National Park News

Visitors can travel historic Sun Road for free on optional shuttle system and other tour buses

Hot Springs National Park is hosting a Ranger Fun Run on July 11, 2009 beginning at 8 a.m. on West Mountain.

Voyageurs National Park offers a family friendly and free of charge campfire program every Thursday (7:00 -8:00pm) beginning July 2nd to August 13th.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host author Danielle "Danny" Bernstein on Tuesday, July 7 at 10 a.m. at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Bernstein’s newest guidebook, Hiking North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Heritage, lists 66 day hikes, ranging in length from 1 to 13 miles.

Come along on a journey with our resident voyageur, Brandon Baker. He will talk about life as a voyageur and the animals of the northwoods.

Friends of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park to be unveiled as park celebrates its 50th anniversary of dedication.

Park seeks public comment on proposed Acquisition of Florida Power and Light Lands  Environmental Assessment

The Cascade River Road is open to the Cascade Pass Trail parking area. The Cascade Pass Trail is a great day hike with spectacular views of peaks and glaciers. The trail climbs steadily to the pass, with views of peaks such as Eldorado, Johannesburg, Magic, Mixup and McGregor. This trail provides the shortest and easiest access in the park to the alpine environment.

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Steve Martin today announced the availability of an Environmental Assessment (EA) for Train Operations in the park. The EA will be available for public review and comment for a period of 30 days, beginning June 29, 2009.

On June 29, 2009, the National Park Service, Southeast Regional Office (NPS) will issue a prospectus seeking proposals for a new 10-year concessions contract to provide limited concession services at Cades Cove, Oconaluftee, and Sugarlands Visitor Centers and the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Recovery Act will fund important components of Elwha Restoration Project.

Highline Trail temporarily closed for snow hazards; projected to open Friday, July 3

On June 20-21, Mammoth Cave NP offered the Discovery and Mammoth Passage cave tours free of charge.  The offer will be repeated July 18-19, and August 15-16, 2009 as a gesture by the National Park Service to help families enjoy the outdoors.

Construction work on the Wraith Falls Trails will temporarily curtail access to this popular falls in Yellowstone National Park.

A team of Biscayne National Park divers successfully captured the first confirmed exotic Indo-Pacific lionfish sited in park waters in recent years. This invasive species of fish, likened to underwater locusts and considered a serious threat to Florida's marine life, was captured on a wreck at the park’s northeastern boundary on June 20.

The staff of Shenandoah National Park has begun planning for a year long celebration of the park’s 75th Anniversary.    Over 30 people from local county governments, partner organizations and tourism professionals have volunteered their time to work with park staff to engage local communities and ensure a terrific celebration of one of the nations most treasured places.  The mission of the anniversary celebration is to inspire the public to value the park resources in Shenandoah’s Blue Ridge Mountains and infuse surrounding communities in the Shenandoah Valley and Virginia Piedmont with a sense of ownership and pride in the park and region.

Shenandoah National Park will be hosting a second “Hiking With Children” seminar on Sunday, July 12, 2009, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This program is for parents who have wanted to go hiking with their children but worried about what to do to keep them interested, entertained, and safe. Here is the chance to learn from an expert. Join Jeff Alt, noted author of A Walk for Sunshine and avid hiker, to learn firsthand how to share nature with children for a fun and safe outdoor adventure

Park visitors James Bachman and Dorothy Hovland, from Huntington Beach, CA, returned to Yosemite today to present a plaque to Park Ranger Dan Abbe to show their appreciation for his heroic efforts.  Abbe rescued the pair after their truck and trailer slid off of Highway 41 and down a steep hillside.  The plaque was presented during a ceremony in Yosemite Valley.

Minor delays are anticipated; two one-night closures at Hoh Rainforest Campground will allow road resurfacing.

Volunteer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park as a Citizen Scientist on June 29 and July 2 and join park researchers and educators in collecting scientific data in the national park.

In honor of its 75th Anniversary in 2009, Great Smoky Mountains National Park collaborated with the Western North Carolina National History Day competition, and invited area middle and high school students to submit entries focused on an individual who was important in the park's creation or history.

A 50-year -old woman from Spain was butted and tossed in the air by a bull bison at Canyon in Yellowstone National Park this morning.

Superintendent Cherry Payne announced today that the 13 knot vessel speed limit area outside the mouth of Glacier Bay is being extended toPoint Dundas, and a new special whale waters area is being implemented in the West Arm Entrance to protect numerous humpback whales that have been sighted in the areas. Speed restriction will apply to all vessels from  5 AM Thursday June 25  until further notice.

A missing hiker was found on Sunday afternoon in North Cascades National Park when he walked out of the backcountry under his own power after six nights in the Cascade Pass area of the park. He made a successful attempt to find his way down a creek drainage to the Cascade River Road and to the rescue crews stationed at the Eldorado parking area.

West side Sun Road to open to Logan Pass on Thursday, June 25

Grand Canyon National Park expects to implement the Moqui prescribed fire project within the next 48 hours.

On May 26, 2009, Yosemite National Park Ranger Dan Abbe was flagged down by park visitors on his way to work in Yosemite Valley. Abbe was traveling on the Wawona Road and entered the pullout about 2.5 miles south of the Wawona Tunnel. He was informed that there was a vehicle over the side of the road and it was on fire.

Expect changing road conditions during the monsoon season due to occassional washouts. Please check the Daily Report for updated road closures and special vehicle requirements.

Come hear what Ted Gostomski, from Great Lakes Inventory and Monitoring Program, has to say about the "vital signs" of Voyageurs National Park.

Man rescued after fall in Grand Canyon.