Parkography

This week in national parks and public lands news, Yosemite is already dealing with major traffic headaches after dropping its reservation system, Arches could be moving toward a shuttle future, and Grand Teton visitors should prepare for a summer full of construction delays. We’ll also talk about a new proposal to stop staffing cuts at public lands agencies, a major land donation at the Smokies, expanded hunting and fishing access...

Back-to-back bear attacks in Yellowstone and Glacier, Grand Canyon officials recovered the body of missing 26-year-old, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is investigating 33 federally protected black vultures dumped along Foothills Parkway, Denali introduced this year's sled dog puppies on its puppy cam, state updates include Louisiana’s bill to relocate removed monuments to state parks and Maryland’s possible expansion of park e...

The Trump administration withdraws its National Park Service director nominee, leaving the agency under acting leadership, while a proposed 2027 budget would cut NPS operations by about $736 million (over 25%) alongside a new $10 billion DC construction/beautification program. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is turning “American Flag Blue,” and non-resident park fee revenue rose by about $2 million year over year, far below pr...

Hidden beneath hundreds of inches of snow each winter, there’s a historic lodge sitting high on the slopes of Mount Rainier National Park that almost didn’t survive.

In this episode of Parkography, we’re exploring the incredible story of the Paradise Inn—a lodge built in 1917 that helped shape what America’s national parks would become. From its origins as a luxury resort in the wilderness to its near-demolition in the mid-20th cen...

In this episode: the BLM’s plan to ban dispersed camping on nearly 14,000 acres near Zion National Park—shifting use to designated areas and two proposed campgrounds, a resolution that could overturn a 20-year ban on copper-nickel mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters watershed,  a Texas man sentenced to five days in jail for stepping off boardwalks onto Yellowstone’s thermal features, a settlement to keep the pride flag flying a...

This week in national park and public lands news: A major US Forest Service overhaul, including relocating its headquarters from Washington, DC to Salt Lake City by 2027; a bill to redesignate Chiricahua National Monument as a national park passed the House and heads to the Senate; National Park Week in 2026 will move to August; a lawsuit challenges firearm bans inside NPS buildings; Grand Canyon’s South Rim enters Stage 3 water re...

Before he was president… before he was a Rough Rider… Theodore Roosevelt was a sickly kid struggling to breathe.

Then he came to the Badlands.

In this episode of Parkography, we explore how the rugged landscapes of Theodore Roosevelt National Park transformed Roosevelt’s life—and ultimately helped shape the future of conservation in America.

From cattle ranching along the Little Missouri River to devastating personal loss, this is ...

This week in national park news: The National Park Service reports 323 million recreation visits in 2025 (down 2.7% from 2024), Mount Rushmore will host fireworks for the U.S. 250th anniversary amid ongoing regional wildfire concerns. A new CBP map no longer shows a primary border wall through Big Bend, instead labeling the area as detection technology, while Big Bend’s Chisos Basin will close starting May 1 for up to two years for...

Mount Rushmore is one of the most famous monuments in the United States. Nearly everyone can recognize the towering faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln carved into the granite of the Black Hills of South Dakota.

But the real story behind Mount Rushmore is far more complicated—and far more fascinating—than most people realize.

In this episode of Parkography, we explore the surprising...

This week in national park news:

Mount Rainier National Park has officially dropped its timed entry reservation system for 2026 — joining Yosemite, Arches, and Glacier in abandoning the pandemic-era crowd management experiment.

Meanwhile, one of Yellowstone’s most unusual geothermal features — Echinus Geyser — has suddenly begun erupting again after years of dormancy.

We also cover:

• A fatal incident near the Kīlauea caldera in Ha...

In 1979, armed men took control of one of America’s most famous national parks — 750 feet underground.

More than 100 visitors were trapped inside the Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns while gunshots echoed through the darkness. The hostage takers demanded money, a flight to Brazil, and a reporter to tell their story. What happened next became one of the strangest and least-known incidents in National Park Service history.

Join the PAR...

The National Park Service announces Arches and Yosemite will not use timed-entry reservations in 2026, Rocky Mountain will continue timed entry from late May through mid-October. Glacier will not require vehicle reservations anywhere, but will pilot a ticketed shuttle to Logan Pass starting July 1. Yosemite’s Firefall weekend saw full parking, gridlocked traffic, overcrowded shuttles, long lines in near-freezing temperatures, Presi...

THIS WEEK’S STORIES: • Pride flag removed at Stonewall National Monument following new federal guidance • New Interior Department communication rules reshape how parks share information • A possible new national park along the Los Angeles coast enters public comment • Special resource study launched on historic lynching sites in the Memphis area • Historic restoration underway at Grand Canyon’s Lookout Studio • Olympic marmot...

At the turn of the 20th century, the American Chestnut tree was the most important plant in the eastern United States, accounting for over 25% of the forest canopy. But in a period of just 50 years, a mysterious blight, an imported fungus, swept the country and killed over four billion trees.

Join Jason Epperson for Parkography as we explore the rise and fall of the majestic American Chestnut and the incredible, ongoing effort to b...

This week on Parkography, we look at the Trump administration’s directive that’s leading to the removal of exhibits and signs about slavery, Native American displacement, labor history, and climate change at national parks across the country. We also examine new polling showing strong bipartisan opposition in Western states to the nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management, and a lawsuit challenging new federal rules that limit ...

When Toni Henthorn fell to her death during an anniversary hike in Rocky Mountain National Park, it was first reported as a tragic accident in rugged terrain. But almost immediately, park rangers noticed that the scene didn’t match the story. The location was far from the trail, the drop was steeper than described, and photographs taken just minutes before the fall raised troubling questions.

As investigators began to dig deeper, t...

In this episode, I'm again breaking down the various types of passes available for national parks and other federal recreation areas, now updated with the new non-resident pass and non-resident fees. We have all of the details about how that will work for residents and non-residents alike.  I'll explain the America the Beautiful Pass, the Senior Pass, the Access Pass, and the Military Pass, detailing their benefits and eligibility ...

The Grand Canyon's South Rim has closed lodging due to significant waterline breaks, while Theodore Roosevelt National Park completed a $51 million road rehabilitation project. The Interior Department is reviewing park merchandise to remove DEI themes, and the 'American Products in Parks Act' was introduced to mandate that all products sold in National Park Service gift shops be American-made. Additionally, Arkansas is creating a n...