The National Park Service has updated and upgraded the maps on individual parks’ web sites.
They’re basically high-res scans of those Park maps they hand out at Visitors’ Centers — so while they’re not really suitable for hiking, they are great at getting an overview of a specific area you’re planning on visiting … and will at least show you which trails are most likely to be crowded.
There’s a small green rectangular button beneath the banner image on each park, which will fire up the streaming, zoomable flash map. Previously, clicking on any map link on an NPS page would open up a PDF map, which would either display the same information or take down your entire computer with a browser crash.
So yeah, these flash maps are a marked improvement.
A newly-designated trail near the West Entrance, this loop encompasses parts of the North View, Maze, and Window Rock trails. A fantastic route that winds through large boulder formations, desert washes, slot canyons, and Joshua Tree forests, this path encompasses just about everything people love about Joshua Tree in one lightly-traveled trail. Highly recommended. Continue reading ‘Hiking The Maze’
A short and well-trodden nature trail in the center of the park. An easy way to get a glimpse at one of the most accessible areas of the Wonderland of Rocks, as well as seeing evidence of Native American petroglyphs. There is also a small, man-made reservoir here that will provide the rare chance to see water in the desert. Continue reading ‘Hiking Barker Dam Loop’
A straightforward, relatively easy hike up one of the most prominent, centrally-located peaks in Joshua Tree National Park. From this popular trail, hikers can get nearly 360 degree views of the entire park. This is a wonderful way to get a feel for the scope of the landscape, and a highly-recommended stop for first-timers. Continue reading ‘Hiking Ryan Mountain’
It often seems like National Park Service employees aren’t really allowed to speak their mind until well AFTER they’ve left the Service — even when it’s their job to specifically do so.
So while we watch President Bush make web videos about how much he loves the Park Service, we can later read a comprehensive Wish List from the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, calling for such things as “principled decision making,” the restoration of science and research to the NPS philosophy, ‘greener’ park buildings and services, halting fee-increases, and returning the NPS to “its former status as a leader in the world conservation movement.”
Wish list, huh? It feels like this should be a “Why The Hell Aren’t Things Already Like This?” list to me.
When the President isn’t busy gutting the National Parks, cutting budgets, selling off public lands, or letting private companies commercialize parks, it’s good to know he spends his time making YouTube videos about how much he loves the National Park system.
If you just want to laugh, fast-forward to 7:02. Then cry. Then dream of January, 2009.
Apparently, while I was focusing on my apartment move, the National Park Service was busy updating and improving several of their parks’ web sites.
Luckily, other people noticed. Now I’m noticing them. That’s how the Internet works.
The newly-redesigned Tennessee Trailhead shone its spotlight on the new Canyonlands site, which features a great 15 minute intro-to-the-park video, as well as videos on responsible desert hiking, the park’s geology, and river rafting.
It’s a great way to wind down your office-time before the weekend … as well as adding fuel for your trip-planning fires.
The National Park Foundation wants your best pictures taken on Federal Land.
The Share the Experience photo contest launched last week, and the beauty-shot contest of federal land is offering up its share of fabulous prizes.
Yes, this contest is sponsored by Ford and yes, is probably emblematic of the ongoing corporate sponsorship of underfunded public lands, but hey - I wouldn’t mind getting my photo on the Federal Recreation Lands Pass. Or getting a free trip to any national forest.
A hybrid SUV wouldn’t be too bad, either. Even if it’s a Ford.
Via a slightly paranoid Boing Boing, which notes an odd copyright contradiction in the contest’s official rules.
Would you donate your old National Parks home videos and snapshots to America’s finest living documentarian? Of course you would! Why wouldn’t you?
Ken Burns is starting work on a new documentary about the history and human experience of our National Park system, and he wants your pictures, movies, and stories.
He’s specifically looking for materials from the 1980s and earlier, and the folks at National Park Traveler have all the contact info you’ll need.
If you send something in, you won’t get it back, but if it gets in the finished documentary you’ll get a free DVD of the series … which is pretty nice. Those PBS box sets can get pricey.
I’ve been trying to think of a way to talk about the Grand Canyon Skywalk project that’s very close to opening up.
While my gut reaction was to think of it as an abomination on the landscape, Ranger X reminds us not to be so quick to judge. He describes the official National Park grounds as
anything but pristine with houses and pay phones at Phantom Ranch, a water pipeline across the canyon, a bank, an ATM, 11 restaurants, an auto mechanic shop, Internet access, a kennel, a medical clinic, a post office, gas stations, gift shops, six lodges with almost 1000 rooms. There are 228 miles of roads and 1143 buildings. This isn’t “necessary”. It’s excessive and it’s impossible to find solitude on the South Rim.
… and he’s right. I went there over the Thanksgiving weekend with my roommates a few years ago. While we had a great time and found the Canyon unbelievably inspiring and beautiful, X is correct in noting it’s pretty impossible to find solitude there. On the actual day of Thanksgiving, we almost had the park to ourselves. The day after, it felt like we were at a mall.
Of course, on the flip side, just because we’ve screwed up part of the Canyon already doesn’t mean we should keep screwing it up. I guess, when it comes down to the Skywalk:
- I don’t mind that it’s there.
- But I won’t be going to visit it.
- And I very sincerely hope it doesn’t inspire copycat construction.
Getting Directions
The Modern Hiker archives for the National Parks and Monuments category.
A newly-designated trail near the West Entrance, this loop encompasses parts of the North View, Maze, and Window Rock trails. A fantastic route that winds through large boulder formations, desert washes, slot canyons, and Joshua Tree forests, this path encompasses just about everything people love about Joshua Tree in one lightly-traveled trail. Highly recommended.
A short and well-trodden nature trail in the center of the park. An easy way to get a glimpse at one of the most accessible areas of the Wonderland of Rocks, as well as seeing evidence of Native American petroglyphs. There is also a small, man-made reservoir here that will provide the rare chance to see water in the desert.
A straightforward, relatively easy hike up one of the most prominent, centrally-located peaks in Joshua Tree National Park. From this popular trail, hikers can get nearly 360 degree views of the entire park. This is a wonderful way to get a feel for the scope of the landscape, and a highly-recommended stop for first-timers.
Apparently, while I was focusing on my apartment move, the National Park Service was busy updating and improving several of their parks’ web sites.
The National Park Foundation wants your best pictures taken on Federal Land.
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