Everybody's National Parks

Everybody’s National Parks returns to family park travel and with that, the podcast after a long hiatus during the pandemic. Hear what we’ve been up to and upcoming episodes to look forward to including Cuyahoga Valley, Indiana Dunes and Glacier National Parks.

Yes, you can enjoy the national park system and stay safe during a pandemic. Danielle celebrates the 104th birthday of the NPS with guests Jason Everson of RV Miles Network and Bradley Kerouac of Hello Ranger. The trio explores pragmatic strategies for family travel in an otherwise unpredictable year. Discussion includes the following: [00:02] Introduction: National Parks Service Founders Day, Bradley Kerouac/Hello Ranger, Jason Everson/RV Miles, Soul Trak Outdoors [03:39] Reports from the road: Dinosaur National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, Saguaro National Park, Mount Lemmon, Yellowstone National Park [08:17] Logistics and locations: Glacier National Park, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Canaveral National Seashore, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Arches National Park [11:37] Choose your (safe) adventure: Yellowstone National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak, Garden Of The Gods, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Dinosaur National Monument, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge Mountains/Shenandoah National Park [18:45] Inside jokes [20:00] Practical tips for making your choice [27:28] Backyard parks and return visits: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Glacier National Park [33:15] Park safety: Mesa Verde National Parks, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Dinosaur Quarry, Zion National Park, Big Bend National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Allegheny State Park [41:00] Before you RV…: Cruise America [46:23] A final word on safety [47:04] A final word on places to visit: Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail, Freedom Riders National Monument, Pullman National Monument [48:57] Guest contacts: RV Miles, The RV Miles podcast, America's National Parks podcast, The See America podcast, Hello Ranger   Actions: Subscribe to our podcast. Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Visit our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks

Nicole Jackson of #BlackBirdersWeek and the brand new @blackinnpsweek talks about Black in National Parks Week 2020 this upcoming week. Listen to this joint interview phone call with @everybodysnationalparks and @hellorangerusa. ⁣Official Hashtag ⁣#BlackInNationalParksWeek⁣IG⁣: @blackinnpsweek⁣ Twitter: @BlackInNPSWeek⁣   Actions: Subscribe to our podcast. Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Visit our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks

For the third in our Big Bend National Park series, Bryan takes an epic trip through eons with Dr. Thomas Shiller, assistant professor of geology at Texas' Sul Ross University. From uplift to erosion, inland seas to volcanic action, the pair discuss this desert park's changing topography and its once-thriving dinosaur population. The hardest hitting questions, however, came from Everybody’s National Parks’ junior geologists, making this episode a real family affair. Discussion includes the following: [00:02] Introduction: ENP Big Bend National Park Series, Dr. Thomas Shiller [01:13] Geological timeline of Big Bend, Chisos Mountains, Santa Elena Canyon [12:03] Night Skies program [12:30] Big Bend: The once-great western interior seaway [13:15] Big Bend’s rich deposit of fossils [17:17] Digging deeper into the park’s Cretaceous Period [17:40] Big Bend’s unique flora and fauna fossils [19:50] Old school tricks of the geologist trade [20:26] Big Bend fossil stewardship [24:21] ENP Grand Canyon geology episode [25:20] More Big Bend fossil stewardship: Paleo Lab at UT Austin [26:33] Big Bend Fossil Discovery Exhibit [30:30] Big Bend ranger programs [30:53] Science Knights in the Morning: YouTube, Facebook, KVLF [32:47] Missing time: Big Bend’s black conical hills and the great extinction event [35:40] ENP’s junior correspondents take the mic (Part I): Western interior seaway facts [35:46] ENP’s junior correspondents take the mic (Part II): A dinosaur census   For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. DUE TO COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS, BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK WAS IN PHASED REOPENING AT TIME OF PUBLISHING THIS EPISODE. PLEASE CHECK NPS WEBSITE FOR ACCESS UPDATES. Actions: Subscribe to our podcast. Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Visit our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks

