Yellowstone opens for winter season

by Kraig Becker on

One of America’s premiere national parks, Yellowstone opened for the winter season yesterday, with the South Entrance granting visitors access to the pristine backcountry that already seen plenty of snow this year. The East Entrance and Sylvan Pass will both December 22nd, offering even more access to this winter wonderland.

In recent years, it has become increasingly popular to explore Yellowstone’s stunning landscapes during the winter months, with many visitors taking in such sites as Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone with a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. But with so much snow in the region, travel by car is out of the question, which means that most will climb aboard a snowmobile to make the journey to those iconic places. The park puts strict limits on the number of such vehicles that are allowed in the park each day, and all riders must be accompanied by a commerical guide.

In preparation for the winter opening, Yellowstone employees have been very busy grooming roads and trails for winter travel. The park is already covered in various amounts of snow this season, with some areas remaining lightly covered for now, while others have experienced heavy snowfall already. Considering winter doesn’t officially begin for a few days yet, there is already plenty of the white stuff to play in.

For those that would prefer a more eco-friendly approach to visiting Yellowstone in the winter, there are other options besides snowmobiles and coaches. Snowshoeing and cross country skiing are not only great ways to explore the wilderness area, they are an excellent workout as well. The local park rangers also lead a number of great winter programs, which can be found by clicking here.

If you’re planning a winter escape to Yellowstone and would like to travel by snowmobile or snowcoach, you’ll find a complete list of authorized operators in the various regions of the park by clicking here.

Just because winter is about to set in doesn’t mean we have to give up on our outdoor adventures. Check out Gadling’s cold weather gift guide for plenty of winter gear to keep you warm all season long.

Celebrate the holidays at U.S. national parks

by McLean Robbins on

Want to explore some of the nation’s best holiday displays? Why not start with your favorite (or local) National Park?

The official start to the holiday season kicks off December 9th in Washington, D.C. at President’s Park with the National Christmas Tree Lighting. But no worries, even if you’re way out in Califrornia, you can still join in the fun.

Here’s what a few of our favorites are doing to celebrate the season:

ARIZONA:
At Petrified Forest National Park, you can enjoy hot drinks, cookies, treats and holiday cheer at the Painted Desert National Historic Landmark.

CALIFORNIA:
At San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park , turn the clock back to Christmas in the year 1901, where you will meet and talk with captains, wives, and crews aboard the historic vessels at Hyde Street Pier and enjoy lamplit guided tours.

HAWAII:
At Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park’s Na Leo Manu Heavenly Voices – Home for the Holidays, you can enjoy a free evening of festive Hawaiian music.

KANSAS:
At the Fort Larned National Historic Site’s “Christmas Past” display, visitors enjoy historic sounds of the season.MARYLAND:
Thomas Stone National Historic Site offers an 18th Christmas tour by candlelight.

MISSOURI:
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield hosts a memorial procession and illumination tour.

NEW JERSEY:
Thomas Edison National Historical Park is home to Holidays at Glenmont Estate, where you can visit the Glenmont Estate when it is dressed up for the holiday season, including a tree, banquet dinner, and other decorations.

NEW YORK:
Saint Paul’s Church National Historic Site features Christmas organ concerts.

NORTH CAROLINA:
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site hosts “Christmas at Connemara” which includes a festive celebration from folk musicians and storytellers.

TEXAS:
At Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park you can see what Christmas was like at the LBJ Boyhood Home.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:
Can’t make the National Tree lighting? Never fear. You can still visit the Ellipse at President’s Park and meet Santa and his elves in their workshop while listening to holiday music performances.

[Flickr via FlyHeatherFly]

Arches National Park hosts one millionth vistor

by Kraig Becker on

Arches National Park reached a milestone last Saturday when Victoria Carlson of Santa Fe, New Mexico arrived at the entrance. Ms. Carlson found herself greeted with unusual fanfare by the park rangers at the gate, who were eager to welcome their one millionth visitor.

