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Episodes from Parkography
News: Parks Busy With Timed Entry Gone, Hunting Expanded in National Parks, New Lincoln Memorial Tour
This week in national parks and public lands news, Yosemite is already dealing with major traffic headaches after dropping its reservation system, Arches could be moving toward a shuttle future, and Grand Teton visitors should prepare for a summer full of construction delays. We’ll also talk about a new proposal to stop staffing cuts at public lands agencies, a major land donation at the Smokies, expanded hunting and fishing access at park sites, and a brand-new experience opening underneath the Lincoln Memorial. Join our mailing list at https://rvmiles.com/parkography 00:00 Headlines Preview 00:40 Yo...
News: Yellowstone & Glacier Bear Attacks, Grand Canyon Recovery, Alcatraz Coyote + State Park Updates
Back-to-back bear attacks in Yellowstone and Glacier, Grand Canyon officials recovered the body of missing 26-year-old, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is investigating 33 federally protected black vultures dumped along Foothills Parkway, Denali introduced this year's sled dog puppies on its puppy cam, state updates include Louisiana’s bill to relocate removed monuments to state parks and Maryland’s possible expansion of park entry reservations and online payments, and more. 00:00 Yellowstone and Glacier Bears 01:23 Grand Canyon Missing Hiker 02:12 Smokies Vulture Dumping 03:01 Alcatraz Coyote Mystery 05:08 Denali Sled Dog Puppies 06:57 Louisiana Monument Proposal 0...
News: Foreign Visitor Fees Fall Short, NPS Nominee Withdrawn, More
The Trump administration withdraws its National Park Service director nominee, leaving the agency under acting leadership, while a proposed 2027 budget would cut NPS operations by about $736 million (over 25%) alongside a new $10 billion DC construction/beautification program. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is turning “American Flag Blue,” and non-resident park fee revenue rose by about $2 million year over year, far below projections. Two recent fatal accidents at Zion National Park, Grand Teton’s robotic sage grouse decoys, a whistleblower complaint alleging widespread lead paint risks in Yellowstone employee housing, and more. 00:00 This Week 00:40 NPS Nominee Withdrawn 01:47 Propos...
The National Park Lodge That Almost Disappeared | Paradise Inn, Mount Rainier National Park
Hidden beneath hundreds of inches of snow each winter, there’s a historic lodge sitting high on the slopes of Mount Rainier National Park that almost didn’t survive. In this episode of Parkography, we’re exploring the incredible story of the Paradise Inn—a lodge built in 1917 that helped shape what America’s national parks would become. From its origins as a luxury resort in the wilderness to its near-demolition in the mid-20th century, Paradise Inn stands as a symbol of how our relationship with national parks has evolved over time. Written by Lizzie Tes...
News: Zion Dispersed Camping Ban, Boundary Waters Mining, Yellowstone Jail Time, Grand Canyon Water Crisis
In this episode: the BLM’s plan to ban dispersed camping on nearly 14,000 acres near Zion National Park—shifting use to designated areas and two proposed campgrounds, a resolution that could overturn a 20-year ban on copper-nickel mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters watershed, a Texas man sentenced to five days in jail for stepping off boardwalks onto Yellowstone’s thermal features, a settlement to keep the pride flag flying at Stonewall National Monument, tightened South Rim water restrictions at Grand Canyon due to pipeline breaks, Big Bend’s Chisos Basin closure being put on hold, and Yosemite’s historic Ahwa...
NEWS: Forest Service Completely Restructuring, Group Sues to Allow Guns In Parks & A New National Park?
This week in national park and public lands news: A major US Forest Service overhaul, including relocating its headquarters from Washington, DC to Salt Lake City by 2027; a bill to redesignate Chiricahua National Monument as a national park passed the House and heads to the Senate; National Park Week in 2026 will move to August; a lawsuit challenges firearm bans inside NPS buildings; Grand Canyon’s South Rim enters Stage 3 water restrictions after a Trans-Canyon Waterline break, and more. 00:00 Intro 00:38 Forest Service Overhaul 02:32 New Arizona Park Push 03:39 Mammoth Cave Expansion 04:05 National Park Week Moves<br...
Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Where a President Was Made
Before he was president… before he was a Rough Rider… Theodore Roosevelt was a sickly kid struggling to breathe. Then he came to the Badlands. In this episode of Parkography, we explore how the rugged landscapes of Theodore Roosevelt National Park transformed Roosevelt’s life—and ultimately helped shape the future of conservation in America. From cattle ranching along the Little Missouri River to devastating personal loss, this is the story of how one wild place forged one of the most influential presidents in U.S. history.
News: Parts of Big Bend To Close, Sequoias in Danger, Rushmore Fireworks Return
This week in national park news: The National Park Service reports 323 million recreation visits in 2025 (down 2.7% from 2024), Mount Rushmore will host fireworks for the U.S. 250th anniversary amid ongoing regional wildfire concerns. A new CBP map no longer shows a primary border wall through Big Bend, instead labeling the area as detection technology, while Big Bend’s Chisos Basin will close starting May 1 for up to two years for lodge replacement and water infrastructure work. Lawmakers introduce the Save Our Sequoias Act to fund reforestation, monitoring, and forest management after major tree losses, and Indiana will add all-terrain tr...
The Dark and Surprising History of Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is one of the most famous monuments in the United States. Nearly everyone can recognize the towering faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln carved into the granite of the Black Hills of South Dakota. But the real story behind Mount Rushmore is far more complicated—and far more fascinating—than most people realize. In this episode of Parkography, we explore the surprising history behind America’s most recognizable monument. From the unlikely idea of South Dakota historian Doane Robinson, to the larger-than-life and controversial sculptor Gutzon Borglum, to the hu...
NEWS: New Volcano & Geyser Eruptions, Border Wall May Go Through Big Bend, Big Sur Wildflowers Destroyed
This week in national park news: Mount Rainier National Park has officially dropped its timed entry reservation system for 2026 — joining Yosemite, Arches, and Glacier in abandoning the pandemic-era crowd management experiment. Meanwhile, one of Yellowstone’s most unusual geothermal features — Echinus Geyser — has suddenly begun erupting again after years of dormancy. We also cover: • A fatal incident near the Kīlauea caldera in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park • A controversial proposal to build new border barriers through Big Bend National Park • One of the best wildflower blooms in Death Valley since 201...
The Darkest Day in Carlsbad Caverns History
In 1979, armed men took control of one of America’s most famous national parks — 750 feet underground. More than 100 visitors were trapped inside the Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns while gunshots echoed through the darkness. The hostage takers demanded money, a flight to Brazil, and a reporter to tell their story. What happened next became one of the strangest and least-known incidents in National Park Service history. Join the PARKography Facebook group to discuss this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/parkography
News: Entry Reservations end at Arches & Yosemite, New NPS Director, Firefall Chaos
The National Park Service announces Arches and Yosemite will not use timed-entry reservations in 2026, Rocky Mountain will continue timed entry from late May through mid-October. Glacier will not require vehicle reservations anywhere, but will pilot a ticketed shuttle to Logan Pass starting July 1. Yosemite’s Firefall weekend saw full parking, gridlocked traffic, overcrowded shuttles, long lines in near-freezing temperatures, President Trump nominates Delaware North executive Scott Socha to lead the National Park Service, a federal judge orders the National Park Service to restore removed slavery-related exhibits at Philadelphia’s President’s House site, and more. 00:00 Headlines 00:36 Timed E...