For the second in our Big Bend National Park series, Danielle chats with Courtney Lyons-Garcia, executive director of Big Bend Conservancy, a major advocate for the park. From scenic drives to family-friendly hikes, and fossil experiences Courtney shares practical tips and activities suited to every kind of traveller Discussion includes the following: [00:02] Introduction: HelloRanger [02:22] Guardians of Big Bend National Park: Courtney Lyons Garcia and Big Bend Conservancy [03:15] Getting acquainted with Big Bend: An overview of the park and its conservancy [05:35] Getting to the park: Interstate travel, suggestions for East and West Coast visitors [09:03] Stocking up: Advice on retail options and supporting special dietary needs [10:53] Best times of year to visit Big Bend [13:21] Seasonal explorations [16:28] An itinerary overview [17:51] Perfect pairs: Suggestions for combining Big Bend with other areas of interest Big Bend State Park, Balmorhea State Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, White Sands National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Del Rio, Fort Davis [19:34} Do, see & learn - River District: Rio Grande Village Visitors Center, Nature Walk, Boquillas Crossing Port of Entry, Boquillas Village, Mexico, Ernst Tinaja Primitive Roadside Campsite, Hot Springs Historic Trail [23:05] Do, see & learn - Dinosaurs & Desert District: Fossil Discovery Exhibit, Grapevine Hills Trail [26:27] Do. See. Learn - Mountain District: Window Trail, South Rim Trail, Emory Peak Trail/The Pinnacles, Lost Mine Trail [28:01] Spotting the bears of Big Bend: Pine Canyon Trail [28:43] More To Explore: Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Castolon Historic District, Santa Elena Canyon Trail, The Blue Creek/Horner Wilson Ranch [30:27] Big Bend Accessibility [31:53] More outdoor fun: River rafting with Big Bend’s preferred concessionaire Far Flung Outdoor Center, DIY paddleboard and canoe considerations [34:58] An artists’ paradise [35:25] Stargazing: Big Bend’s Night Skies program [37:41] Lodging suggestions: Front country camping, Chisos Mountains Lodge. RV sites, Stillwell Ranch camping & RV sites [41:06] Lodging suggestions: Backcountry camping reservations [41:16] Courntey’s favorite park memory   For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. NOTE: DUE TO COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS, BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK WAS CLOSED AT TIME OF RECORDING THIS EPISODE. PLEASE CHECK NPS WEBSITE FOR UPDATES. Actions: Subscribe to our podcast. Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Visit our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks

The world may have changed since Danielle, Bryan, and the girls took their early February trip to Big Bend National Park in Texas, but hope for future family adventures springs eternal. With those eventual vacations in mind, Everybody’s National Parks presents the first episode in its Big Bend roundup. Painted landscapes, dark skies, and lessons in border policy await at the stunning junction where the US and Mexico meet. And this wouldn’t be a family trip roundup without eyewitness reports from Everybody’s National Parks junior ranger correspondents. Discussion includes the following: [00:01] Introduction to Big Bend podcast series. [01:14] Danielle & Bryan set the scene - with a little help from TripPossible: Big Bend National Park, ENP Yosemite National Park series, ENP Yosemite TripPossible episode [06:01] Know before you go: gateway cities El Paso, TX and Midland-Odessa, TX [07:50] Know before you go: car rental issues, Avis [08:40] Oil country: reflections on a drive through the permian basin [10:18] Know before you go: when and where to stock up on supplies Terlingua, Marathon, Marfa [11:23] Beautiful views and home base options: Chisos Mountains Lodge, Chisos Basin Campground, Chisos Mountains Lodge Restaurant & Patio DAY 1 [13:08] West Side: Chisos Mountains Visitor Center, ranger programs, Fossil Discovery Center [15:22] Touching extinction: K-Pg Boundary site [16:22] East Side: Rio Grande Overlook, Rio Grande Visitor Center Rio Grande Village Nature Trail [17:18] Know before you go: Boquillas, Mexico border crossing [20:51] Boquillas Canyon Trail [22:02] Nightcap: Ending the day at Hot Springs Historic Trail DAY 2 [26:32] West Side explorations: Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Panther Junction Visitor Center [28:04] West Side highlight: Santa Elena Canyon, Castolon Visitor Center, Cottonwood Campground, seeing prairie dog. [29:18] Desert hiking: Lower Burro Mesa Pour-off Trail [29:39] Day 2 activity run-down: Sam Nail Ranch, Sotol Vista Lookout, Mule Ears Spring Trail, Tuff Canyon, Castolon Visitor Center, Santa Elena Canyon [30:55] Bryan’s trip highlight: Santa Elena Canyon DAY 3 [32:40] Divide and conquer: Lost Mine Trail [34:06] Divide and conquer: Ranger tales [35:15] Window Trail, Chisos Basin campground [35:59] Starry night cap: Night Sky program DAY 4 [38:32] One last hike: Grapevine Hills Trail to Balanced Rock [39:20] Junior Ranger swearing in [39:36] Big Bend bucket list: Exploring the region’s Native American history, Persimmon Gap Visitor Center, The Comanche Trail, Empire Of The Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne [40:48] Junior Ranger report, part I: Bear facts, Night Sky review, Hot Springs Canyon Trail review, javelina facts [47:58] DIY joke: Royal dinos [48:52] Junior Ranger report part II: Lost Mine Trail review, palm tree fun fact, roadrunner fun fact [52:58] DIY quiz: Big Bend origins story [53:53] Ocean origins and lemurs [55:20] Night Sky review NOTE: DUE TO COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS, BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK WAS CLOSED AT TIME OF RECORDING THIS EPISODE. PLEASE CHECK NPS WEBSITE FOR UPDATES. Actions: Subscribe to our podcast. Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Visit our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks

