Parkography

If you take the time to stop in West Virginia's New River Gorge, our newest national park, and listen, you may hear, intertwined with the sound of birdsong, flowing water, and the wind billowing through the trees, the whistle of a train. Today on Parkography, the legend born from the Gorge that would echo through generations to come. A man named John Henry. Check out our other channels focused on...

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,...

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 Mary...

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 m...

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...

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 settlem...

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’...

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...

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 sta...

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 Par...

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 inci...

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 P...

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 i...

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 Lo...

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...

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 challe...

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 i...

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, detail...

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. Add...

In this episode, how three young boys petitioned the Department of the Interior to open the gates to Yellowstone National Park each Christmas Eve, in anticipation of Santa's annual visit.  Find the  Slinky Stove that's right for your next adventure at: https://www.slinkystove.com/?ref=PARKography Join the PARKography Facebook group to discuss this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/...

In this episode: National park entrance is about to get much more expensive for foreign visitors, plus digital passes are here, and more.  Find the  Slinky Stove that's right for your next adventure at: https://www.slinkystove.com/?ref=PARKography Join the PARKography Facebook group to discuss this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/parkography The video on explaining passes: https:...

This week: National parks reopen after the government shutdown — but not before one of them gets hit with a rash of graffiti. Winter closures are rolling in across the park system, including some big changes at Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. The Park Service is trying to hire 500 new law enforcement rangers with an eye-popping $70,000 bonus… while a new academic study shows national parks are s...

In this episode, I'll break down the various types of passes available for national parks and other federal recreation areas. I'll explain the America the Beautiful Pass, the Senior Pass, the Access Pass, and the Military Pass, detailing their benefits and eligibility criteria. Learn which pass is right for you, how to obtain it, and how to maximize your visits to federal lands.  Order your passes...

Highlights include the National Park Service prosecuting BASE jumping cases in Yosemite, the Trump administration reopening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas leasing, and closures in the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Mobile District campgrounds. We'll also cover the reopening of the Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground in the Grand Canyon, a new federal coal leasing plan, the...

“There are no other Everglades in the world. They are, they have always been, one of the unique regions of the earth; remote, never wholly known. Nothing anywhere else is like them…”  In this episode of Parkography, we explore Everglades National Park and the incredible life of Marjory Stoneman Douglas.  Find the  Slinky Stove that's right for your next adventure at: https://www.slinkystove.com/?r...