National Park News

All major roads leading to and within Yellowstone National Park are opening for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

An initial aerial search for an overdue climber on Mt. McKinley was flown on the morning of Thursday, May 21 by an Air National Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft.  There were no initial sightings of the solo climber, although considerable cloud cover and high winds at upper elevations greatly limited the search.

Four prescribed burns will be conducted during the summer of 2009. These burns will continue to encourage the restoration of pine and oak regeneration in Voyageurs National Park.

Celebrate National Trails Day with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) at Shenandoah National Park on Saturday June 6.

After a six-month project to install new water lines, the Elk Mountain Campground at Wind Cave National Park is reopening Friday, May 22.

After a six-month project to install new water lines, the Elk Mountain Campground at Wind Cave National Park is reopening Friday, May 22.

After a six-month project to install new water lines, the Elk Mountain Campground at Wind Cave National Park is reopening Friday, May 22.

Officials at Wind Cave National Park plan to burn 617 acres west of the park’s visitor center this spring if weather and fuel conditions are within acceptable ranges.

Officials at Wind Cave National Park plan to burn 617 acres west of the park’s visitor center this spring if weather and fuel conditions are within acceptable ranges.

Four artists, including John Morgan, an award winning Fairbanks author, will be participating in this year’s Artist-in-Residence program at Denali National Park and Preserve.

Shenandoah National Park will be hosting a “Hiking With Children” seminar on Sunday, June 14, 2009, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), Professor James Kennett will be the featured speaker at the “From Shore to Sea” June lecture. Kennett will talk about the remarkable, widespread geological and archaeological evidence researchers have discovered of a major extraterrestrial collision over North America from their work at the Channel Islands and other locations.

The nineteenth annual Grand Canyon Star Party will be held from Saturday, June 13 through Saturday, June 20, 2009 on the South and North Rims of Grand Canyon National Park.

On March 30, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 which designated 124,406 acres as wilderness within Zion National Park.

On May 16, 2009, University of California, Merced (UC Merced) Chancellor Sung-Mo “Steve” Kang presented the Chancellor’s Medal, the highest award given by a UC Chancellor, to Yosemite National Park.  This is the first time the Chancellors Award has been given to an organization, rather than an individual.  The award was given to Yosemite National Park for excellence in collaborative partnership of several programs offered at UC Merced designed to inspire academic leadership, field study, and experimental learning in Yosemite National Park. 

Yosemite National Park is seeking assistance in locating a missing woman who was last seen below the Vernal Fall footbridge at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, May 18, 2009.

Visitors urged to take safety precautions for upcoming Memorial Day Weekend

A wolf that had become habituated to people and exhibited behaviors consistent with being conditioned to human food was euthanized by Yellowstone National Park.

North Cascades National Park Complex Shares Best Ideas for Summer Fun:
The North Cascades are calling and inspired by the forthcoming September airing on PBS of the six-part documentary series, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, North Cascades National Park Complex has five best ideas for you. "Summer is a great time for family fun in your park," explained North Cascades National Park Complex Superintendent Chip Jenkins.

Visitors provided the opportunity to examine far-off galaxies and nebulas through first-class telescopes

Steve Thede brings 25 years of National Park Service experience to Badlands

A section of Yellowstone’s Grand Loop Road from Canyon Junction to Fishing Bridge will be closed beginning at 7:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 19,  to allow National Park Service staff to repair a broken water main that underlies the road about of mile south of Canyon between the Canyon Corrals and the south end of the North Rim Drive.  The break occurred yesterday at around noon.

Yellowstone National Park rangers will be conducting safety and sobriety checkpoints inside the park over Memorial Day weekend.  Rangers will be looking for traffic and safety violations and for impaired drivers.

Colored Pencil artist and park ranger Scott Kraynak opens his first solo exhibition in the park's Dante Fascell Visitor Center Gallery.

Big Bend National Park proposes to replace the existing wastewater treatment plant that serves the Chisos Basin development.  The project is to ensure sewage treatment that meets public health and environmental protection standards and requirements. 

Grand Canyon National Park has completed two of three South Rim prescribed fires planned for this spring.

January 2009 Class 5 avalanche not expected to affect spring opening

Two Medicine Road now open; east side Sun Road to open to Jackson Glacier Overlook on Saturday

PLEASE NOTE NEW MEETING LOCATION!

The Shoulder Season Charter Vessel Use public meeting will be held on May 20, 2009 at 7:00 PM at the Gustavus Chapel.

Solitude easier to find during Hood Canal bridge closure.