been suggesting ways to cover the glowering mug of President Donald Trump on the new annual pass for U.S. national parks, but if you wanted to do that, too, you…

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…

New Executive Order Demands National Park Price Hikes for International Tourists

On the day before Independence Day, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to make international visitors pay more to visit America's national parks. In a confusing new…

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…

Which National Park Facilities Are Closed Because of Trump's Actions? How to Find Out

As you prepare to pay your federal income tax again this year, take special note of how much less you're getting from your government for your money now.The National Park Service (NPS)…

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…

Full List of 34 Targeted National Park Leases: "Parks Being Dismantled Before Our Eyes"

The Trump administration has announced plans to terminate the National Park Service leases of at least 34 buildings that function as visitor centers, law enforcement offices, museums,…

Understaffing Could Make National Parks a Real Mess This Summer

The temporary hiring freeze that has been ordered across the entire U.S. federal government by the Trump administration could wreak havoc on national parks this summer, observers…

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…

This Trailblazing Woman Has Her Own National Monument in Maine

Not long before leaving office, President Joe Biden established the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine.Though not exactly a household name today, Perkins (1880–1965)…

National Park Free Days in 2025: When All U.S. National Parks Waive Entry Fees

Around 100 of the more than 430 sites in the U.S. National Park System charge entrance fees—and those include many of the most-visited parks. But on a few select dates each year, the…

All About USA’s Newest National Park: Texas' Blackwell School National Historic Site

A former school that was built in west Texas for Mexican and Mexican American students during the era of "separate but equal" education has become the newest addition to the U.S.…

Biden Creates His First National Park Unit: Amache in Colorado

Update: Amache officially became a Natonal Historic Site on February 15, 2024. Here is its official National Park unit page.Last Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the paperwork…

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 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…

Biden Names Two More National Monuments, Expands Marine Reserve

President Joe Biden has designated two more national monuments that are precious to the history, culture, and natural resources of the United States. Combined, the newly protected…

Days in 2023 When All U.S. National Parks Are Free to Enter

Sometimes you need a little motivation to plan that trip you always wanted to take. Fortunately, every year the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) sprinkles some incentive across the…

San Francisco’s New Answer to NYC’s High Line Promises Prime Views of Golden Gate Bridge

A hotly anticipated new outdoor attraction in San Francisco finally has an opening date. Presidio Tunnel Tops, a 14-acre addition to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, will…

4 Tips for Staying Safe on a Solo Hike

For those looking to explore the outdoors in peace and quiet and at their own pace, it's easy to see the appeal of a solo hike.But there are obvious dangers to heading into the…

Which U.S. National Park Is Deadliest? Two Studies Have Different Answers

During the pandemic, U.S. national parks have been a haven for cooped-up Americans who are starved for wide open spaces. And while we'd never want to spoil anybody's haven, it's…

West Virginia Is Home to the USA's Newest National Park

You might have missed a noteworthy provision in the funding bill that was passed by Congress last week and finally signed, after a surprise delay, by Pres. Trump on Sunday night. In…

America's Greatest National Historic Trails: Scenic Routes in the Footsteps of History

Unknown to many travelers, the National Park Service of the United States has established a National Historic Trails system that's perfectly designed for planning patriotic versions of…

Make Plans: National Parks Are Free on September 26

Each year, the U.S. national park system sprinkles a few days across the calendar during which the government collects no entrance fees. The next date comes on September 26, 2020.…