Recent Stories
Living in Dry Tortugas can be challenge
DRY TORTUGAS, Fla. – It’s 7 a.m. at Fort Jefferson and Lead Conservator Ron Harvey is starting his day along with three of his team members to work on the treatment of the cannons that have been at the fort for more than 100 years. Fort Jefferson is located inRead More…
Journey to Tortugas includes key lime pie
My trip to the Dry Tortugas National Park felt like a never-ending journey. The day began at 3 a.m. As my alarm rang, I thought to myself, “This is going to be a long day,” and it was. Yet, I was excited because I had never been to the DryRead More…
Gulf holds many wreck stories
DRY TORTUGAS, Fla. — If the waters of the Gulf of Mexico that surround the Dry Tortugas National Park could speak, they would tell stories of victory, conspiracy, and tragedy. The series of seven islands located about 70 miles west of Key West are known as the holding place ofRead More…
King Memorial honors civil rights leader
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two ladies were walking away from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and looked pleased with what they just saw. “I think it’s beautiful, it’s the second time I’ve been here,” said Demarus, who declined to give her last name. “It captures Martin Luther King’s spirit andRead More…
Mountain trails offer peaceful, scenic views
ESTES PARK, Colo. — On the way up the mountain on a very long, windy road, to the Rocky Mountains, one will pass the small mountain town of Estes Park. This town is charming in its own way; it was lined with Christmas trees and lights and even had SantaRead More…
Python problem continues to grow
FLORIDA CITY, Fla.—“Seeing a python in the local pet shop, I was immediately drawn to it,” said Deborah Wilson, a Miami resident and snake owner. “The way they move around is just so unique.” Many residents of South Florida bought Burmese pythons in the early 1990s. The python pet tradeRead More…
Ranger develops ‘freedom on bay’ project
As a park ranger for Biscayne National Park, Gary Bremen has several duties. His primary role is informing the public about all aspects of the park. When he takes groups on tours he tells them about the history of the park, the attractions they could see and information about theRead More…
Castle Clinton fascinates, but not known
NEW YORK— One of the reasons I decided to write a feature on Castle Clinton National Monument is because I had never heard of it and knew that it would provide a good learning opportunity. Even though I knew nothing about it, I assumed that other people would. But theRead More…
Pelican Island refuge is relaxing escape
SEBASTIAN, Fla. — It was a sunny, clear day as my two younger sisters and I drove north on A1A. Suddenly, my 13-year old sister Sarah alerted me that the turn for Pelican Island was coming up. “Look! Look!” she yelled as she pointed to a brown sign that saidRead More…
Safety often overlooked by Glades visitors
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — With winter break around the corner, more and more families are looking for a place to relax, kick back, and enjoy time together in a beautiful, yet fun setting. Our national parks provide visitors with just that. Whether it’s hiking, canoeing, or getting a picnic together, EvergladesRead More…
De Soto welcomes kids with activities
BRADENTON, Fla. — Grab your compass and get ready for an adventure because that is what kids find when they enter the Visitor Center at De Soto National Memorial. “Our award winning Junior Ranger Program prompts kids to get an education and not even realize they are doing so,” saidRead More…
New center greets Big Cypress visitors
OCHOPEE, Fla. – In the middle of Big Cypress National Preserve, a 729,000-acre space that houses tropical plants, manatees, the Florida panther, foxes and birds — lies a fairly small periwinkle building that hundreds of visitors stop by each year. To a passerby, this building looks like an average-sized houseRead More…