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Outdoor & Adventure

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4 Ways to Have a Mexican Adrenalin Adventure

For many travelers, a vacation to Mexico means lying on a white sand beach and doing next to nothing. But for a select few, heading south of the border is all about adrenalin-pumping…

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8 National Park Treasures for the Armchair Traveler

While many park travelers have a few park-related texts on hand, how might the park aficionado round out his or her library? Here are some suggestions, ranging from bear attacks to…

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Park Notes: Harvest Time & the Call of the Elk

Find out where you can pick fall fruit in parks, and where you can hear the odd sound of 'bugling' elk.

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Book Early for Fall Foliage in Parks from Washington to Virginia

Don't wait until the colors change: Now's the time to book your leaf-peeping getaway at one of the country's spectacular parks.

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Park Notes: Playing Politics & Preparing to Get Burns-ed

In the news this week: What's holding up the appointment of our next National Park Service director, and what's happening at the parks prior to the new Ken Burns mini-series.

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This Land Is Your Land: A Conversation with Ken Burns about "The National Parks: America's Best Idea"

Ken Burns discusses his forthcoming television mini-series 'The National Parks' and argues that it is essential to the survival of the country that people use the park system.

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Shoulder Season in Yellowstone Country: How to Make the Most of 3 Days

If you yearn for a quieter Yellowstone -- one with fewer RVs, tour buses, and minivans -- consider visiting during the sleepy yet still stunning shoulder season month of September.

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How Stimulus Money Is Being Spent in U.S. Parks

Remember the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act? That measure contained roughly $750 million for the National Park Service. Here's where they're spending it.

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4 Ways to Hike National Parks Across the U.S.

What's the best trail for you and your family? That's a question only you can answer, but let me toss out some options that cover a wide range of abilities and landscapes.

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Park of the Week: Abraham Lincoln National Park

During this bicentennial celebration of Lincoln's birth, there are plenty of sites to which you can go to see some of his history, but of importance on any list is his birthplace in…

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3 Ways to Plan a National Park Vacation Online

Where can you turn these days for help in planning a national park vacation? Here are three websites that offer great content for planning a national park visit.

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Fish Story: 4 Deep-Sea Destinations off the Baja Peninsula

Squeezed as it is between the vast blue expanse of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez, Baja California is a mecca for deep-sea fishermen in pursuit of a big catch.

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Park of the Week: Alcatraz, America's Favorite Prison

Just a short distance from San Francisco's Embarcadero waterfront, Alcatraz is the nation's most popular prison. Popular, of course, with visitors -- not with former residents.

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Summer in the Parks: From Camping Rough to Super-Comfy Inns

If the thought of bundling the whole family in the car or driving solo isn't exactly your speed, you can join like-minded adventurers from the U.S. and abroad on one of these…

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Want to Pack Your Pistol in a Park? You'll Have to Wait

Should visitors to the National Park System be allowed to carry weapons? President Bush gave the notion a green light, but judges have put a hold on park-goers wishing to pack their…

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4 Active Adventure Vacations Around the World

Instead of throwing in the proverbial beach towel, take an active detour -- one that promises a heart-thumping adrenaline rush and a good, old-fashioned workout.

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Get Wild: 7 Parks for Spotting Wildlife

Which is the best national park in the Lower 48 to view wildlife? There's more than one place in the National Park System where you can feel like you're on a safari.

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What New Protection Rules Really Mean for U.S. Parks

It was a long time in coming, but when Congress finally passed the massive Omnibus Public Lands Bill of 2009 late in March it extended enormous protections for public lands in general…

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Park of the Week: Yosemite's Greatest Hits

It's one of the nation's most visited parks, but that doesn't mean you're going to be overwhelmed with the crowds: over 95% of visitors visit less than 5% of the park. How to make the…

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5 Best Bets for Spotting the Big Five in South Africa

Animal viewing possibilities abound, but there's no guarantee you'll see each of the five on safari. But knowing animals' habits will greatly increase your chance of success.

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Two Blossoming National Parks for the Sights and Scents of Spring

As the days become warmer, National Parks in the southwest and the southeast come to life with an explosion of color and the aroma of fresh wildflowers.

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Park of the Week: Lakes and Islands at Isle Royale National Park

Our National Park System is full of glorious places, and of ways to reach them. Many are easy to visit, a few difficult. Isle Royale National Park, located in the northwest corner of…

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5 U.S. National Parks that Are Ready for Spring

The spring is the perfect time for the wildlife habitats that come alive in the Rockies and the desert parks of the Southwest -- as Goldilocks likes it, not too cold and not too hot.

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The Best Ways to Get Out in Los Angeles

L.A.'s blessed climate is one of the nation's most inviting for outdoor play, regardless of season. Here are nine ways to get out there year round.

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Can Camping be Chic? 5 Stylish Tent Vacations

Camping doesn't have to be about roughing it in the elements, smelly sleeping bags, and surviving on tinned food. Here are five ways to see the softer side of the great outdoors.