Acadia National Park News:
Maine's Acadia National Park closes trails to protect falcons
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine (AP) — Officials at Acadia National Park have closed hiking trails on and around the Precipice Cliff to protect peregrine falcons that have been showing pre-nesting behavior.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2009-04-01-acadia-peregrine-falcons_N.htm

Everglades National Park News:
Everglades National Park—farewell to Flamingo Lodge
Flamingo Lodge is gone. It had been closed since the hurricanes of 2005 swept through Florida and Everglades National Park. But, now it's gone, literally, scooped up and carted away.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4661-National-...-Flamingo-Lodge

Glacier National Park News:
Glacier Park superintendent to discuss current issues at City Club
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/03/31/bnews/br50.txt
Grand Teton National Park News:
Game officers to alter some hunting seasons
Wildlife managers will announce some changes to moose, bison and elk hunting seasons in the Jackson Hole area at a meeting tonight in Jackson.
http://www.jhguide.com/article.php?art_id=4419

Misc. National Park News:
National Park Service openings
DELAWARE WATER GAP — The National Park Service will hire people for full-time and temporary jobs at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
http://www.scrantontimes.com/articles/20...2413075_bus.txt

Picture Perfect!: National Park Foundation Announces 2008 Winners of the Share the Experience Photo Contest
The National Park Foundation proudly congratulates the 2008 winners of the Share the Experience Photo Contest, the official photo contest of America's national parks and federal lands, sponsored by NPF in partnership with Olympus and the federal land management agencies.
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/picture...ence-775021294/

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System News:
What does it mean to be a national park?
National Park status may prove a mixed blessing for the South Downs.
The Government claims it will protect the area for centuries to come but many residents are concerned that the strict new rules on planning and influx of tourists will ruin the very countryside it has been set up to protect.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5083532/What-does-it-mean-to-be-a-national-park.html

Special honey discovered at Kakum National Park (Note, beware of short, annoying audio commercial)
Mrs. Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister of Tourism, has announced the discovery of a special medicinal honey at Kakum National Park and said this would add another activity for tourists who visited the park.
http://news.myjoyonline.com/travel/200903/28175.asp

2 rare elephants shot dead in Indonesian jungles
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Two Sumatran elephants were found dead with gunshots to the head in a protected forest in western Indonesia, a conservationist said Tuesday.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iRlAJx1GtkRHYx3QqSFVaKyoKbTgD978VCQG1


Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Law of the land
President Obama signs bill protecting Rocky Mountain National Park
ESTES PARK, Colo. — Estes Park Mayor Bill Pinkham and Grand Lake Mayor Judy Burke were at the White House Monday as President Barack Obama signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act into law. More than 250,000 acres of Rocky Mountain National Park is included in this act that designates two million acres of public land as wilderness areas in nine states.
http://www.eptrail.com/news/2009/apr/01/signs-bill/

Yellowstone National Park News:
INL looking for ways to control brucellosis
The livestock disease brucellosis, which causes animals to abort their offspring, has cost ranchers millions and may affect a huge population of wildlife.
http://www.kidk.com/news/local/42083727.html

Yosemite National Park News:
Rockfall closes Yosemite trail near Half Dome
Officials say no one was injured in a giant rockfall near Yosemite National Park's iconic Half Dome, but it did close a trail.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/03/31/state/n133315D19.DTL&tsp=1

Bryce Canyon National Park News:
Bryce Canyon: Hoodoo You Love
A three-hour tour. A three...hour...tour.
Here in the expansive courtyard of a St. George hotel, I’m sipping pretty good coffee and slowly waking up. I sip the black rocket fuel and watch starched-shirt businessmen and pants-suited businesswomen chatter into cell phones, huddle around laptops, and buzz with the early morning energy of a seminar.
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/bryce_canyon_hoodoo_you_love/C564/L564/

Denali National Park News:
Worms on Ice- Natural Alaska
There is a creature in Alaska that outnumbers people, yet few people have seen it. It lives where we can’t, it’s as small as a fingernail clipping, it appears only in shadows and at night, and it dissolves at room temperature.
http://www.alaskamagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1651&Itemid=321

Everglades National Park News:
'We're being lied to,' anglers say about Everglades park proposals
Florida Keys fishing guides and anglers told Everglades National Park staff on Monday that channel markers intended to protect Florida Bay shallows could make matters worse.
http://www.keysnet.com/news/story/87445.html

Glacier National Park News:
Glacier NP begins clearing the road
Snowplow crews are starting the lengthy process of clearing the 50 mile stretch of the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park and we hitched a ride on Wednesday morning.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=10114867&nav=menu227_7

