NATIONAL PARKS

The New River Gorge National Park is perfect for outdoors enthusiasts.

West Virginia Is Home to the United States's Newest National Park

The New River Gorge National Park has over 70,000 acres of lush forest land and 53 miles of whitewater rafting.

When You Can Visit America’s National Parks for Free in 2021

Here’s when to plan your next free trip to Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Canyon, or anywhere else run by the National Park Service.

A young beaver with all four feet firmly on the ground.

Watch: In 1948, Idaho Officials Sent 76 Beavers Parachuting Into Idaho’s Wilderness

“It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a parachuting beaver!” —Something you probably thought you’d never say.

All Military Veterans and Gold Star Families Can Now Visit National Parks for Free

Anybody can visit a national park for free on Veterans Day—now military veterans and their families can go for free whenever they want.

A look at the Global Safety Net's online map application.

Which Places Should We Protect First to Stop Climate Change? This Interactive Map Tells You

Certain lands can store large quantities of carbon (though we also need to cut carbon emissions in the first place).

Lefty, last year's Fat Bear Week runner-up.

Drop Everything! Fat Bear Week Has Arrived in Alaska’s Katmai National Park

The brown bears are ballooning in preparation for the long winter—and it’s up to you to decide which is the fattest.

Thailand National Park Officials Mailed Trash Back to Litterbugs

A group of inconsiderate campers recently received a package from Khao Yai National Park filled with their own trash and a note that said, "Please let us return these to you."

Stories of important and influential women will be given more visibility thanks to grants from the National Park Foundation.

The National Park Foundation Will Spend Nearly $500,000 to Elevate the Stories of Pioneering Women Throughout History

The National Park Foundation is using 23 grants to give influential women and their stories a place of prominence at National Park Service sites across the country.

A photo of Marsha P. Johnson from the 2017 documentary The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson.

New York Just Renamed Brooklyn’s East River State Park After LGBTQ+ Icon Marsha P. Johnson

Marsha P. Johnson was present at the Stonewall Riots of 1969, but that’s just part of her very important legacy.

NPS/Cascades Carnivore Project, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

Wolverine Family Spotted in Mount Rainier National Park for the First Time in a Century

Special remote cameras have detected a rare nursing female wolverine and her two kits in Washington's Mount Rainier National Park.

Can You Spot All 10 Differences in These Illustrations of a Lively Park?

Park outings are for sunny days, and spot-the-difference pictures of park outings are for rainy ones.

Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0

Joshua Tree National Park Closes Two Campgrounds Due to ‘Aggressive’ Honey Bees

Aggressive honey bees (not to be confused with murder hornets) have invaded Joshua Tree National Park.

How to Watch the Great Smoky Mountains' Synchronous Fireflies From Home

You won't be able to see the Great Smoky Mountains' synchronous fireflies in person this year, but a nonprofit has made the light show easy to view from home.

Closed to Tourists, Yosemite National Park Is Reclaimed by Native Wildlife

Yosemite National Park in California has been closed to tourists for weeks, and the animals there are taking advantage of the new free space and privacy.

A good workout is just one way to pass the time while socially isolating.

11 Boredom-Busting Classes and Activities You Can Do at Home

From virtual field trips to free workout classes, here are the best ways to stay busy while social distancing.

The National Park Service's Investigative Services Branch handles crime in the park system.

The Long Branch of the Law: Inside the National Park Service's Criminal Investigations Unit

When a serious crime occurs in a national park, rangers don't call local law enforcement or the FBI. They call the ISB, a little-known team of investigators responsible for 85 million acres of public land.

Cannons used in the Civil War are on display at Fort Sumter.

10 Facts About Fort Sumter

The 1861 Battle of Fort Sumter sparked the American Civil War. From the garrison's 19th-century beginnings to its current use as a National Historical Park, here are 10 fascinating facts about Fort Sumter.

10 Steamy Facts About Old Faithful

Old Faithful isn't as predictable as it used to be, but geologists in Yellowstone National Park can still time its eruptions pretty accurately.

China Wants to Build Its Own Version of Yellowstone National Park on Tibetan Plateau

After studying American National Parks like Yellowstone, China will debut the first site in its new national park system on the Tibetan Plateau in 2020.

Mike Peel, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0

Wizard Rock, a One-Ton Boulder, Disappears From Prescott National Forest in Arizona

The thief—or thieves—stole the one-ton boulder from the side of the road in Prescott National Forest roughly two weeks ago.

Katmai National Park and Preserve via Flickr, Public Domain

Meet Holly: The Winner of Alaska's ‘Fat Bear Week’ Competition at Katmai National Park

At Alaska's Katmai National Park, it's that time of year when the air gets colder, the days get shorter, and the bears get much, much fatter.

Two bison grazing in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

12 Facts About Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Read on for things to do and see, plus what to know before you go camping, in Theodore Roosevelt National Park—the only national park named after a person.

Sunrise in the Smoky Mountains National Park

An 89-Year-Old Grandmother Is Visiting All 61 National Parks With Her Grandson

Joy Ryan had never seen mountains or the ocean before her grandson invited her on a camping trip. It would be the first of many.

Antony-22, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0

Giant Copper Beech Tree Planted By Teddy Roosevelt Has Been Chopped Down

The giant copper beech tree that Theodore Roosevelt planted at Sagamore Hill, his Long Island home, has been removed from the National Park System property.

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