National Park News

All roads leading into Yosemite Valley will remain closed through this evening, Friday, January 22, due to snow, ice, and fallen trees.  Road closures include Highways 41 (Wawona Road), 120 (Big Oak Flat Road), and 140 (El Portal Road).  Additionally, the Badger Pass Road and the Hetch Hetchy Road will also remain closed.

2010 Lyceum Series: “Wilderness: Of What Avail Are Forty Freedoms Without A Blank Spot On The Map?”

The Lyceum schedule runs from January 30 through May. Financial support for the lyceum series is provided by the park’s nonprofit partner, the Rocky Mountain Nature Association. Programs are free and open to the public.

Rocky Mountain National Park turns 95 years old in 2010.

Paurotis Pond closed for Nesting Season

A series of micro to moderate earthquakes continue to shake some visitors and residents in and near Yellowstone National Park. As of 9:00 a.m. MST Friday, January 22, 1,033 earthquakes had been recorded since the swarm began occurring on Sunday afternoon, January 17.  No damage or injuries have been reported.

All roads leading into Yosemite Valley are temporarily closed due to snow, ice, and fallen trees.  Highways 41 (Wawona Road) and 120 (Big Oak Flat Road) into Yosemite National Park are closed at this time due to snowy and icy conditions.  Additionally, Highway 140 (El Portal Road) into Yosemite Valley is temporarily closed due to fallen trees on the roadway.  The Badger Pass Road and the Hetch Hetchy Road are also closed at this time.

Recent Cold Weather Causes Significant Fish Kill in Everglades National park

Alaska’s National Parks are inviting comment on each park’s Compendium for 2010. Comments will be accepted until February 15, 2010.

The University of Utah Seismograph Stations reports that a pair of earthquakes of magnitude 3.7 and 3.8 occurred in the evening of January 20, 2010 in Yellowstone National Park. 

Yosemite National Park announces the availability of the Yosemite Environmental Education Center Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for public review.

Come take advantage of the free family ski rental day at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center on Sunday, January 24, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Repairs estimated to take six weeks.

Saturday, January 23, 7 p.m. at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. The Program is free and open to the public.

Saturday, January 16, 7 p.m.

Join a Park Ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park for a kid-friendly snowshoe adventure on the west side of the park.

The park is less visited in winter but still very much open and alive with activity.

The 17-mile Hurricane Ridge Road is closed just below the Heart O’the Hills entrance station, approximately five miles south of Port Angeles.   A slope below the roadway slid yesterday afternoon, destroying both travel lanes along a 100-foot long section of road. 

Celebrate Icebox Days by snowshoeing an easy one mile loop on the Oberholtzer Trail on Friday January 15, 2010, at 6:00pm.

National Park Service settles Vessel Grounding Case

This year’s annual Denali Road Lottery is taking place on September 17, 18, 19, and 20 (Friday – Monday).
Entries must be postmarked or submitted electronically between June 1-30, 2010.  Entries postmarked before June 1 or after June 30 will be returned.

Desert View Watchtower, one of the most prominent architectural features on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, is slated to undergo renovations over the next several months.

Businesses, organizations, institutions, and some individuals who desire to capture audio, video, or moving film images in Yellowstone National Park may be required by regulation to obtain a permit and pay certain fees prior to working in the park. Permits are not required for individuals taking personal vacation still images or videos, and are not usually required for those involved in news coverage of Yellowstone National Park.  

Snowmobile and snowcoach use numbers for Yellowstone National Park for the start of the 2009-2010 winter season are higher than reported earlier this week. Statistics released on Tuesday for December 2009 failed to include snowmobile and snowcoach travel originating from Old Faithful. The National Park Service regrets the reporting error.

Yosemite National Park received 3,866,970 visitors in 2009.  This marks the highest level of visitation in the park since 1996.

Programs for exploring nature with children and discovering the park’s backcountry will be offered this spring at Wind Cave National Park.

Programs for exploring nature with children and discovering the park’s backcountry will be offered this spring at Wind Cave National Park.

Lassen Volcanic National Park Superintendent Darlene M. Koontz would like to remind the public that seven days remain to comment on  Lassen Peak Trail Rehabilitation Environmental Assessment (EA). The EA public review period opened on December 9, 2009 and will close on January 11, 2010.

January 7, 2010: Read the updated winter road and trail conditions report provided by Voyageurs National Park.

Despite falling snow and cold temperatures, 20 people from 5 states and several cities in North Dakota participated in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Counts on January 2-3 at Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  One highlight of the Medora count was a long-eared owl in the park’s South Unit, a species never before recorded on the Christmas Bird Count.

The body of a lone male has been discovered below the rim at the Abyss on Hermit Road in Grand Canyon National Park.