Grand Canyon National Park News:
Slow Economy Creates Market for Free Grand Canyon Tours to Havasu Falls
The travel industry has been one of the hardest hit by the economy, and they're offering unheard of deals and discounts in order to entice leery travelers, including one Grand Canyon Tour Company that is giving away free trips. Hydros Adventures has announced that it is giving away all-inclusive hiking and camping trips to world-renowned Havasu Falls, a series of beautiful turquoise waterfalls hidden deep within the Grand Canyon on the ancestral home of Havasupai Indian Tribe.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/04/prweb2283604.htm

Tusayan-Grand Canyon Pilot Shuttle Bus Program
The National Park Service (NPS) will offer a pilot shuttle bus program between Grand Canyon National Park and the neighboring town of Tusayan again this year. The service will be available from May 16 through September 13 and will run at 15 minute intervals between 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.
http://readitnews.com/get-out-there-ariz...tle-bus-program

Great Falls National Park News (It kind of feels nice to say that):
In New Jersey, History Speaks to the Present
History is told in many strange ways, and often it isn’t told at all.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/nyregion/02towns.html?ref=nyregion

Great Falls, great hopes for Paterson as site becomes a national park (this has a nice video attached to it)
The designation of the Great Falls of Paterson as a national park this week was long overdue.
http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2009/04/great_falls_great_hopes_for_pa.html

Lassen Volcanic National Park News:
Three men cited for riding snowmobiles in national park
Three Northern California men have been cited into federal court for riding snowmobiles in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/1748720.html

Misc. National Park News:
National parks seek to reduce carbon footprint of workers, visitors
Thousands of cars, pickup trucks and minivans carry visitors to national parks in Western Washington. They leave behind tons of plastic water bottles, granola bar wrappers and banana peels.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/tacoma/24hour/consumer/outdoors/story/695582.html

Activist is indicted in BLM auction
A federal grand jury has indicted an environmental activist on criminal charges for disrupting a controversial land auction.
http://deseretnews.com/article/705294546...nd-auction.html

Mount Rainier National Park News:
Mountain switching from snow to spring
Even though there are more than 165 inches of snow on the ground at Paradise, Mount Rainier National Park staff members are preparing for the transition to spring operations.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/696328.html

Olympic National Park News (Editor's note...this was published yesterday, obviously....)
Returning Mountain Gorillas to Washington
Let's give a warm welcome to the majestic, chest-thumping giants.
http://daily.sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2009/04/01/returning-mountain-gorillas-to-washington

Rocky Mountain National Park News:
A winter visit to Rocky Mountain National Park
A couple of weeks ago, my family went to Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland. The parade was entertaining, but with the heavy snowfall and bitter cold we decided not to stay for as long as we had planned. Instead, we got in the car and headed up the scenic byway toward Estes Park. The weather quickly cleared as we headed north, and by the time we got to the Fall River entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, the sky was bright blue and the views were gorgeous.
http://www.examiner.com/x-6813-Denver-Fa...n-National-Park

Yellowstone National Park News:
Nat’l Geo completes new Geotourism map guide
The wonders of Yellowstone National Park and neighboring Grand Teton are only the starting point of National Geographic’s newest Geotourism MapGuide. The map moves well beyond the parks’ borders to highlight the region’s unsung treasures, celebrating the world-class natural and cultural heritage of the entire area.
http://www.littlechicagoreview.com/pages...&open=&

Advance bookings decline in Yellowstone area
CODY, Wyo. (AP) — Fewer tourists compared to last year have booked advance reservations to visit the greater Yellowstone region this summer, but industry leaders hope low gas prices will lure people to drive to national parks and other attractions in Montana and Wyoming.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2009/apr/02/bc-wy-yellowstone-tourism/?features

Michelin Teams With Yellowstone Park Foundation for Environmental Stewardship Program
Michelin has been named the "Official Tire of the Yellowstone Park Foundation" as part of a new environmental stewardship initiative to provide Michelin energy-saving tires to the Yellowstone National Park vehicle fleet.
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleas...9203&EDATE=

A relatively quiet news day...having said that, of the pieces we do have, some are very interesting.

-JM

Grand Canyon National Park News:
Grand Canyon drinking water turbidity - it really is OK to drink
Roaring Springs on the north side of the Colorado River is the natural source of water for both the North and South Rim developments. It is located along the North Kaibab Trail about five miles south of the trailhead. If you have been visiting us during the spring and early summer months you may have noticed that the water here can be a little cloudy. No worries, it is still good to drink. Here is a NPS press release about just this topic.
http://www.examiner.com/x-5374-Phoenix-G...ill-OK-to-drink

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News
Ranger shifts gears to 'park' - (Note: I almost published this in misc. as the story transcends GSMNP)
Minnigh going from worker to volunteer
George Minnigh's scrapbook of memories is a real page-turner.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/apr/03/ranger-shifts-gears-to-park/

