National parks are free again next weekend!

by Kraig Becker on

Next weekend, August 14-15, is the third, and final, fee free weekend in America’s national parks for 2010. For those two days, more than 100 of the parks will open their gates to the public at no cost, giving visitors a chance to experience “America’s best idea” for themselves.

The complete list of parks that will be waiving their entry fees can be found by clicking here. That list includes such spectacular icons as Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Acadia, as well as lesser known, but no less amazing, parks like Big Bend, the Dry Tortugas, and Crater Lake. All told, more than 40 states are represented on the list, which means there is a national park or monument that will be free to visit next weekend near just about everyone in the U.S.

The fee free weekends have been very popular that past few years, and crowds in the parks will no doubt be high. But if you can’t make it out to your favorite national park on the 14th or 15th, never fear, as there are still two more fee free days to come in 2010. On Saturday, Sept. 25th, the parks will be free in celebration of Public Lands Day and then once again on Thursday, Nov. 11th, in honor of Veteran’s Day.

With summer quickly coming to a close, take advantage of this last fee free weekend of the year for some outdoor fun and adventure.

[Photo credit: National Park Service]

Yellowstone sets attendance record again

by Kraig Becker on

A month ago we were lauding Yellowstone National Park for setting a new attendance record for the month of June, when 694,000 people dropped by America’s oldest national park. It seems that Yellowstone’s allure didn’t diminish any in July either, as the park has set yet another record for visitors, this time shattering all previous records for any month.

According to the Park Service, more than 957,000 people visited Yellowstone last month, which is 60,000 more than in July of 2009. That number also marks the most visitors in any single month since the park first opened back in 1872. So far, 2010 has been a good year in general, as it is also the first time in the park’s history that it has recorded over 2 million visitors in the first seven months of any year.

This increased number of visitors has made for a very busy summer on the roads in Yellowstone, and the campsites and surrounding resorts have been sold out nearly every night too. This has, at times, caused delays in getting in and out of the area and has made booking a place to stay a bit of a challenge. Park officials recommend that you book your stay well in advance of your visit if you intend to camp anywhere near the place.

Visitors have had one thing to cheer about though, as they have been treated to some rare animal sightings throughout the summer. Park spokesperson Al Nash says “This has been an extraordinarily good year for wildlife viewing,”

It seems that economic conditions continue to fuel these increased attendance numbers in Yellowstone and other national parks. A lot of travelers are looking to keep their budgets at a modest level this year, and national parks offer a relatively good bargain for many. There has also been an increasing number of Americans that have been going outside more regularly in recent years, as hiking and camping have both become more popular activities as well.

[Photo credit: National Park Service]

Yellowstone visitors provoke bison, pay price

by Kraig Becker on

Earlier this week, it was reported by a number of sources, including the National Park Service themselves, that an unnamed woman and her friend were attacked by a bison in Yellowstone National Park. The story was that the pair were passing through a parking lot near Old Faithful when they wandered too close to a bison, who became agitated and attacked, slamming into the woman and sending her soaring end-over-end into the air. The woman and her friend, we were told, were lucky to walk away with minor injuries. But, as often is the case with these kinds of stories, there is more here than meets the eye.

It turns out that the woman in the story is 49-year old Kathy Hayes of Utah, and the man accompanying her was her brother-in-law. The two did indeed come across a bison, as the original tale went, but once the full video was released, it told another side of the story.

As you can see below in the video that comes our way courtesy of CNN, Hayes and her companion did spot a bison in the parking lot, and then proceeded to approach it on their own, getting as close as 10 yards. Park regulations prohibit visitors from coming within 25 yards of bison or elk for obvious reasons. (FYI: Safe distance for a bear or wolf is 100 yards.) While playing the video, watch very closely. On one of the close-ups of the bison, you can see that someone throws a stick at the animal, striking it in the hind quarters, which immediately sends it into an agitated state. The beast then turns on the two humans invading its turf, and the video becomes a mix of the Blair Witch Project meets Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom as Hayes scrambles to get out of the way while still holding the camera, which dutifully goes on recording the proceedings.

