national parks

A burn crew at Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

Florida refuges hit by federal job cuts: 'We're holding our breath to hang on to what we have.'

Jenny Staletovich

The toll to South Florida parks and wilderness lands amid sweeping federal job cuts includes at least six biologists and other workers at already understaffed wildlife refuges, bringing the total to at least 26.

The view from Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The mountain is the tallest peak in the park and sits on the Tennessee-North Carolina border. It's sacred to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who hope to see the name of the mountain changed to Kuwahi, which their ancestors called the mountain for hundreds of years.

Cherokee tribe supports renaming Clingmans Dome in Smoky Mountains National Park

Dustin Jones

The Cherokee Indians referred to the mountain as Kuwahi for hundreds of years, long before it was dubbed Clingmans Dome in 1859.

A house sits in Rock Creek after floodwaters washed away a road and a bridge in Red Lodge, Mont., on June 15, 2022.

The flooding in Yellowstone reveals forecast flaws as climate warms

The Associated Press

Models used to predict flooding are based on long-term, historical records that do not reflect changes to the climate over the past decade, scientists say..

A mother bison leads her calf through deep snow toward a road in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo., Feb. 20, 2021.

The federal government is planning to phase out single-use plastics at national parks

Ayana Archie

More than 300 million tons of plastic are produced in the U.S. each year, with 14 million of them ending up in the ocean, according to the Department of Interior.

Visitors are seen at Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo., last year.

Yellowstone turns 150. Here's a peek into the national park's history

Jaclyn Diaz

Yellowstone became the first national park in the U.S. on March 1, 1872, and it helped usher in the broader national park movement. The park stretches into Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

National Park Ranger Betty Reid Soskin greets visitors at the the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, Calif., in January 2020. Soskin turned 100 Wednesday and is the oldest ranger with the National Park Service.

At 100, The National Park Service's Oldest Active Ranger Is Still Going Strong

Jonathan Franklin

Betty Soskin's career with the National Park Service began in 2000 after attending a presentation on a plan to create the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, Calif.

The 2020 Castle Fire burned the Alder Creek sequoia grove with extreme intensity, killing many of the 1,000-year-old trees there. Without any green foliage, the trees can't survive or resprout.

A Single Fire Killed Thousands Of Sequoias. Scientists Are Racing To Save The Rest

Lauren Sommer

The world's largest trees are adapted to wildfires. But with fires getting more extreme, scientists warn that giant sequoias are running out of time.

The gate to Arches National Park is closed on a weekday morning last month, as it is many mornings after the parking lots and trails quickly fill up.

This Utah Adventure Town Wants To Put The Brakes On Promoting Itself

Kirk Siegler

Tourists are visiting national parks and surrounding public lands in record numbers this summer, which is causing some overwhelmed national park gateway towns to rethink their promotion strategies.

Environment

Biscayne National Park Is Getting New Fishing Rules July 1

Jenny Staletovich

New fishing rules intended to help revive grouper, snapper and other popular fish in Biscayne National Park start July 1.The rules represent a five-year…

'Swamp Therapy' Hikes Aim To Connect South Floridians To The Everglades

Editor's note: This story was reported before the guidance for people to stay home. We encourage people to follow social distancing guidelines. Big…

Around 50 tourists and photographers were huddled near Mesa Arch in Utah to catch a glimpse of the sunrise in early May.

Instagramming Crowds Pack National Parks

Nate Hegyi

Social media is helping drive more people to visit national parks. While it's getting folks out there, it's also causing traffic jams and congestion in places valued for solitude and reflection.

Nonprofit Staff And Tour Guides Are Keeping South Florida National Parks Clean

In national parks around the country left understaffed by the government shutdown, trash is piling up, bathrooms are overflowing and visitors are running…