Joshua Tree National Park News:
What if Joshua Tree National Park had No Joshua Trees?
On the heels of a state climate report that said California will have "less water and more frequent and intense wildfires, heat waves and bad-air days throughout this century," a congressional field hearing next week near Joshua Tree National Park will take on similar issues.
http://laist.com/2009/04/02/what_if_joshua_tree_national_park_h.php

Lake Clark National Park News:
Alaskans, get ready: Mount Redoubt can become nasty
Twenty-nine years ago, on a beautiful spring Sunday after church, I watched the darkest clouds I had ever seen sweep toward my hometown in eastern Washington state. We didn't know it at the time -- communication systems were still primitive by modern standards -- but Mount St. Helens had erupted catastrophically a couple hours earlier, sending a plume of volcanic ash high into the atmosphere.
http://www.kansas.com/news2use/story/759008.html

Mount Redoubt time line (Editor's note - shows eruptions/seismic activity, etc...very interesting).
http://www.homernews.com/stories/040109/news_time.shtml

Misc. National Park News:
President Obama shows his conservationist side
As national headlines took notice of President Obama’s political muscle with GM’s Rick Wagner very few noticed his signing of a wilderness protection plan. On Monday 2 million acres across 9 combined states received government sanction.
http://www.examiner.com/x-2006-Cleveland...rvationist-side

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Welcoming the new South Downs National Park
Labour Parliamentary Spokesman for Bexhill and Battle
http://www.ryeandbattleobserver.co.uk/the-labour-view/Welcoming-the-new-South-Downs.5133976.jp

Simlipal National Park closed for tourists sine dine
BARIPADA, April 2: The Simlipal National Park has been closed for tourists for indefinite period after the repeated attacked by Maoists, informed field director and conservator Mr R Nagraj Reddy here today.
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&theme=&usrsess=1&id=249234

Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Nature Through the Lens
RMNP Lyceum Series presents photography program Saturday
ESTES PARK, Colo. — Walt Hester will present “Nature Through the Lens” on Saturday, April 4, for the 2009 Lyceum Series, “Celebrate our Natural World: Artists Who Are Inspired by the Environment.” The program will take place at 7 p.m. at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center auditorium in Rocky Mountain National Park.
http://www.eptrail.com/news/2009/apr/03/nature-through-lens/

Rouge Valley National Park (Proposed Canadian Park) News:
A 16,000-hectare national park should be created on Toronto's eastern boundary, stretching from Lake Ontario to the Oak Ridges Moraine, according to a coalition of politicians and environmentalists.
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/612964

Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone visits drop; summer bookings down
Yellowstone National Park visitation declined more than 13 percent this winter, thanks in part to the poor economy, uncertainty over snowmobile regulations and poor snowfall early in the season, officials said.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=4437

Lots of good pieces today. Probably my favorite was on the bears (under Glacier, but could have been part of 'misc' just as easily as they also talk about Yellowstone). I also found the wolf story about the Northern Michigan wolves very interesting.

Glacier National Park News:
Comment period extended for gravel pit expansion near Glacier
KALISPELL - A controversial gravel pit expansion, proposed near Glacier National Park’s western entrance, will remain open to public comment through the month.
http://www.nwpphotoforum.com/ubbthreads/...mp;page=0#21899

Truth and lies about bear attacks in the U.S.
It doesn’t take bear spray and jingle bells – avoiding bear attacks is easier than most think
We stuff ‘em, cuddle with them, associate them with Theodore Roosevelt and Valentine’s, and say “awww” when we see them at the zoo. The first thing out of most people’s mouths when I tell them that I camp and do multi-day rafting trips in the wilderness for my summer job is, “what about bears?” Most people are concerned about bear attacks when it comes to the outdoors, but is this fear justified?
http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/28319

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Park to close caves in wake of bat disease
CATALOOCHEE – A disease that has killed almost half a million bats in the Northeast prompted managers at Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Friday to close caves and old mines to the public.
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009904040331

Isle Royale National Park
Inbreeding taking toll on Michigan wolves
The two dozen or so gray wolves that wander an island chain in northwestern Lake Superior are suffering from backbone malformations caused by genetic inbreeding, posing yet another challenge to their prospects for long-term survival, according to wildlife biologists.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j4DCbnOoq9gfjQsTCD2CZ0SYS3QgD97BIHL80

Misc. National Park NEws:
National Park Service aims to reduce greenhouse gases
Working with the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service has launched the Climate Friendly Parks program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Western region office wants park operations to be carbon neutral by 2016.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008983043_natparks04.html

Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Govt Urged To Cancel Railway Project In National Park
BENGKULU, (Indonesia) April 4 (Bernama) -- The Indonesian Environmental Forum, Walhi, called on the government to cancel its plan to construct a coal railway line that would pass through the Bukit Barisan National Park (TNBBS) in Sumatra, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported.
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=401728

Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Park service proposing to replace Grand Lake entrance station
Public comment sought for proposal on Rocky Mountain National Park’s west side
ESTES PARK, Colo. — Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) staff are proposing to replace the Grand Lake entrance station to correct safety deficiencies and improve visitor service. The present entrance station is located on Trail Ridge Road, 1.3 miles north of the town of Grand Lake, Colorado. It was built in 1960.
http://www.eptrail.com/news/2009/apr/03/park-service-proposing-replace-grand-lake-entrance/

Want to try Winter hiking? How about snowshoeing?
When there's too much snow on the ground to go hiking, it's time to try snowshoeing.
http://www.examiner.com/x-2520-Denver-Hi...out-snowshoeing

Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone winter visits down 13+ percent
Park and gateway communities well positioned to weather soft economy this summer
http://www.islandparknews.net/atf.php?sid=6215&current_edition=2009-04-03

Yellowstone visits drop; summer bookings down
Yellowstone National Park visitation declined more than 13 percent this winter, thanks in part to the poor economy, uncertainty over snowmobile regulations and poor snowfall early in the season, officials said.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=4437

Enviro group says it will sue over wolf decision
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Another environmental group says it will sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over its new plan for managing gray wolves in the Northern Rockies.
http://www.kivitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10125616

Road work expected to cause delays in Yellowstone
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING - Visitors to Yellowstone National Park can expect up to 30-minute delays while repairs are made to the Grand Loop Road this spring and summer.
http://www.kulr8.com/news/wyoming/42407802.html

Zion National Park News:
Planned fires for Zion National Park
The Park Service will light 300 acres of Zion National Park on fire next week.
http://www.abc4.com/content/news/state/s...u_siHlSVqw.cspx

Zion Park: Glad We Have a Sunroof
Panguitch is a little town that was installed in the desert so that the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803 would have a civilized place to bivouac and replenish their supplies as they passed through Southern Utah.
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/zion_park_glad_we_have_a_sunroof/C564/L564/

Death Valley National Park News:
Wildflowers bloom in Death Valley and Sierra
Spring show turns desert and mountains into forests of flowers.
Bumping along on a dirt road, aptly named "Movie Road", our family van passed the fantastic forms of the Alabama Hills outside Lone Pine, California.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/red-valley-see-2351903-desert-park

Steve Kossack's Death Valley Workshop - April 18-22 - Just a friendly reminder that Steve's workshop is coming up. He is giving 25% off to all NWP members. I know it is getting late, but it looks like it is going to be absolutely beautiful.
http://stevekossack.com/workshops/Death_Valley_09.htm

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Where To Look For Spring Wildflowers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Smoky Mountains are home to more than 1,600 species of flowering plants. During each month of the year, some forb, tree or vine is blooming in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. During the spring, wildflowers explode during the brief window just prior to trees leafing out and shading the forest floor (from about mid-April through mid-May).
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/200...s-national-park

Dennis Coskren and the Rarest of the Rare Earths
The 2 millimeter field of view microphotograph at left is of coskrenite. It was discovered by and is named after the mineralogist pictured above it, Dennis Coskren.
http://mineralbliss.blogspot.com/2009/03/dennis-coskren-and-rarest-of-rare.html

Guadalupe Mountains National Park News: (Note, I stumbled upon this at Nature Photographers. A great site...and a park I had never heard of).
Guadalupe Mountains National Park (GMNP)in far west Texas is a landscape photographers dream. That might seem debatable to those who drive the interstate across the Permian Basin but if you can make it to the Guadalupes, you will find mountains, desert, sand dunes, salt flats, grasslands, canyons, alpine forest, and believe it or not, maples. This truly spectacular place is a hidden gem of a National Park for the camper, hiker, and photographer. Conditions are often challenging but if you can persevere, you will find this to be an amazing place with limitless photographic possibilities.
http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles0409/dh0409-1.html

Joshua Tree National Park News:
Effects of warming get Inland observers
The effects of climate change on public lands, from the decline of Joshua Tree National Park's signature trees to melting ice in Glacier National Park, are drawing congressional representatives to the desert this week.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_climate05.4015ccb.html

Lake Clark National Park News:
Alaska's Mount Redoubt has another large eruption
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Mount Redoubt volcano had another large eruption Saturday after being relatively quiet for nearly a week.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hcWJaxwgurm_TV9AVcObQBWbS25QD97C14S01

Mammoth Cave National Park News:
Ky. cavers asked to help protect bat
Federal officials are asking people in Kentucky and other states, including North Carolina, to stay out of caves where bats hibernate to try to stop the spread of a disease that's killing thousands of the flying mammals.
http://www.dailyadvance.com/news/state/ky-cavers-asked-to-help-protect-bat-529492.html

Misc. National Parks News:
Federal act to protect Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore along Lake Superior, other public lands creates buzz
http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2009/04/federal_act_to_protect_picture.html

