NATIONAL-PARKS-SERVICE

Photo illustration by Mental Floss. Image: iStock.

The 1925 Cave Rescue That Captivated the Nation

The epic effort to rescue Floyd Collins was a battle between heroism and folly, selflessness and selfishness, and life and death.

Cats are being evicted from Old San Juan in Puerto Rico.

The National Park Service Wants to Shut Down ‘Disney World for Cats’ in Puerto Rico

Hundreds of strays roam a historic site. The NPS says they're a health hazard. Cat lovers disagree.

7 Majestic Facts About Devils Tower

There's much more to the Wyoming landmark than what you saw in ’Close Encounters of the Third Kind.’

The Grand Canyon can be all yours—minus the admission fee.

All National Parks Are Offering Free Admission This Saturday

In honor of Veterans Day, you can visit any one of the National Park Service's more than 400 parks on Saturday, November 11, 2023, for free.

Two-time Fat Beat champ 747 is looking to defend his title.

Fat Bear Week 2023 Is Coming to Katmai National Park

Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve is kicking off its Fat Bear Week tournament—and the competition looks as fierce, and chonky, as ever.

Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park on September 23, 2023, and volunteer to keep the heavily visited park in top shape.

Visit Any National Park Property for Free on September 23—or Volunteer to Help Maintain Them

On September 23, 2023, you can visit the Statue of Liberty, Alcatraz Island, or any of the 400-plus other monuments, parks, and historical sites overseen by the National Park Service for free.

You never know what—or who—you'll encounter in these national parks.

6 Legendary Beings Who Haunt America’s National Parks

The parks offer thrill seekers, ghost hunters, and the brave alike another reason to visit.

A National Monument Has Just Been Established to Honor Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley

Emmett Till’s murder—and his mother's fight for justice—will be recognized across three sites in two states.

There better not be a dog or cat in that raft.

10 Strange and Surprisingly Specific National Park Rules

National Park rules go beyond the general Leave No Trace guidelines. These surprising cover everything from wildlife to waste.

Picnics Are the Hot "New" Dining Trend, Thanks to Gen Z

Instead of snagging dinner reservations, pinickers are snagging spots in the park to dine al fresco.

The Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, California.

8 Historic National Park Hotels for Your Bucket List

From a 175-year-old farmhouse to a luxury lodge on the Grand Canyon, these are the most historic places to stay in eight national park properties.

The sun shines on Balanced Rock (right), a unique formation in Big Bend National Park.

7 “Hidden Gem” National Parks to Visit This Summer

These parks may not have the same level of name recognition as other sites, but offer just as much natural beauty—without all the foot traffic.

New Google Maps Features Help You Plan the Perfect National Park Visit

Google Maps is gearing up for National Park Week with some exciting new tech tools.

The 5 Days You Can Get Free Admission to National Parks in 2023

Want to commune with nature? Here's how to do it while saving a few bucks.

The Integrity of Fat Bear Week Has Been Marred By Ballot Stuffing

Even Fat Bear Week isn’t immune to scandal.

New England is known for its fantastic fall foliage.

11 of the Best Leaf-Peeping Destinations in the U.S.

New England's fall foliage is legendary, and for good reason. But Texas, Oregon, and Minnesota have lovely locales for leaf-peeping, too.

Tourist boat passes in front of Niagara Falls on U.S. side.

The 10 Most Popular Tourist Attractions in the U.S.

Embrace your tourist status on your next vacation and pay a visit to one of these destinations.

The 25 Best Vacation Spots in the U.S. for 2022

One upside to living in a country as large as the United States is the ability to enjoy a wide variety of vacations without even needing a passport. Whether you prefer hiking or sunbathing, here are 25 vacation destinations for every kind of traveler.

A brown bear fishing at Katmai National Park in 2018.

Katmai National Park’s Brown Bears Are Busy Bulking Up for Fat Bear Week—And You Can Livestream Their Progress

The 24/7 live cams show the bears fishing for salmon and relaxing on river shores.

Visitors take in the grandeur of coast redwoods at Muir Woods in Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

11 Urban National Parks You Can Visit This Summer

Enjoy nature, beef up your historical knowledge, and spend quality time with friends or family in these public lands within, or just outside, major U.S. cities.

11 Facts About Glacier National Park

More than 3 million people visited its snow-covered peaks in 2021, making Glacier the 27th-most visited park in the national park system.

Betty Reid Soskin preserved the history she had experienced first-hand.

Betty Reid Soskin, America's Oldest National Park Ranger, Has Retired at Age 100

She was the National Park Service’s oldest ranger and brought her astonishing lived experiences to the job.

The 10 Most Family-Friendly National Parks in the U.S.

From the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone, these are the best national parks for families traveling with kids.

This Utah mountain is one of the geographic features to be renamed.

Hundreds of Mountains, Rivers, and Other Sites in the U.S. With Racist Names Are Being Rebranded

A racist and misogynist term for Native American women will no longer appear in the names of geographic sites managed by the federal government.