What makes the Emmy Award-winning show Rock The Park must-see tv? Bryan goes behind the scenes with Jack Steward, the show's co-creator and co-host, to find out how Rock The Park captures friendship and adventure for the camera. Then, Jack answers listener questions, including one from a 7-year-old fan. Discussion includes the following: [00:58] - Origins story: Jack Stewart and Colton Smith friendship; Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole, WY. [06:05] - Rock The Parks from idea to episodes; ENP Isle Royale [09:24] Rock The Park’s formula for adventure [10:50] Big Cypress National Preserve; Rock The Park s6 ep21 [11:55] Adventure, beauty, and danger; Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park; Carlsbad Caverns National Park [16:08] People make the park experience; Everglades National Park [18:30] Sentimental park favorites: Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, Death Valley National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Virgin Islands National Park, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park [21:07] Rock The Park’s Daytime Emmy Award moments [23:20] Listener questions: Rock The Park’s future plans [25:50] Listener questions: Park tallies and what’s missing; Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park [27:07] Listener questions: An invitation to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area [27:53] Listener questions; Managing friendship and national park trips [30:48] Jack reflects on his most transcendent park moments; Fossil Butte National Monument For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. Resources: Those Park Guys Jack Steward on Instagram Note: This episode is coming out in summer of 2020 during COVID-19 please be safe and follow recommended guidelines. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy. Actions: Subscribe to our podcast. Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Visit our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks

Epic adventures require meticulous planning - and a trusted guidebook. Moon Guides author Carter G. Walker joins Danielle with recommendations for planning a two-week expedition covering three of the country’s best-loved national parks: Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier based on her book Moon Yellowstone to Glacier National Park Road Trip. Discussion includes the following: [00:02] Introduction - Carter G. Walker, Moon Yellowstone to Glacier National Park Road Trip: Jackson Hole, the Grand Tetons & the Rocky Mountain Front (Travel Guide); Suggested additional reading Yellowstone Resources and Issues Handbook (updated yearly) [01:48] Pandemic park travel planning plus additional Moon Guide resources by Carter G. Walker [04:33] Time Travel: What’s the perfect amount of time to allot for your Yellowstone-to-Glacier road trip? [06:20] Car rental tips: Montana’s gateway cities maximize your budget - Billings, Missoula, Great Falls [07:53] Stocking up: Tips for buying road trip provisions in Jackson Hole (Grand Teton National Park), Bozeman, Livingston (Yellowstone National Park), and Great Falls, Kalispell, or Missoula (Glacier National Park) [08:58] Let’s Go: An overview of your epic journey [10:35] Beginning in Bozeman, MT: Tips and resources for your first days in Yellowstone, NPS Yellowstone app, recommended ENP episodes for Yellowstone 4.1 through 4.8, Mammoth Hot Springs, National Geographic May 2016, Upper Geyser Basin [14:18] Seasonal timing for your trip and the Yellowstone winter snow coach [15:58] Bozeman sightseeing [16:46] On to Jackson Hole, WY: Daytrips to Grand Teton and things to do [18:12] All about Grand Teton: Seasonal highlights and activities at Jenny Lake, Two Ocean Lake, Snake River, Jackson Lake [21:03] Jackson Lake Lodge activities and its environs: Signal Mountain, Oxbow Bend, Elk Island, DuBois, WY, Moran Junction, Ocean Lake, Emma Matilda Lake [22:45] Lodge booking tips [23:13] Yellowstone’s east side: Canyon Village, Tower Junction/Roosevelt, Mammoth Hot Springs, Paradise Valley, Lamar Valley [24:08] Paradise Valley area highlights:Gardiner, MT Chico Hot Springs, Chico Saloon [25:57] Rocky Mountain Front, MT to Great Falls, MT: Sluice Boxes State Park, Wishaw, MT, White Sulphur Springs, O’Haire Motor Inn and Sip 'n Dip Lounge, Piano Pat Spoonheim [28:12] Browning, MT: Glacier Country activities and lodging: Museum of the Plains Indian, Blackfeet Nation [29:03] Browning to Many Glacier highlights and camping resource [31:32} Seasonal challenges: avoiding the crowds, backcountry safety, Highline trail [34:04] Glacier National Park: Ranger-led programs and activities, St. Mary Visitor Center, [35:27] Glacier Institute programs and multi-day camps [36:37] Everything you need to know about Going-To-The-Sun Road [37:43] Lake McDonald Valley and Lake McDonald Lodge area highlights and activities [39:28] Crowd control: Planning your Highline or Going-To-The-Sun hikes including shuttle tips [42:19] Lake McDonald to Whitefish, MT: Activities and lodging in nearby Essex, MT at Izaak Walton Inn [43:28] Ending the trip in Bozeman: Flathead Lake, Jewel Basin, National Bison Range, Missoula, MT, Mission Mountains, Flathead Indian Reservation, Seeley Swan Valley, Helena, MT Thank you to Moon Travel Guides for sponsoring this episode. For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. Resources: Buy your copy of Moon Yellowstone to Glacier National Park Road Trip Carter Walker http://www.cartergwalker.com Yellowstone Resources and Issues Handbook Note: This episode is coming out in spring of 2020 during COVID-19 please be safe and follow recommended guidelines. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy. Actions: Subscribe to our podcast. Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Visit our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks

Description: This is a replay. Bryan speaks with Park Ranger Shelton Johnson and Sergeant Elizy Bowman, a Buffalo Soldier in the 9th Cavalry in Yosemite (portrayed by Shelton Johnson). Sergeant Bowman discusses what it was like to be a Buffalo Soldier, the name given to African-American cavalry troops of the U.S. Army who were among the first park rangers. Ranger Shelton talks about diversity in the national parks. This is episode number 19.5. This is the fifth episode in our series on Yosemite National Park. For complete show notes, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. If this is your first time tuning in, go back and listen to the other episodes in our Yosemite series including our trip report, a conversation with park naturalist Erik Westerlund, Tom Bopp sings for us while recounting the 1903 camping trip with President Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir, and a wonderful conversation about Ansel Adams’ Legacy with his son, grandson and internationally known photographer and Ansel’s last darkroom assistant, Alan Ross. Upcoming topics in our Yosemite series include Mountaineering, geology and tips for planning your own trip to Yosemite.   Actions: Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

The reality of our new normal could spark renewed interest in an old favorite: the great American road trip. Danielle chats with Moon Route 66 Road Trip author Jessica Dunham about the allure of this iconic highway. With a focus on family fun, Jessica shares her top Route 66 picks including man-made kitschiness, scenic lookouts, and national park access. And, keep those engines revved up because Jessica gives a sneak peek into her forthcoming book The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips In The USA. Discussion Includes the Following [0:02] Listener comment - Piñon Flats Camp Ground, Great Sand Dunes National Park [2:58] Jessica Dunham, author: Moon Route 66 Road Trip and The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips In The USA [6:48] History of Historic Route 66: Federal-Aid Highway Act, National Park Service Corridor Preservation Program [9:58] Route 66 Family Road Trip: Overview [10:54] Midwest Region: Route 66 Association Hall Of Fame and Museum, Gateway Arch National Park, Indiana Dunes State Park, World’s Largest Route 66 Rocking Chair [16:02] Great Plains Region: Cars on the Route, Cadillac Ranch [19:34] Southwest Region: Musical Highway, Wigwam Village Motel [25:02] National Parks Along The Route - Part I: Petrified Forest National Park, Grand Canyon National Park [26:23] NPS Dark Skies Program [27:12] Arizona’s big sky vistas and Meteor Crater [29:15] More Grand Canyon Attractions: Grand Canyon Railway, Phantom Ranch [32:01] National Parks Along The Route - Park II: Mojave National Preserve, Joshua Tree National Park [34:16] Saguaro National Park [36:12] End Of The Route: Los Angeles, CA and Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA [38:27] National Parks To Ponder on The Lonliest Road: The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips In The USA, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison, Great Basin National Park [40:00] A Great Texas Road Trip: Big Bend National Park, Alpine, Marfa, McDonald Observatory, Marfa Burrito [46:00] National Astronaut Day, Girl Scouts, NPS Dark Skies Program, Shenandoah National Park, [47:20] California Road Trip Favorites: Yosemite National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Redwood National And State Forest Thank you to Moon Travel Guides for sponsoring this episode. For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. Note: This episode is coming out in spring of 2020 during COVID-19 please be safe and follow recommended guidelines. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy. Actions: Subscribe to our podcast. Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Visit our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks  

Celebrate Parks to Kids Day on May 16, 2020 with the National Park Trust from your home. Due to COVID-19, the National Park Trust has developed many ways to bring the national parks to kids this year. Hear all about the activities they have available on their website and all of the virtual experiences available on the ParkPassport app. The National Park Trust teamed up with Blue Star Families to bring over 500 virtual park experiences from the app. Visit https://kidstoparks.parktrust.org Share your activities. Follow and Tag @NationalParkTrust and @everybodysnationalparks #ParksToKids #BuddyBison #everybodysnationalparks    

“Half the Park is After Dark.” Think your park day is over once the sun sets? Think again! Tyler Nordgren, PhD, joins Bryan for an illuminating look at the Night Skies program. As a Night Sky ambassador, Dr. Nordgren supports The National Park Service’s efforts to ensure that the celestial landscape remains visible to future generations. And speaking of young park-goers, stick around after the Carl Sagan story and travel tips as Everybody’s National Parks special junior ranger correspondents ask a few hard-hitting astronomical questions of their own. Discussion Includes the Following: [00:54] - Introduction: Night Skies program, Big Bend National Park [01:17] - Dr. Tyler Nordgren: Cornell University and Carl Sagan [02:46] - International Dark Sky Association and Dark Skies sites, the Milky Way, Natural Bridges National Monument [03:51] - Ancient skies, ancient stories: Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, John Muir [06:02] - Evening Ranger programs: Around the galaxy, through the seasons [08:41] - Astronomical math [10:22] - The Drake equation [11:06] - Teaching insignificance via a grapefruit and sundae sprinkles; Big Bend National Park, Kuiper Belt; Alpha Centauri [14:29] - Native American oral traditions and the story of Ursa Majoris; Corona Borealis [17:18] - Dr. Nordgren’s seasonal tips for travelers: Grand Canyon National Park, Acadia National Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Isle Royale National Park [20:41] - Eclipse events: Mapping out the five years; Crater Lake National Park, Great Basin National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Lake Powell National Recreation Area, Mesa Verde National Park, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Niagara Falls National Heritage Site [24:05] - Letchworth State Park [24:30] - Carl Sagan’s 'Cosmos' [24:47] - Questions from junior rangers [26:35] - Our collision course with Andromeda Galaxy For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. Note: This episode is coming out in spring of 2020 during COVID-19 please be safe and follow guidelines to stay at home in social distance. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire future travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy. Actions: Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook   Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks

Bryan speaks with Moon Travel Guide author Joshua Berman all about camping and visiting the national parks in Colorado. His book Moon Colorado Camping comes out May 12, 2020. Discussion includes the following: 0:32 Thank you to sponsor, Moon Travel Guides 2:18 Description of Moon Colorado Camping guidebook 5:20 Camping and Visiting Colorado’s National Parks 10:35 Estes Park and other Gateway Towns to Rocky Mountain National Park 12:19 Camping at Rocky Mountain National Park 14:07 Fourteeners and High Peaks of Colorado 14:58 Visiting and Camping at Black Canyon of the Gunnison 18:06 Visiting, Camping or Staying at the Lodge in Mesa Verde National Park 20:15 Dark Sky Certification 20:37 Josh’s Favorite National Monuments: Colorado National Monument and Bent’s Old Fort 23:50 Visiting and Camping at Great Sand Dunes National Park 26:27 Colorado Off-Season 28:05 RV Camping 29:28 Josh Shares a Favorite Colorado Camping Moment Resources: Get the updated guidebook, Moon Colorado Camping Follow Joshua Berman Twitter :: @tranquilotravel Instagram: @tranquilotravel Website :: http://joshuaberman.net Note: This episode is coming out in spring of 2020 during COVID-19 please be safe and follow guidelines to stay at home in social distance. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire future travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy.   For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. Actions: Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook       Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks  