The last word: The true nature of mourning (Note - Not really at all about the parks, but it uses the Parks as a back drop to discuss loss. It is an interesting article and well worth the read).
When her mother died, Slate.com’s Meghan O’Rourke heard from plenty of friends who tried to say the right thing. But only by wandering outdoors alone did she find the solace she needed.
http://www.theweek.com/article/index/95085/The_last_word_The_true_nature_of_mourning

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Here kitty
A thrilling hunt for big cats in the tranquil jungles of Zambia.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/here-kitty/353978/

Yellowstone National Park News:
Flowers at Yellowstone National Park Topic of Garden Club Talk
For the past three years Loucinda Simonson has spent her summers working at and investigating the property at the national park.
http://www.fosterfollynews.com/news/2009April1ChipleyGardenClub.php

Yosemite National Park News:
Stanford student sets out to retrace John Muir's walk to Yosemite
With warmer weather approaching, thousands of Californians will gas up their cars and make the trip to Yosemite National Park.
http://www.mercurynews.com/livechats/ci_12074370

Yosemite Park besieged by concerned guests
A mass e-mail warning of reservation problems at Yosemite National Park left the U.S. park besieged with telephone calls, an official says.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/04/02/Y...48121238691766/

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is along the New Mexico and Texas border. South of the NM and TX border is Guadalupe Mountains National Park and north of the border it is called Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It is one of my favorite National Parks. There is an old Butterfield Stage Coach Station located there and the trip up McKittrick Canyon is worth the travel to the park. On the west side of the park is an Alkalai Salt Flat, just white for miles. This park is a gift from the oil companies that used it for a company getaway in years past.

Thanks, David, for the informative post. One of the cool things about doing this material every day is finding out all of the amazing things I just have no clue about, LOL. Anyway, mostly a quiet news day - though there a large amount of stuff outside the US/Canadian borders which was published.

James

Congaree National Park News:
Savoring progress: Congaree swamp activists reunite
‘We didn’t have anything but the people’s voice’
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/739905.html

Cuyahoga Valley National Park News:
Rail crossings in park to close
Railroad crossings in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park will close for several days this month so workers can improve the road crossings and install signal devices.
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1239006751110030.xml&coll=2


Denali National Park News:
Denali Park, Alaska: Showcasing Green Technology
For a few years, there have been fewer worries about using oil and natural gas to power electrical appliances and other types of technological advancements. But when oil prices started surging, worries about the depletion of energy resources have become evident. Apart from their unsustainable state, the adverse affects of using them have also raised several concerns. Acid rain, smog and other forms of pollution are disadvantages of using these energy sources. Fortunately, there are already renewable types of energy sources that, with the help of technology, can be harvested and used to power our homes. Compared to using oil and natural gas, using renewable energy has no adverse effects on the environment.
http://thoughtsearch.com/Art/56877/191/Denali-Park-Alaska-Showcasing-Green-Technology.html

Grand Canyon National Park News:
Does the Mule Train have a Dining Car?
This is a question based on a misunderstanding of what a mule train is. Grand Canyon National Park is served by a famous railroad, the Grand Canyon Railway, which brings Park visitors to and from Williams and Grand Canyon Village through the scenic Kaibab National Forest. Trains that normally bring visitors to Grand Canyon provide a few choices of travel including Coach, First Class, Dome Class, and similar to a dining car, Parlor Class.
http://www.examiner.com/x-5370-Grand-Can...ve-a-Dining-Car

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Documentary on the Smokies set for fall release
East Tennessee Public Television is preparing a documentary on the history of Great Smoky Mountains National Park that will coincide with the airing this fall of a nationwide series about the national park system.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/apr/06/documentary-on-the-smokies-set-for-fall-release/

Lake Clark National Park:
A pain in the ash: Volcano irritates Alaskans
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Mount Redoubt is getting under the skin of Alaska, and it's not just the irritation caused by volcanic ash.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h4mQRIGaytXnn3h5E1vuGUYcqxbgD97CEHUG0

Eruption of Alaska's Mount Redoubt halts activity at oil facility again
Cook Inlet Pipeline Co., owned by Chevron and Pacific Energy, has halted some Alaska activities following an eruption at Mount Redoubt on Sunday.
http://www.smartbrief.com/news/api/story...8C-C78ADF01ADAB


Mammoth Cave National Park News:
People urged to stay out of caves to fight deadly bat disease (Previously reported)
Fungus causes early end of hibernation
Federal officials are asking people in Kentucky and other states, including North Carolina, to stay out of caves where bats hibernate to try to stop the spread of a disease that's killing thousands them.
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/apr/06/people-urged-to-stay-out-of-caves-to-fight-deadly-/

Misc. National Park News:
A national park in T.O.?
A proposal to designate the Rouge Valley on Toronto's eastern edge as a national park needs more study and consideration before it is adopted.
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/614127

