There’s an old joke that goes, “Who’s buried in Grant’s Tomb?” The answer, of course, is Grant. That is, Ulysses S. Grant, a Union general during the Civil War and then the 18th president of the United States. Andrew Astley is a National Park Service ranger assigned to Grant’s Tomb in New York City, which…

By Lynn O’Rourke Hayes From FamilyTravel.com Is there a travel-loving dad in your world? Whether you go as a group or give as a gift, these ideas may inspire a new adventure. Go Caving Learn about dry and wet caves, the creatures that live in them, and the characteristics that create these natural settings with…

A grandson and his 93-year-old grandmother, who spent nearly a decade estranged, have come together to complete an epic quest: the pair has visited all 63 national parks in the United States in just over seven years. In doing so, the grandma made history. On May 16, “Grandma Joy” Ryan became the oldest living person…

By Vonnai Phair From The Seattle Times Seattle—Mount Rainier National Park is seeking public feedback on a draft plan to implement a timed-entry reservation system during peak visitation hours in the summer. Visitation rises each year at Mount Rainier National Park, according to the National Park Service. From 2008 to 2021, annual visitation rose from…

By Laurie Baratti From TravelPulse With springtime’s warmer temperatures, Americans are once again turning their attention to getting away in the great outdoors. That shared urge encompasses everything from the solo hiker in search of peaceful solitude in Mother Nature’s soothing embrace to whole families who are in need of a fresh-air escape and some…

By Seth Boster From The Gazette Colorado Springs—It’s about time to chart a course to southern Colorado, where an unusual phenomenon occurs only this time of year across one of the state’s most unusual landscapes. As snow melts from the mountains, Medano Creek has started its annual rise at Great Sand Dunes National Park and…

By Staff report From The Orange County Register Santa Ana—Having just marked National Park Week (April 22-30), you may be thinking about planning your next visit to explore the beauty of America’s public lands. Even if you missed the April 22 free entrance day to kick off the weeklong celebration, there are still several occasions…

By John Meyer From The Denver Post Denver—As if there weren’t enough complications when visiting Rocky Mountain National Park—an ongoing timed-entry reservation system and the closure of the park’s biggest campground—it will be harder to get into the park this year even if you have reservations. A construction project to refurbish the Fall River entrance—one…

By Jenny Peters From The Orange County Register Santa Ana—When you’re from California, it’s easy to think that some of the world’s most beautiful and wild, rugged places are close to home. But the reality is that while the Golden State has plenty of incredible scenery to offer, both back in those “Wild West” days…

Parks Canada says its new online reservation system to book camping sites and other activities at national parks appears to have worked well during its first week of operations. The site was recently updated to fix an older one that was prone to crashes and glitches. The new system has different reservation dates from mid-March…