This week, we’re doing something a little different. It’s National Park Week, and we’re teaming up with other National Park podcasters, authors, bloggers, and other content creators to celebrate. The theme for Today, Thursday, April 23rd is “Throwback Thursday,” so a few of us podcasts decided to band together for a “best-of” sort of episode. We’re going to play you a clip each from, Gaze at the National Parks, Everybody’s National Parks, Parklandia, and America’s National Parks. These throwback episodes are some of our favorites. We hope you enjoy. Thank you to America's National Parks for producing this episode. Discussion includes the following: 1:25 We began with full-time RVers Matt and Brad Kirouac, who travel the county with one goal: to visit as many national parks as possible, producing the Parklandia Podcast. We threw back to Parklandia’s first episode ever as they sat down for a glass of wine made in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. 7:30 In Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan’s Gaze at the National Parks Podcast, each episode features one hiking trail in one national park, one park at a time. The clip is from Episode 10 – Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. After getting on the Angel’s Landing Trail right at 7am, Mike and Dusty make it all the way to the top of the Chains. Dusty’s fear of heights keeps him clutching to a boulder while Mike walks to all of the edges and takes all of the photos. 13:03 Everybody’s National Parks is an audio guide podcast promoting family adventure in our national parks — like having a ranger in your pocket. Danielle along with her husband Bryan and their 2 junior rangers have new episodes that come out every other Tuesday. Each series of episodes includes a trip report and interviews with experts, tips and insight on what makes that park special. Everybody’s National Parks has in-depth multi-episode series on dozens of parks, along with special guests episodes. We featured a few different clips: An excerpt from the Yosemite trip report from May 2019, a clip of Historian – musician Tom Bopp performing “Yosemite, O Land of Cliffs and Waterfalls,” ending with a clip from their interview with Ken Burns from April 2019. Everybody’s National Parks 8–part podcast series on Yosemite also includes a wonderful conversation about Ansel Adams’ legacy with his son Michael, grandson Matthew and internationally known photographer and Ansel’s last darkroom assistant, Alan Ross, and so much more. 16:46 Finally, a clip from the America’s National Parks podcast, produced and hosted by Jason Epperson and Abigail Trabue, as they travel the country with their three boys. They tell stories from the past, spotlight conservation efforts, and bring you the latest news from the parks. The clip came from our episode “37 Days in Yellowstone,” which tells the story of Truman Everts, who was separated from the Washburn expedition that set out to explore the wild and wondrous land that is now Yellowstone National Park. Blunder after blunder led everts to lose both his horse and a supply horse, a pistol, and two knives. He lit the forest on fire twice, accidentally slept in a bear’s den, and spent days in a tree after being chased up it by a mountain lion. Yet miraculously, he survived. Find Gaze at the National Parks, Parklandia, Everybody’s National Parks and America’s National Parks on any podcast app. We hope you’ll subscribe to them all. And please make sure to join in the National Park Week Fun by checking out all of the posts from the National Parks Creative Exchange and the National Park Service on any of our social media accounts, and by following the hashtag #NationalParkWeek. Actions: Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Celebrate Junior Ranger Day at Home and in Your Own Backyard Saturday, April 18th, 2020 is Junior Ranger Day and the first day of National Park Week. Unfortunately, we are under a state home orders due to COVID-19 so this is a different sort of Junior Ranger Day and National Park Week that we will be celebrating from our homes and virtually. In this bonus episode I talk with my two little pink junior rangers about being a junior ranger. #nationalparkweek #findyourpark #FindYourVirtualPark Discussion includes the following: Why they like being a junior ranger Fun fact about palm trees Fun Fact about roadrunners Fun Fact about Javelinas Responsibilities of a junior ranger Favorite junior ranger activities Promo for upcoming episode on Night Skies with Tyler Nordgren How to celebrate junior ranger day at home Junior Ranger joke Clip from Shenandoah Trip Report from March 2017 of kids talking about astronomy program and volunteering to save monarch butterflies. National Park Creative Exchange collaboration   For Everybody's National Parks Junior Ranger Day Activities go to https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/juniorranger Please tag @everybodysnationalparks For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com.   Celebrate National Parks Week with the National Parks Creative Exchange. Each day from April 18 through April 26, 2020 explore the National Parks with a host of podcasters, bloggers, vloggers and parks enthusiasts. Follow along on their websites, with their podcasts, and on their Instagram accounts. Everybody’s National Parks Gaze At The National Parks Parklandia Podcast America’s National Parks Our Wander Filled Life Park Chasers The Parks Expert Moon Travel Guide author Becky Lomax @headalongwithheart   Resources to #FindYourVirtualPark: Junior Ranger Day Backyard Activities and "Backyard National Park" Badge America’s National Parks: Virtual Passport Cancellations Google Arts and Culture: Hidden Worlds of the National Parks Google Arts and Culture: Explore more from the National Park Service Google Earth National Park Virtual Tours Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy: Kid Crafts that bring the National Parks Home Happy 150th Birthday Golden Gate Park Virtual Celebration NPS Celebrates: Games and Challenges NPS Celebrates: Earth Day 2020 Going Digital NPS: Junior Ranger Programs and Books NPS: (More) Junior Ranger Books NPS: Teacher Resources Parkasaurus: Tracking #NPSLIVE Events   Actions: Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook       Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Danielle speaks with author Jason Frye. His updated guidebook, Moon Great Smoky Mountains National Park is available starting April 21, 2020. Jason offers tips for avoiding crowds, how to see the synchronous fireflies and off the beaten path places to explore. Note: This episode is coming out in spring of 2020 during COVID-19 please be safe and follow guidelines to stay at home in social distance. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire future travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy.   Discussion includes the following: 0:02 About Jason Frye and Moon Travel Guides 3:23 Jason talks about how Great Smoky Mountains National Park has not changed much since its inception. Every visit brings back memories from his youth. 4:46 Danielle recalls Ken Burns’ interview on Everybody’s National Parks (episode 13) when he talks about how it is equally important with whom you see these places. 7:08 How to see the fireflies at the Great Smoky Mountains 13:12 Description of Moon Great Smoky Mountains National Park 16:02 Suggested weekend itineraries: Tips for Visiting Cades Cove, Abrams Falls Tuckaleechee Caverns, Townsend, TN; Rocky Top 20:08 Suggested Off the Beaten Path Weeklong Itinerary - Fontana Lake, Bryson City, NC; Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, Cosby, Roaring Fork, Asheville, NC 24:22 Solitude on a Weekend Backpack Advenure around Fontana Lake 27:17 Intro to Family Backpacking with Kids at Catalouchee 30:56 Visiting the Smokies in Fall, Spring and Summer 33:14 Tips to Avoid Cars and Crowds in Fall: Foothills Parkway, Cattalouchee, Blue Ridge Parkway 36:38 Additional Recommendations for Gateway Towns: Knoxville and Gatlinburg 41:27 A Brief Description of the Blue Ridge Parkway 45:59 Jason’s Favorite Moment   Resources: Follow Jason Frye on Instagram @beardedwriter Get the updated guidebook, Moon Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Listen to Everybody’s National Parks podcast series on Great Smoky Mountains National Park (episodes 6.1-6.7)   Thank you to Moon Travel Guides for sponsoring this episode. We love Moon Travel Guides. Whenever our family is deciding where we want to go next, we consult our copy of Moon USA National Parks. This is a great follow up to our podcast series on the Smokies that came out in June of 2018: Everybody’s National Parks episodes 6.1-6.7. If you're planning a trip, you'll want to listen to those episodes and get the new moon guidebook. For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. Actions: Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook   Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks  