After tossing her into the air like a rag doll, the bison does wander off and leaves Hayes and her companion alone. She ended up suffering just some severe bumps and bruises, but is honestly lucky to have come away alive. Her brother-in-law wasn’t quite so lucky however, as he ended up suffering a broken shoulder, as well as injuries to his hand and foot, but as the park service press release stated “He was not injured by the bison.” In other words, he hurt himself while scrambling to get out of the way of the creature he provoked.

Where I come from, that’s known as Karma.

[Photo credit: J. Schmidt]

Travel writer Patricia Schultz and Nature Valley join forces to preserve the parks

by Kraig Becker on

Patricia Schultz, author of the best selling book 1000 Places to See Before You Die, and spokesperson for America’s national parks, has joined forces with Nature Valley in an effort to raise as much as $600,000 for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). This past April, Nature Valley launched the National Parks Project in an effort to fund three unique preservation projects in some of the most iconic parks in the system, and they’re asking consumers to help out in achieving their goals. Better yet, they’re also giving us an opportunity to win one of three trips to to a park later this summer.

Throughout 2010, the NCPA will continue its efforts to protect the national parks for future generations, but three projects are receiving special attention this year. Those projects include reestablishing plant life in the Grand Canyon, freeing Pronghorn migrations in Yellowstone, and rebuilding coral reefs in Biscayne National Park. Each of these projects hopes to reverse the adverse conditions brought on by a lack of proper funding in the past, increased pollution, and global climate change.

Nature Valley has committed itself to helping the NPCA complete these worthy projects and is prepared to donate up to $600,000 to aid the cause. To that end, for every specially marked Nature Valley wrapper that consumers mail to the company between now and August 31st, the company will donate 10 cents to the NPCA. Additionally, we can also make direct donations to the cause as well. More information on both of these options can be found at PreserveTheParks.com.

The promotion doesn’t end there however, as Nature Valley is also giving away three trips to the Grand Canyon later this summer., Check back at PreserveTheParks.com and the company’s Facebook page for a chance to sign-up for the Nature Valley National Parks Project Sweepstakes, and you could win a trip to visit one of the greatest natural wonders on the planet.

When describing the parks Schultz says “In addition to being great vacation destinations, our national parks provide fun and adventurous educational experiences for travelers of all ages.” That’s why many of the parks are featured so prominently in her book, and that is also whey she has partnered with Nature Valley to work to preserve these majestic locations for future generations to visit too.

[Photo credit: Pescaiolo via WikiMedia Commons]

Yellowstone sets new record for visitors in June

by Kraig Becker on

It seems that the sluggish economy isn’t preventing Americans from traveling this summer, at least not to one of our favorite adventure destinations. The National Park Service announced earlier this week that more than 694,000 people visited Yellowstone in June, an increase of 7.9% from last year, and a continuation of a recent trend that has seen travelers flocking to the park.

In 2009, Yellowstone set an attendance record with nearly 3.3 million visitors making the trip to the America’s first national park. But it seems that mark is already in jeopardy in 2010, as every month this year, save May, has seen an increase in traffic. With July and August, the park’s two busiest months, still to come, it seems that the Park Service will have another very successful year on its hands.

With all of the spectacular natural beauty that is found in Yellowstone, it is easy to understand why it is so popular. The park is famous for its amazing mountain vistas, impressive waterfalls, sprawling canyons, and of course its geysers, with Old Faithful being the most famous of all the attractions. Yellowstone is also home to plenty of wildlife ranging from elk and bison to wolves and bear, making it one of the best places in all of North America to watch wild animals.

If you’re still undecided about where you want to travel to this summer, perhaps you’ll add Yellowstone to your itinerary. It’s a classic American destination, and a must see for any traveler.

[Photo credit: Daniel Mayer via Wikimedia Commons]