Recent Stories
Biscayne’s natural beauty is park highlight
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — One of the most beautiful and exotic parks in the country, Biscayne National Park catches the eyes of every visitor that ventures into the park. With so much to do and so much to observe, celebrating the natural beauty of the park is essential. “The park isRead More…
Coe Visitor Center is must-stop site
FLORIDA CITY, Fla.— Heading to a national park can be a great time for people of all ages. There is so much to do in and around the park, but how can you get the inside scoop to make your visit great? One of the easiest ways to make theRead More…
Visit islands park, tour LA, all in weekend
LOS ANGELES — You soak in the sun’s last rays as flashbulbs burst in your face. You walk the red carpet and climb the stairs of the Kodak Theater. You politely wave to the paparazzi as you hurry to find your seat for the Academy Awards. Okay, so thisRead More…
Biscayne Bay mangroves full of diverse life
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — There are four major ecosystems found at Biscayne National Park: mangrove forests, Biscayne Bay, the Florida Keys and coral reefs. By protecting these ecosystems, the park has become a haven for animal life. The mangroves have the important job of protecting the animals as wellRead More…
Hiking presents best Everglades landscapes
FLORIDA CITY, Fla. — The waterways known as the Everglades make up most of South Florida. Throughout the 1850s to the 1890s, there was an effort to drain the Everglades and plant sugarcane to help boost Florida’s economy. Since both public and private sector thinking about the region’s environment hasRead More…
Park uses social networking to reach visitors
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Though the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) remains relatively old fashioned when it comes to social media, it has gradually become more open to the technology. Interpretative Ranger Mike Theune of the Santa Monica Mountains recalls not being able to use Adobe Flash until the summerRead More…
Shark Valley offers peaceful trails
SHARK VALLEY, Fla. — The first time I went to Everglades National Park, I had seen my first live alligator from aboard the trams of the Shark Valley tram tour. While the ride was enjoyable and the guide knowledgeable, the trip didn’t exactly have the ‘river of grass’ feel IRead More…
Park efforts aid recovery of island foxes
CHANNEL ISLANDS, Calif. — One of the swiftest biological recoveries that man has been apart of is happening in the Channel Islands not too far from the California mainland. The island foxes that roam the islands were on the brink of extinction but have made an extreme turn around dueRead More…
Biscayne keys offer campers chance to relax
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Clear blue water, sunny skies, solitude and a reprieve from cell phone reception draw visitors to Biscayne National Park, where a typical camping experience is out of the ordinary for most. Pitching your tent oceanfront is the norm, as is the adoption of a Jimmy BuffettRead More…
Climbers drawn to steep canyon walls
SPRINGDALE, UTAH — If you look closely enough, you can see small, slowly moving dots lining the burnt red sandstone. Those dots are people climbing the steep rock walls at Zion National Park. Although most people visit the park for hiking, backpacking and canyoneering (propelling down a rock formation, ratherRead More…
Convoy Point trail reveals park’s best
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — As the wrinkled face of 55-year-old fisherman Carlos Perez bakes in the South Florida heat, the prospects of catching anything on this mid-October day appear grim. Shielding the sun as he looks eastward towards the horizon, he begins to remove the bait from one of his poles,Read More…
Alligators, tram tour entertain visitors
SHARK VALLEY, Fla. — Everyone I had asked about Everglades National Park told me that they had a wonderful time on their trips. Locals told me about the field trips they used to go on in elementary school while transplant college students spoke about the fun they had on airboatRead More…