Camping is not just in a tent. Danielle talks with Stephanie Puglisi of The RV Atlas podcast and co-author of See You at the Campground: A Guide to Community, Connection, and a Happier Family in the Great Outdoors, about the benefits of staying in a campground setting rather than a hotel during your national park visit. Stephanie shares how there is a camping situation to fit everyone’s needs and comfort: cabin, tent or RV. Note: This episode is coming out  March 21, 2020 during Covid-19. Please be safe and follow guidelines to  stay at home and social distance. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire future travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy. Discussion includes the following: 4:25 - Why Stephanie prefers the campground experience. 8:11 - Different types of camping - Find the style that suits you. 15:13 - Staying at campgrounds right outside Glacier National Park with all of the amenities. 15:40 - Examples of selecting camping situation for every trip depends on the situation and research (Badlands, Utah) 18:07 - Unique camping situations in the Pacific Northwest 25:37 - Tips for how to rent your first RV: motorized, small side Class B or C Peer to peer rental: RV Share or Outdoorsy - look for best reviews, responsive and supportive Cruise America - RVs made specifically for renters and provide a lot of support. More pricey than peer to peer rental. 30:55 - Camping is not necessarily cheaper, but gives you more control of your costs so it can be cheaper 32:34 - How to choose the right campground for your family? It depends on what is important to your family. 35:00 - Stephanie shares some favorite campgrounds around national parks. 37:50 - Packing tips 40:08 - Camp food tips 46:29 - Tips for camping with family and friends who are not campers. 49:52 - Stephanie shares her favorite family national park camping experience at Glacier National Park hiking to Grinnell Glacier. 53:11 - Go to the RV Atlas website to listen and subscribe to the RV Atlas podcast and read their blog. See you at the Campground is available wherever books are sold. They also have a private RV Atlas Facebook group if you're looking for more advice on camping. Hear our interview, “5 Amazing National Park Lodges” on the RV Atlas podcast.   For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. We have covered parks including: Biscayne, Crater Lake, Everglades, Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Olympic, Rock Creek, Saguaro, Shenandoah, Virgin Islands, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion. We also have special conversations with a diverse group of national park champions. (Ep. 13) Acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns took time out of his busy schedule to discuss the creation and legacy of the National Park Service and celebrate the tenth anniversary of his series The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. (Ep. 14) Author Becky Lomax chatted with Danielle and Bryan about her guidebook and offered travel tips to lesser-known parks. (Ep. 19.5) Ranger Shelton Johnson introduced listeners to the Buffalo Soldiers of Yosemite National Park Actions: Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks  