Calif. Condor Found Shot with Illegal Ammo
A California condor has been found shot with lead buckshots by biologists in Monterey County, the second of the critically endangered
indigenous species to be found in March with wounds from lead ammunition and suffering compromised digestive systems from lead poisoning.
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Calif-Condor-Found-Shot-with-Illegal-Ammo.html


Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Schoolboy found in Tas wilderness
A Melbourne schoolboy is recovering from hypothermia after spending the night alone in Tasmania's central highlands.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/06/2535972.htm

Chile Volcano Forces National Park Evacuation (Video)
Chile's Llaima volcano continues to spew lava, smoke and ash today after erupting yesterday.
http://www.keyc.com/node/20059

Downside of national park status
Yes, Labour has transformed the south coast by declaring the South Downs a national park (A place in the country, 2 April), but probably not for the better for those living and working there. Judging by the record of other national parks, new industrial and commercial development will be all but impossible, the development of existing industries and agriculture will be severely limited, and employment opportunities will diminish except in the tourist and allied service industries.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/06/south-downs-national-park

Drunks 'out of control' at Litchfield National Park
Tourism Top End says drunken behaviour at Litchfield National Park could affect tourism numbers and lead to fatal car crashes.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/06/2535634.htm

Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone trails (See middle of page)
Yellowstone National Park has reopened two trails popular with skiers and snowshoers.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2008980045_trbriefs05.html

Another Possible Hurdle to Idaho's Wolf Hunt
The Greater Yellowstone Coalition is the latest environmental group which says it will sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over its new plan for managing gray wolves in the Northern Rockies.
http://www.670kboi.com/Article.asp?id=1254960&spid=18042

Acadia National Park News:
Rare Bird Alert
Topping the report this week are ROSS'S GOOSE, EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL, KING EIDER, BOREAL OWL, and TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE.
http://maineoutdoorjournal.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=12573

Acadia closes carriage roads during spring thaw
In an annual rite of spring, Acadia National Park has closed its historic system of carriage roads until they thaw enough from the winter cold so they won't be damaged when they're used.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090406-NEWS-90406022

One of our top hikes was in Acadia National Park, Maine
One of our friends said that everyone should see the Atlantic Ocean from the coast of Maine. I have to agree with him. My slideshow is a tour but below is a review on one must do hike.
http://www.examiner.com/x-1869-New-England-Fitness-Examiner~y2009m4d5-Acadia

Denali National Park News:
Our view: Bullet line
Denali Park isn't the obstacle skeptics claim it is
The so-called "bullet" line from the Brooks Range foothills to Southcentral may or may not be the best way to replace our region's dwindling supply of affordable natural gas. But skeptics of the project have been using a dubious claim to discredit this potentially appealing option, which would follow the Parks Highway south from Fairbanks.
http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/750682.html

Everglades National Park News:
Panther tracking program still online
FORT MYERS: You may have read that budget cuts ended the Florida panther tracking program in some local newspapers. But we found out it isn't true. The program is still up and running.
http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=27945&z=3

Grand Canyon National Park News:
Construction will add more parking at Grand Canyon
Tourists at the Grand Canyon's South Rim should more readily spot the visitor center and find parking safer and more abundant with construction projects getting under way this month.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/04/06/20090406canyonparking0407.html

Voluntourism in the Everglades with Mandarin Oriental Miami
Though some guests may never want to leave the infinity-edge swimming pool overlooking Biscayne Bay, Mandarin Oriental Miami offers some excellent opportunities to venture farther afield in South Florida. Case in point: The hotel’s voluntourism program in the Florida Everglades, which allows guests to discover an important National Park (and World Heritage site), and do something good for the community while on vacay.
http://traveler.fivestaralliance.com/ind...oriental-miami/

Navajos want to run river trips at Grand Canyon
The Navajo Nation is lobbying for one of its businessmen to run coveted river trips through the Grand Canyon.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/04/06/ap6259140.html

Mount Rainier National Park News:
State's secret deal with coal plant sparks outcry
Gov. Chris Gregoire's administration and owners of the state's only coal-fired power plant have secretly agreed to new air-pollution limits for the facility, sparking objections from a federal official and environmentalists. The tentative deal governs how much toxic mercury and smog-causing nitrogen oxides can come from the Centralia plant.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008997025_coal07m.html

Land trust lands big parcel near Mount Rainier National Park
The Nisqually Land Trust has acquired 720 acres of timberland north of Ashland, in eastern Pierce County, dramatically expanding a critical wildlife buffer zone near the entrance to Mount Rainier National Park.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/updates/story/701319.html

Nisqually Land Trust buys 720 acres near Mount Rainier
The Nisqually Land Trust has purchased a swath of forestland near the main entrance to Mount Rainier National Park for about $2.5 million to protect a wildlife corridor for endangered species.
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/04/06/daily10.html

Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
School praises students in bushwalk ordeal
A Victorian school has praised the actions of four students who became lost while bushwalking in Tasmania.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/07/2537110.htm

Teeny-tiny frog discovered in Peru
'Noble's Pygmy,' less than a half-inch long, is one of smallest in the world
A tiny, "midget" frog that can fit on the tip of a finger — and previously only known by its croaking — has finally been found by researchers.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30077822/

Shenandoah National Park News:
Parkway gets $7.5M to fund repairs
Two federal earmarks totaling $7.5 million will help fund repairs and reinstate some visitor services on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009904070324

Yellowstone National Park News:
Expect road work delays in Yellowstone
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - Visitors to Yellowstone National Park this spring and summer can expect up to 30-minute delays while repairs are made to the Grand Loop Road. The road is scheduled to open for the year on April 17.
http://www.ktakradio.com/news/2009/apr/06/expect-road-work-delays-yellowstone/

Yellowstone Park will use Michelin tires
Michelin has been named the official tire of the Yellowstone Park Foundation. Michelin North America Inc. will provide energy-saving tires to the park's vehicle fleet.
http://www.moderntiredealer.com/News/Story/2009/04/Yellowstone-Park-will-use-Michelin-tires.aspx

Bryce Canyon National Park News:
Red Canyon Visitor Center Opens
The Red Canyon Visitor Center on the Powell Ranger District of the Dixie National Forest will open on April 10th (Easter Weekend) for the 2009 season. The visitor center will initially be open Friday through Monday and expand operations to seven days a week some time before the Memorial Day Weekend.
http://www.mainstreetbusinessjournal.com/articleview.php?articlesid=4177

Cuyahoga National Park News:
National Park -- a place of beautiful darkness
One of my favorite views of Cuyahoga Valley National Park is along Rockside Road where it creates the northern boundary of the park. You can see the view I have in mind only at night.
http://www.the-news-leader.com/news/article/4561856

Everglades National Park News:
ASB Everglades
ASB, or Alternate Student Breaks, is a program that sends students to service opportunities all over the country (and, recently, the world) over winter break, spring break, and the end of the summer.
http://webnerhouse.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/asb-everglades/

Panther tracking program cut in park
State wildlife officials say they will cut part of a program that tracks endangered Florida panthers with GPS-equipped collars.
http://www.worldzootoday.com/2009/04/07/panther-tracking-program-cut-in-park/

FWC Continues Tracking Panthers Across Southwest Florida
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) stated Monday that the program that tracks endangered Florida panthers with GPS-equipped collars is intact, despite cutbacks in state budgets.
http://outdoornewsdaily.com/index.php/archives/6706

Glacier National Park News:
North Fork of the Flathead in Montana and Idaho’s Lower Snake River on ‘Most Endangered’ List (Note, I almost listed this in Misc. as other areas were mentioned).
American Rivers, a national river advocacy group, has listed the North Fork of the Flathead River in northwest Montana as the 5th most endangered river in the country, largely because of threats posed by a proposed open-pit coal mine just across the Canadian border.
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/nor..._most_/C41/L41/

Grand Teton National Park News:
Using nature’s bounty as a palette
ArtistBurt Russell brings his love of the Grand Tetons to his artwork.
Tahlequah native Burt Russell took a summer job that’s lasted 44 years.
http://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/features/local_story_097115821.html

Great Falls National Park News:
Land Act signed by Obama establishes National Historical Park in New Jersey
Before leaving for the G20 conference last week, President Obama signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.
http://www.examiner.com/x-6521-Philadelp...k-in-New-Jersey

Isle Royale National Park News:
Inbreeding led to deformed bones in wolves
Scientists say they've found extreme inbreeding of an isolated wolf population at a U.S. island national park has resulted in genetically deformed bones.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/04/...28131239130766/

Joshua Tree National Park News:
Delegation Questioning Wildlife Die-Off at Joshua Tree Nat'l Park
Joshua Tree National Park, in all its natural beauty, is in danger. Park rangers have said to visitors that they have seen more of the iconic Joshua trees dying off than ever before, many of which litter the national park
http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=10147085&nav=menu191_2_1

Mount Revelstoke National Park (and Canada's Glacier National Park) News:
Place names reveal layers of regional history
There are hundreds of names that surround us in Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks. The peaks, the streams, the cabins and the trails.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/revelstoketimesreview/community/42551342.html

Misc. National Park News:
National Park Service, family group agree to buy 950 acres for Flight 93 memorial
The National Park Service and the Families of Flight 93 have reached a purchase agreement for about 950 acres needed to build the Flight 93 National Memorial.
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2262806/

Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail
Newly named scenic trail travels through NCW
When President Barack Obama signed the massive Omnibus Public Land Management Act last Tuesday, he made a dream come true for a state group that's worked for more than 30 years to get a national east-west route designated.
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/200904...els-through-NCW

Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Denver Family Adventures Examiner
A short hike up a well-maintained trail just off Highway 119 (Canyon Blvd.) outside of Boulder, Boulder Falls is a popular destination for kids of all ages.
http://www.examiner.com/x-6813-Denver-Fa...Falls-with-kids

Mountain Biking in the Rockies
Mountain biking is one of the most exciting activities that you can do anywhere, but it’s especially exhilarating when your wheeling and flying over some of the most beautiful scenery that can be found anywhere.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4483-Rocky-Mou...-in-the-Rockies

Junior Ranger Program - Fun for the Whole Family!
It’s often hard nowadays to get kids interested in anything, but they’re IPod, video games or TV. But, nature is something that every child should embrace and enjoy. Luckily, Rocky Mountain National Park has a Junior Ranger Program.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4483-Rocky-Mou...he-Whole-Family

Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone Icons: The Roosevelt Arch
There are many icons in Yellowstone National Park, in and of itself one of the most iconic places in the United States. Old Faithful Geyser, Castle Geyser, Morning Glory Pool, Old Faithful Inn, a herd of bison, a lone elk standing proudly on a hill as the sun rises. These are all proud icons of Yellowstone National Park.
http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/index.php?contentID=924&articleID=256

Glacier National Park News:
Glacier National Park Continues Lunchtime Seminars
Glacier National Park will continue its "brown bag" lunchtime seminars on various topics over the next several months. The free presentations are held in the West Glacier Community Building, and always begin at noon.
April 16: “A Georgian State of Mind: Common Threads in Protected Areas”
April 29: “Rainbows vs. Natives: It’s a Cutthroat Competition”
May 28: “Wild River Pioneers”
June 18: “Confessions of a Wildlife Observer”
July 2: “2010: Glacier’s Turning 100!”
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/a..._seminars/9462/

Group wants Flathead River protected
A conversation group which has labeled the North Fork of the Flathead as one of the most "endangered" rivers in the country is confident that the river will be protected, despite its remote location.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=10080652&nav=menu227_4


Grand Teton National Park News:
No obstacles for North 89 pathway
Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Teton County will move forward on a future pathway that will connect the Town of Jackson and Grand Teton National Park along North Highway 89.
http://www.planetjh.com/news/A_104933.aspx

Feds ready to implement river protections
Public won’t notice many changes from Wild and Scenic law.
A new law protecting nearly 400 miles of waterways in the Snake River headwaters will mean lots of work for the Bridger-Teton National Forest but few noticeable changes for the public, according to U.S. Forest Service officials.
http://www.jacksonholenews.com/article.php?art_id=4454


Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
New Facilities Set for Sugarlands Riding Stables
New concession facilities are set to open this month at Sugarlands Riding Stables in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On Thursday, April 9, 2009, at 11 AM, park officials will dedicate the new concession facilities during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
http://escapetothesmokies.wordpress.com/...riding-stables/

Spring Fly Fishing in Asheville and Western North Carolina for Wild Trout
Trout fishing season is in full swing!
http://flyfishingreport.brighterplanet.o...-for-wild-trout


Hawaii Volcanoes National Park News:
Visit Kilauea volcano and Hawaii’s growing island
The largest and southernmost of the Hawaiian islands is shaking, spitting, and stretching as it slowly expands into the ocean.
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/trav..._volcanoes.html


Misc. National Parks News:
U. prof urges lands protection against climate change
A University of Utah law professor urged Congress Tuesday to fight global warming's potential to melt the glaciers in Glacier National Park or wither the Joshua trees in Joshua Tree National Park by expanding the park system or giving its units more legal power to protect against threats coming from nearby lands.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705295947/Professor-fights-global-warming.html

Ecological Travel: Hikes and Hot Springs in Central Montana
In Montana, the range of exquisite natural features is reason enough to plan a visit. This week, we'll focus on quiet hiking trails around Crystal Lake in the Lewis and Clark National Forest, and reveal two undeveloped hot springs outside of Bozeman to take the chill out of the early springtime air.
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/features/...l-Montana-.html


Mount Rainier National Park News:
Free camping at Mount Rainier for city kids could be "use it or lose it" idea
A free parks program to take city kids and their parents camping at Mount Rainier this summer needs more applicants.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2009008142_nwwfreecamp09.html


Pacific Rim National Park News:
Weekend rescue in national park
A 60 year-old Vancouver woman was airlifted out of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve over the weekend after she fell and injured herself in a rocky shoreline area.
http://www.canada.com/Weekend+rescue+national+park/1480031/story.html


Yellowstone National Park News:
Idaho Fish and Game aims to reduce pelican numbers
State Department of Fish and Game officials want to halve the population of pelicans nesting in southern and eastern Idaho by 2013 to help boost sport fisheries and protect native Yellowstone cutthroat trout.
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/812306.html