Located in eastern Utah, Arches National Park is home to more than 2000 natural sandstone archways, including the most famous of them all, Delicate Arch. While touring the spectacular landscape by car is fantastic, the park is also home to miles of trails, which deliver great hikes ranging in length from a couple of hours to a full day.

As an artist seeking inspiration, Carlson says that she has visited Arches on several occasions in the past. On November 20th she was returning once again to soak up even more of the natural beauty, which is so prominently on display there, when she helped the National Park Service reach this major milestone. In recognition of the one millionth visitor, Carlson was given an America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, a coffee table book about the park, and an Arches National Park t-shirt and ball cap.

Arches National Park was first established as a National Monument back in 1929 and remains an amazing destination for outdoor enthusiasts. In the past, it has averaged about 750,000 visitors per year, but like many U.S. national parks, it has continued to see increased traffic in recent years.

[Photo credit: Palacemusic via WikiMedia]

Colorado residents petition to change name of Kit Carson Mountain

by Kraig Becker on

Residents of the Colorado town of Crestone have petitioned the U.S. government to change the name of a local mountain, sparking a heated debate and controversy that revolves around community rights, history, and the lasting legacy of an American legend.

At the heart of the controversy is the 14,165-foot tall Kit Carson Mountain, located in the he Sangre de Cristo Mountains, not far from Crestone itself. The peak is named for the famous trapper and frontiersman who gained notoriety when he led explorers through the American West back in the 1840’s. Later he would play a part in the expansion into California and would also organize the New Mexico militia during the Civil War. But he is also accused of leading a brutal military campaign against the Navajo Indians that resulted in the tribe being forced off their lands, and into captivity, for a number of years. It is because of those actions, that the residents of Crestone are seeking the name change. The 104 Crestone residents who have signed the petition requesting a name change say that the city was founded back in 1880’s and the mountain was always called Crestone Mountain dating back to that era.

The mountain was officially given the name of Kit Carson back in 1970, when it still sat on privately held lands. But in 2004, the U.S. government purchased those lands to expand the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, moving the mountain squarely into the realm of public property. The U.S. National Park Service manages the lands that surround Kit Carson Mountain, and they don’t seem too keen on letting a small number of locals dictate the name of any monuments or landmarks that are on property that they oversee. Likewise, hikers and climbers have known the peak as Kit Carson Mountain for over 40 years, and they feel the name change would cause confusion as well. With 54 mountains above 14,000 feet in height in Colorado, the outdoor enthusiasts take their climbing seriously.

The debate over the topic will continue for another few months at least. The Board of Geographic Names, the 18-person committee that reviews these kinds of petitions and disputes, will need to review the situation before they cast their votes, but at the moment, it isn’t looking good for Crestone.

[Photo credit: Leahcim506 via WikiMedia]

National parks free for Veterans Day

by Kraig Becker on

The National Park Service will host its final fee free day for 2010 this Thursday, November 11th, in honor of Veterans Day, allowing travelers to experience more than 100 parks that generally charge admission at no cost. For a complete list of those parks, grouped by state, click here.

A number of the parks will host special ceremonies or commemorative events to honor America’s veterans, including Valley Forge, the birthplace of America’s army, which will hold a moment of silence and a wreath laying-ceremony at 11AM near the National Memorial Arch. There will also be living history interpreters near the Muhlenberg Brigade huts throughout the day who will share insights and thoughts on the history of the place. Meanwhile, visitors to Morristown Historical National Park, located in New Jersey, can enjoy a new trail that is 27 miles in length and wanders through George Washington’s historic army encampment.

The Park Service’s fee free days have been quite a hit with travelers over the past couple of years, drawing visitors in by the thousands, and helping to set new attendance records across the system. It seems they’re planning on continuing the practice in 2011 as well, as they have already announced that entry to the parks will be free from April 16-24 to celebrate National Parks Week, and again on September 24 for Public Lands Day and November 11 for Veterans Day. More dates are expected to be announced soon.

Additionally, a number of the parks’ partners will also be offering special discounts, prizes, and other deals to visitors on Veterans Day. Click here to view a sampling of those special offers.

[Photo credit: National Park Service]