Danielle chats with Grandma Joy and her grandson Brad Ryan of Grandma Joy's Road Trip. They started their national park adventure together when she was 85. They have visited 53 national parks - and counting! They share their favorite scenic drives in national parks and their top ten list of national parks for accessibility. Discussion includes the following: 0:02 - Introducing Grandma Joy Ryan and Brad Ryan: CBS This Morning Interview 1:55 - Reunited: From losing touch to regaining Joy Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Old Faithful, Redwood National and State Parks 5:08 - The adventure begins 6:47 - The life-changing magic of slowing down 10:15 - Age, accessibility, and Grandma Joy’s “best of…” list: Mammoth Cave National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park 13:10 - Shenandoah National Park 15:09 - Driver’s delight: Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona’s Painted Desert, Historic Route 66 17:54 -  Diversity in the desert: Saguaro National Park, Joshua Tree National Park 19:52 - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, The General Sherman Tree 21:15 - Saguaro National Park and environs: Desert Discovery Trail, El Paso, TX lodging/Hyatt Hotels, White Sands National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park 22:44 - Tales from the passenger’s seat: Badlands National Park, Yellowstone National Park 26:14 - Big Bend National Park 28:30 - Grand Teton National Park 29:47 - Arches National Park, Zion National Park 31:12 - Sunrise over Grand Canyon National Park 33:01 - Glacier National Park, park shuttle service, Going-To-The-Sun Road 33:40 - Fishercap Lake, a moose encounter, and a wildlife reminder 35:42 - A veterinarian’s viewpoint 38:02 - Bear aware, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Cades Cove Scenic Road 40:35 - Gatlinburg, TN, Clingmans Dome 41:45 - The glittering aspens of Rocky Mountain National Park 43:00 - Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park 43:41 - Assessing accessibility challenges: Channel Islands National Park 46:40 - Practical logistics 48:06 - Trip tips and ranger recommendations 50:09 - A Wind Cave National Park coyote story 51:42 - Bad weather/good mood: Why attitude is everything when travelling 52:15 - Isle Royal National Park misadventure 55:44 - Adventures counted in moments, not N.P.s: Craters Of The Moon National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument 56:56 - Transformative travel rewards 59:02 - What’s next for Brad and Grandma Joy: Brad’s book, National Park of American Samoa, Alaska’s multiple parks and places 1:01:11 - The power of Grandma Joy’s example   For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. We have covered parks including: Biscayne, Crater Lake, Everglades, Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Olympic, Rock Creek, Saguaro, Shenandoah, Virgin Islands, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion. We also have special conversations with a diverse group of national park champions. (Ep. 13) Acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns took time out of his busy schedule to discuss the creation and legacy of the National Park Service and celebrate the tenth anniversary of his series The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. (Ep. 14) Author Becky Lomax chatted with Danielle and Bryan about her guidebook and offered travel tips to lesser-known parks. (Ep. 19.5) Ranger Shelton Johnson introduced listeners to the Buffalo Soldiers of Yosemite National Park Actions: Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Bryan talks with Dayton Duncan who, along with his creative partner Ken Burns, wrote and produced The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. How has our majestic national park system faired in the decade since PBS first aired that multi-episode documentary?  The prolific author offers some insight and takes us on an emotional tour of his favorite park. Also listen to the Everybody’s National Park’s Ken Burns podcast episode 13 in your podcast app or click here. Discussion Includes the Following: 0:02 - Introduction to Dayton Duncan: The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, Out West: A Journey Through Lewis And Clark's America, ENP #13 - Ken Burns Interview 2.27 - Ken Burns films Baseball and Country Music, Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980; Yosemite National Park 5:56 - Citizen Activism, Part I: Adina Emilia de Zavala, the Alamo 9:34 - The American Antiquities Act, National Park Service Centennial, national lands protected under the Obama administration 13:24 - Citizen Activism, Part II: Marjory Stoneman Douglas, John Muir 17:32 - Preservation And Shrinking Public Lands: Bears Ears National Monument, Yellowstone National Park 18:39 - Continuing land management challenges, Grand Canyon National Park 21:37 - Transcendence, Part I: The open space of democracy, Old Faithful, TerryTempest Williams 24:21 - Parks Promote Relationships 25:15 - Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Canyon National Park 27:00 - Badlands National Park, Dinosaur National Monument 28:24 - Transcendence, Part II: A multi-generation connection to the parks and keeping memories safe 33:54 - The National Parks: America’s Best Idea companion book, John Muir 34:55 - Ken Burns’ Mark Twain biography 36:00 - Revisiting an old favorite: Glacier National Park 38:30 - Bearing Witness To Climate Change And The Call To Act: Joshua Tree National Park, Many Glacier Hotel, Grinnell Glacier 42:51 - ENP 2020 plans and preparations 45:07 - Dayton Duncan, Honorary Park Ranger For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. We have covered parks including: Biscayne, Crater Lake, Everglades, Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Olympic, Rock Creek, Saguaro, Shenandoah, Virgin Islands, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion. We also have special conversations with a diverse group of national park champions. (Ep. 13) Acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns took time out of his busy schedule to discuss the creation and legacy of the National Park Service and celebrate the tenth anniversary of his series The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. (Ep. 14) Author Becky Lomax chatted with Danielle and Bryan about her guidebook and offered travel tips to lesser-known parks. (Ep. 19.5) Ranger Shelton Johnson introduced listeners to the Buffalo Soldiers of Yosemite National Park Actions: Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook     Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

One of Isle Royale National Park’s most famous attractions is one that visitors rarely see: wolves. Bryan had the opportunity to speak with Park Ranger Mark Romanski, Division Chief of Natural Resources, about the park’s most elusive resident.   Discussion includes the following: 0:02 - Past episodes listening suggestions: Ken Burns interview, Biscayne National Park, Crater Lake National Park, Everglades National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Olympic National Park, Saguaro National Park, Shenandoah National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Zion National Park 1:04 - Mark Romanski, Division Chief, Natural Resources, Isle Royale National Park 1:56 - When and how wolves made their way to Isle Royale 2:54 - Population Programs: From a 1948 collaboration with Detroit Zoo through today 3:55 - Shifting policies, shifting populations of an island ecosystem 6:00 - The big bear question (and answer), “Why are there no bears on Isle Royale?” 6:53 - Collecting data on Isle Royale’s current wolf population with Michigan Technological University 8:16 - Caucusing: The winter study with Dr. Rolf Peterson and John Vucetich 11:02 - Modern tech, modern tracking 11:25 - Wolves: Social lives and relationship structures 13:53 - Wolves: Hunting and adaptability 17:01 - Collecting data, part II 18:22 - Moose: Not the easiest kill 19:32 - Slim chances of seeing (or hearing) Isle Royale’s most elusive residents 23:47 - Wolf calls 25:21 - Beauty beyond the wolf 26:27 - Femur finds 27:20 - Wolf observation plans for 2020 28:18 - Ranger Mark shares his favorite wolf-related Isle Royale story   For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com. We have covered parks including: Biscayne, Crater Lake, Everglades, Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Olympic, Rock Creek, Saguaro, Shenandoah, Virgin Islands, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion. We also have special conversations with a diverse group of national park champions. (Ep. 13) Acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns took time out of his busy schedule to discuss the creation and legacy of the National Park Service and celebrate the tenth anniversary of his series The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. (Ep. 14) Author Becky Lomax chatted with Danielle and Bryan about her guidebook and offered travel tips to lesser-known parks. (Ep. 19.5) Ranger Shelton Johnson introduced listeners to the Buffalo Soldiers of Yosemite National Park Actions: Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/ Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com. Support us on Patreon Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks