Never before was the month of June as hot as it was this year in Death Valley National Park. After a record-shattering summer last year, Death Valley National Park already broke some of its own heat records in June this year. Death Valley’s average day/night temperature was 102.9°F (39.4°C) in June 2021, beating the previous record by 1.1°F (0.6°C).
The famous Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park reopened to vehicle traffic on June 25 and immediately saw a spike in visitation compared with 2019. According to a NPS press release, preliminary data shows a 41% increase in the number of vehicles on the Going-to-the-Sun Road over opening day in 2019.
Wilderness Inquiry directly serves people from all walks of life: diverse youth, individuals with differing abilities, and others who face barriers of use to public lands and waterways. Their programs help connect people to the outdoors and each other.
The National Park Service announced in a new report that, in 2020, visitors to national parks contributed $28.6 billion to the U.S. economy. This visitor spending, much of which was during the COVID-19 pandemic, helped support no fewer than 234,000 jobs, most of them in communities surrounding parks.
Getting charged by a bear is every hiker’s worst nightmare, an experience that can range from “just” terrifying to life-changing to actually deadly. So, whenever you’re heading into bear country, you should carry and know how to use bear spray correctly. This post tells you all about bear spray, proper use and other useful information.
Learn about the work, trips and programs of The Venture Out Project, an organization that offers “trans and queer participants the opportunity to experience the outdoors in a safe, supportive and environmentally conscious way.” We invite you to join us in making a donation to support their incredibly important work.
One of the great joys of spending time in Grand Teton National Park is the amazing opportunity to see wild animals. From bison, elk and moose to black and grizzly bears, yellow-bellied marmots and countless birds, the wildlife watching in Grand Teton National Park is among the best in the national park system.
The National Park Service and International Dark Sky Association announced Zion National Park’s official certification as a Dark Sky Park on June 3. This certification means that all five Utah national park are now recognized for their incredible night skies.
Unseasonably warm weather and low snowpack allowed for the unusually early reopening of the North Entrance and West Rim Drive in Crater Lake National Park. The West Rim Drive and its viewpoints are accessible to vehicles since Friday morning, May 28.
When a 39-year-old hiker set off on a morning hike on one of the most popular loop trails in the Mammoth Hot Springs area on Friday, May 28, he had no idea he’d be in the hospital just a few hours later. His encounter with a couple of bears resulted in the first bear mauling in Yellowstone National Park in 2021.
Starting on June 1, 2021, visitors will be able to reserve a campsite at Hosmer Grove in Haleakalā National Park in advance. The campground used to be first come, first served, but reservations are now required—to be made online in advance.
Almost everywhere in Jackson Hole, you can enjoy spectacular views of the towering Teton Range. However, there are a number of locations that are especially great for sunrise viewing, many also offering excellent wildlife watching opportunities. If you’d like to see the sunrise at Grand Teton, I recommend going to one of these places.
While wildlife encounters when hiking are absolutely unforgettable, sometimes it’s better—or best—to see animals from the safety of your car. Although I’m a huge advocate for leaving your vehicle and exploring a park on foot, more often than not, you simply have to drive to see a park properly. Luckily, there are several epic wildlife drives in the national parks.
Looking for ways to support diversifying public lands and outdoor spaces? In May, we’re sharing the work of Get Out Stay Out/Vamos Afuera, an amazing organization that focuses on Indigenous Migrant Youth populations and their relationship with the outdoors.