National Parks Are Fee-Free June 9 To Celebrate Get Outdoors Day

by Kraig Becker on

America’s national parks will once again waive all entry fees next Saturday, June 9, in celebration of National Get Outdoors Day. Visitors to any one of the more than 397 national parks, memorials and monuments across the U.S. will be granted free entrance all day long.

National Get Outdoors Day was created five years ago as an effort to encourage more Americans to go outside and enjoy nature. The event has become a collaboration between federal agencies, nonprofit organizations and the recreation industry who all work together to promote a variety of outdoor experiences. While these efforts are aimed at the U.S. population as a whole, the focus is on getting first time visitors to take advantage of public lands, as well as reconnecting young people to the outdoors.

In addition to fee-free entry to the national parks, there are 122 official National Get Outdoors Day locations spread out across the U.S. Each of these locations will play host to a number of scheduled events throughout the day and they offer further opportunities to celebrate the occasion. For instance, those living near Highlands Ranch, Colorado, can join the First Annual Backcountry Community Campout, while residents of New Jersey may want to visit Field Station: Dinosaurs to get in on the fun.

Even if you aren’t able to visit a national park or take advantage of one of these events, remind yourself to get outside on June 9. Summer is here and it’s the weekend, so there are no excuses for not participating.

This is the last fee-free day at the national parks until September 29, so take advantage of it while you can. For a complete list of the parks that will waive the entry fee on June 9 click here.

Photo Of The Day: Antelope Canyon

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Antelope Canyon, in Arizona, is a much photographed bit of the American landscape – a place so distinctive and photogenic that it’s been featured in many a portrait of the American West. Antelope Canyon is located on Navajo land in Page, Arizona, close to the Arizona-Utah state line.

This particular image was snapped by Flickr user oilfighter, who has lots of other striking images of the American West in his personal Flickr archive.

Upload your favorite photos of the American West to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr, and make sure to enable downloading. We choose our favorites from the pool to be Photos of the Day.

Traveling Cat Back On The Road, With Friends

by Chris Owen on

Traveling across the United States, Canada and Mexico, Ted Brady is raising money to support local animal shelters. Biking through a variety of terrains and weather conditions along with his cat, he stays with families or camps along the way. Already traveling more than 1,000 miles through a variety of conditions, happy times and disappointments, the journey is far from over.

The cross-country cycling trip started last October in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, to raise money and awareness for the ASPCA and local shelters. Ted bikes, while his cat Pikachu (“Pika” to his friends) rides behind in a covered, secure cat shelter. The pair travels, meets people and engages a growing online following, posting videos of their adventure as it unfolds.




Last December, when Pika went missing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, followers and local residents joined in the search, eventually finding Pika and reuniting the two weeks later.

“He’s my best buddy and we go everywhere together. The bond that you share with your pet, it’s more than just a pet. It’s your best friend,” Brady told LifeWithCats at the time.

Back on the road this month, Ted and Pika will make their way with the help of friends, old and new. Just a few days ago via Instagram, Ted posted a map and an upbeat plea for shelter on the road. “Do you know anyone along this route? This is the path I’m taking north into Colorado, if you know anyone I could stay with on the way, hit me up!”


Follow Ted and Pika on their journey via Facebook, Instagram or on their website The Traveling Kitty.

[Photo and videos by Ted Brady]

Space Travel Update: Man On Mars, Soon

by Chris Owen on

As the SpaceX Dragon mission to the International Space Station comes to a successful close, the future of space travel comes a bit closer. That’s good news for NASA and America’s refocused space program. But they better not get too comfortable with their accomplishments so far, another company already has plans for a human settlement on Mars by 2023.

Mars One plans to send the first crew of four astronauts on a seven-month journey to Mars by April 2023 to establish the first human settlement. Sending a new team to the settlement every two years, the plan calls for over 20 humans to live and work on the red planet by 2033.

“A manned mission to Mars is one of the most exciting, inspiring and ambitious adventures that mankind can take on,” says Mars One on its website. “We see this as a journey that belongs to us all, and it is for this reason that we will make every tread a step we take together.”

To finance the operation, Mars One plans on bringing all of us along on the ride, watching and helping decide as the teams of settlers are selected, trained and prepared for the mission.
Secretly working out the plan since early 2011, the Mars One team has met with international aerospace companies who can design and deliver the essential hardware components for the Mars mission.




[Flickr photo by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center]

Denali National Park Introduces New Sled Dog Pups

by Kraig Becker on

One of the great annual traditions at Denali National Park is the arrival of a new litter of sled dog pups. The park, which is located in Alaska‘s spectacular and remote wilderness, maintains its own sled dog team for use in patrolling the region throughout the long winter months. Without these teams much of Denali would not be accessible for portions of the year, which makes these trusty canines an important part of the park service team.

In order to maintain a strong and healthy sled dog team the onsite kennel breeds a single female each year. This year that lucky mom is a dog named Sultana, who gave birth to three pups a few weeks back. The names of those new pups hasn’t been announced yet, but they have been introduced to the world via the kennel’s live webcam.

When breeding huskies to be a part of the Denali sled dog team, the kennel is looking for strong dogs with long legs that can easily break trail in deep snow. They also prefer compact paws that can resist the build-up of snow and ice, as well as thick coats and puffy tails to keep the dogs warm in the Alaskan winters. It is too early yet to know if these new pups will exhibit all of those traits but considering their parents were hand picked it is likely they’ll join the team sometime in the future.

For now, the pups will stay in the kennel, and on webcam, until they are old enough to start their training. That means that throughout the summer we’ll be able to watch them grow up before our very eyes. Stop back whenever you need a quick dose of cute.

[Photo courtesy Denali National Park Facebook Page]