As the U.S. begins its gradual reopening, many people are more than ready to get out and visit some National Parks. For the most part, you can! However, visiting parks right now is a bit different and requires some advanced planning. If you decide to get out there, here are some keys to planning your […]
You are browsing archives for
Category: Articles
What’s in a Name?
Ever wondered why there are so many different types of parks in the National Parks system? National Park, National Monument, National Historic Park–what’s the difference? National Park. The term “National Park” was the original name used for the first several tracts of land set aside by Congress to protect primarily scenic wonders from encroaching development. […]
National Park Birthdays
Ever wonder which parks are the oldest and which are the newest? This list captures the date each park was established by law as a national park. Keep in mind some have been in the National Park System for longer because they were national monuments before they were national parks. What’s the difference between a national […]
National Park Sizes
The National Parks exist in many shapes and sizes from tiny Gateway Arch NP, Missouri to giant Wrangell-St. Elias NP in Alaska. While most parks are in the 10s to 100s of thousands of acres range (with a few in the millions), Congress has been more willing lately to ignore size when it comes to […]
National Park Service Centennial – a mil
This week marks the centennial of the National Park Service, the 100th anniversary of when President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the service within the Department of the Interior. Though August 25th, 1916 was the beginning of the NPS, it was far from the beginning of our National Parks. The first National Park was Yellowstone, […]
Welcome to the new I Love National Parks...
Welcome to ILNP’s new and improved website, just in time for the 100th birthday of the National Park Service! You’ll still find the same great reviews and tips, but now YOU have the power to add your own great reviews and tips to help others enjoy their National Park experience. Just think about it–YOU have a lot to add, […]
A Four-Year-Old’s Perspective on Nationa
Arches National Park, Utah Near the end of a week-long trip to the Southwest, my family was in a hotel room in Moab, Utah with a trip to Arches NP scheduled for the next day. As I tucked my boys into bed, I asked them excitedly, “do you guys know what we’re doing tomorrow?” Without […]
Review – The National Parks, America’s B
The National Parks – America’s Best Idea book is every bit as good as the documentary The National Parks – America’s Best Idea was written by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns who produced the acclaimed PBS documentary of the same name (for a review of the documentary, click here). It follows the documentary closely, so […]
National Parks in Winter
For most of us National Park fans who live where there are seasons, winter is a time to stay inside and plan trips for next summer. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of people visit the parks in summer, but winter can actually be a great time to experience a National Park. Of course, there are […]
Review – America’s National Parks Owner’
Good Info at the Right Price (Free) The National Parks Foundation, the charitable partner of the National Parks Service, provides many great services, one of which is the 75-page America’s National Parks Owner’s Guide. This booklet, available in electronic form from the NPF website, is a useful resource to learn a little about a lot […]
Review – Ken Burns The National Parks –
Informative and Inspirational Legendary documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has hit another home run with his latest film, “The National Parks – America’s Best Idea.” The 12-hour, 6-part series explores the human side of the history of America’s National Parks from the first land set aside at Yosemite to the current day in a compelling and […]
You can run from the tornado, but you’ll
Shenandoah NP, Virginia We all have those moments in life when we see clearly what we SHOULD do in our brain, but we choose to ignore it. Well, one evening, I nearly let “National Park Fever” kill me. I was on a trip to Washington, D.C., and I decided to take the short drive out […]