Best National Parks To Visit In Winter

Above, Sequoia National Park is a good park for a winter visit. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Up front, a confession.

I have never visited a national park during the winter season. I have been to some in the spring and autumn months (and, of course, in summer). 

When I saw this article in HuffPost, I was intrigued. They have a list of the best national parks to visit during the winter. 

They begin with:

When people plan their national parks vacations, they typically don’t target the winter season. But the low-traffic cooler months are actually a perfect time to visit many parks across the U.S.

“Winter is such an underrated time of year to visit the national parks if you’re willing to put in some extra time planning around seasonal closures and packing those winter clothes,” Jim Pattiz, co-founder of the organization More Than Just Parks, told HuffPost.

Of course, some parks are better suited for winter visits than others. We asked experts to share the national parks they believe are best to explore during the winter season.

To read more, go here. 

Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon Under Winter Weather Advisory

Above, one of the lakes along Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Two winter storm (even though we're technically still in autumn) systems have loaded the Sierra Nevada mountains with snow, which should bring a smile to Southern California since that's where they get their drinking water.

Already, Glacier Point Road and Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park have been closed for the season.

The Visalia Times Delta wrote:

A week into December, several nearby areas for winter recreation have already gotten more than their fair share of snow, and like the song "Let it Snow" poetically states, "it doesn't show signs of stoppin'." 

Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks are under a winter weather advisory from 10 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
Between 1 and 3 feet of snow is expected above 7,000 feet, and about 1 foot is expected above 6,000 feet.  

It's the second big storm to sweep the Sierra Nevada so far this season. Here's a look at how winter weather has hit the parks and other popular snow play places this year.

This latest storm system is expected to hit New Mexico tonight and tomorrow.

To read more, go here. 

Bear Encounters

Above, a mother bear and one of her cubs at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first time I have ever seen a bear in the wild was in 1998 when my daughter and I went to Sequoia National Park.

Near our campground, and along the road, a mother bear and her cubs were in a meadow. They attracted a number of people who stopped to gawk.

Since then, the only other time I've seen bears at a national park was in Yellowstone National Park in 2015. Again, it was a mother bear and cubs. But we were safely inside a tour bus.

Do It Yourself RV has an article with bear safety tips (what to do and what not to do if one encounters a bear).

They begin with:

It’s possible to camp or RV in the wilderness many times over the years and never encounter a bear, but there may be that one time when you’re walking along a trail and a bear steps out in front of you.  Do you know what you should or shouldn’t do?

To read more, go here. 

24 Most Scenic Places To Camp

Above, Dorst Campground at Sequoia National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Have you decided yet on where you plan to go camping this summer? Well, Travel + Leisure has an article featuring 24 of the most scenic places to pitch your tent.

They begin with:

One of the best things about traveling around the U.S. is that there are so many great places to camp. Nature lovers can enjoy the fresh air, glorious mountains, and clear lakes and streams during a weekend (or longer) camping trip. Not only can you set up a tent at these picturesque locations, you can also enjoy plenty of picnic areas, hiking trails, fishing, swimming and more activities in the great wide wilderness. From the piney woods of Maine to the crisp lakes of Alaska, your perfect outdoor trip awaits.

While many of these parks have distinct, built-up camping grounds to choose from with running water and electricity for RV parking (great for road trips), more experienced outdoors people can also find plenty of locations for backcountry camping where they can really rough it. 

Take a look at some of the amazing campsites around the U.S., and don’t forget to bring your sleeping bag — and your camera.

To read more (and see some nice photos), go here. 

Staying Safe In Bear Country

Above, a mother bear and her cub in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first time I've ever seen a bear in the wild was in 1998 in Sequoia National Park. In a meadow near the Dorst Campground, a mother and her cubs were in a meadow about 100 yards away.

Since then, I've seen bears in the wild a few other times. Many national and state parks have bear-proof storage containers for campers to store their food and other items that may give off an odor that would attract them (they can even smell Chapstick!).

Above, a bear-proof storage container at the Manzanita Campground in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV Life has some tips on how to stay safe while camping and hiking.

They begin with:

Although most people might enjoy glimpsing a bear while RVing through the forests, bear encounters while camping have the potential for turning very dangerous (to both humans and bears) quickly. 

Bears are large, fast, and generally hungry.  They spend their time scavenging, looking for an easy meal, with their highly sensitive noses leading the way to smells that could potentially be food sources. 

If those smells lead a bear into your campsite, bears have the strength and speed to do significant damage to vehicles, trailers, and humans.  Sadly, bears that learn to associate humans with potential food sources can be seriously dangerous, and usually the end result is that the bear is euthanized.  Bears are much better off relying on their natural food sources, without human involvement. 

After talking with wildlife officers from both Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Alaska Fish and Game, these are some precautions and considerations for those RVing in bear country to keep in mind.

To read more, go here. 

Hiking Through Sequoias and Redwoods

Above, the General Grant tree in Sequoia National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one likes to hike and who would also like to visit giant sequoias and redwood trees, a new article by the Mercury News may be enticing.

They write about the five epic hikes among California's redwoods and sequoias.

It begins with:

Giant sequoias and towering, ancient redwoods once covered California’s landscapes. Today, only a small fraction of those groves remain. 

Here are five spectacular hikes, where you can walk among these 2,000-year-old trees, drink in the sights and serenity, and offer up thanks to the conservationists who made this possible.

To read more, go here.

Marijuana Unwelcome In California National Parks

Above, a grove of Sequoia trees. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is no secret to people with common sense that California has transformed from "The Golden State" to the "Crazy State". This is especially true since voters passed the Proposition 64 initiative legalizing recreational use of marijuana.

While this is the case, don't bother bringing your stash of pot to Sequoia National Park or any other national park in California.

Fresno's ABC30.com reported:

When traveling to a national park, park officials recommend leaving marijuana at home. 

"Possession and use of marijuana is prohibited by federal law, and as a result is prohibited in national parks," said Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Public Affairs Officer Sintia Kawasaki-Lee. 

If caught with cannabis, officials say it will be confiscated and you could be fined. 

These are the rules, regardless of Proposition 64, which legalized the drug in California.

To read more, go here. 

Guide To Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Above, Grand Teton's Mount Moran. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Like Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (they are under one administration) in California, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in Wyoming are next-door neighbors, but are administered separately.

If one is going to Yellowstone National Park, a visit to Grand Teton National Park is an added bonus.

Above, a sign describing the formation of the Grand Teton range. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

amNewYork has a guide to exploring Grand Teton National Park.

It begins with:

For camping enthusiasts who have conquered the Northeast and are looking westward for their 2018 summer adventures, Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming — where the buffalo and camper caravans roam — is a majestic destination. 

The mountain range, located just south of Yellowstone National Park, offers a rustic outdoors experience with activities ranging from the relaxing to the rigorous. 

The peaks form a circle around a valley, aptly named Jackson Hole, about 45 minutes north of the city of Jackson. They also hug several lakes, each so pristine that they reflect the Tetons like mirrors. 

Area wildlife can’t be beat either — from grizzly bears to six-point bucks, moose, wolves and bald eagles. 

And though the western national parks often conjure visuals of “National Lampoon”-style family vacations in cluttered station wagons, or RVs with “happy camper” painted on the sides, my husband and I honeymooned last summer in the Tetons with a tent and a Ford Fusion Hybrid rental.

To read more, go here. 

National Parks That Would Be Affected By Fee Proposal

Above, Sequoia National Park would be one of the parks affected. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you are wondering which 17 national parks would be affected by the proposed peak-season entrance fee increase, the National Park Service posted the list.

Here's what they wrote:

Under the proposal, peak-season entrance fees would be established at 17 national parks. The peak season for each park would be defined as its busiest contiguous five-month period of visitation. 

The proposed new fee structure would be implemented at Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Denali, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Olympic, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion National Parks with peak season starting on May 1, 2018; in Acadia, Mount Rainier, Rocky Mountain, and Shenandoah National Parks with peak season starting on June 1, 2018; and in Joshua Tree National Park as soon as practicable in 2018.

To read more, go here. 

Third Drowning At Sequoia National Park This Year

Above, the Kaweah River in Sequoia National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A 26-year-old woman drowned last evening after falling into a creek in Sequoia National Park.

The Los Angeles Times reported:

A 26-year-old woman has died after falling into a creek in Sequoia National Park, the third drowning in the park this year, authorities said Sunday. 

The incident occurred Saturday evening when the woman fell into Silliman Creek near the Twin Lakes Trail and was subsequently swept downstream, according to the National Park Service. 

The woman’s identity has not been released. 

Record high temperatures in the region coupled with rapidly melting snow in mountain areas is causing swift, cold and dangerous river conditions, park officials warned.

To read more, go here. 

Closed Campgrounds and Hazards At Sequoia and Kings Canyon

Above, Dorst Creek Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Visitors to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks will feel the squeeze this summer as some of their campgrounds remain closed.

Bakersfield.com reported:

Sequoia and Kings Canyon parks are starting the summer season with one-third fewer campsites and very dangerous river conditions, the National Parks Service announced Thursday. 

Work on the campgrounds is ongoing, but the amount of trees killed by drought, insect activity and a heavy winter have created more hazards than expected, NPS said in a press release. 

Sequoia National Park campgrounds in Foothills are open, but Dorst Creek and Cold Springs are closed. 

The closed campgrounds in Kings Canyon National Park are Sunset and Moraine.

To read more, go here. 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon Digital Park Passes

Above, the General Grant tree at Sequoia National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In these days of Internet and cellular technology, new means of ordering tickets, passes and other goods and services are making life easier.

The latest is purchasing national park digital visitor passes.

Yahoo! Finance reported:

OLATHE, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have partnered with digital government services provider NIC Inc. (EGOV) to offer digital park passes to visitors through “YourPassNow.” YourPassNow provides an option where visitors can now purchase their park entrance pass online. 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, which lie side-by-side in the southern Sierra Nevada in Central California, serve as a prime example of nature’s size, beauty, and diversity. Over 1.8 million visitors from across the U.S. and the world visit these parks for the world’s largest trees (by volume), grand mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, the highest point in the lower 48 states, and more. Sequoia and Kings Canyon join several other National Parks to launch YourPassNow, a digital solution that provides an alternative to the traditional paper-based purchase method. 

Visitors can now use their personal computer or mobile device to purchase an entrance pass online, at no additional cost. Once purchased, the pass can be used immediately, stored on a mobile device or printed for later use.

To read more, go here. 

8 Ways to Support National Parks During National Park Week

Above, Sequoia National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Source: National Park Foundation Press Release

NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION & ITS PARTNERS SHARE IDEAS FOR GIVING BACK THAT ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE

WASHINGTON, April 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With all the excitement surrounding National Park Week taking place April 15 through 23, the National Park Foundation (NPF) and its partners have teamed up to offer these ideas for helping to preserve America's treasured places – our national parks.

"When you make a national park donation, your support helps protect natural, historical and cultural treasures, connect all people to them, and inspire the next generation of national park supporters," said Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation. "There are countless ways to enjoy our national parks, and almost as many ways to give back."

Here are eight fun and impactful ways to make sure the parks are protected for generations to come:

• Visit NationalParkWeek.org: Get the latest scoop on this year's National Park Week and find out how you can give, share, and join in celebration and support of the national parks you love.
• Renew: If you've given to the National Park Foundation before, it's easy to make your donation a yearly tradition through a renewal. Recurring contributions make it easy for you to give and help NPF plan for larger and longer-term projects.
• Join: The National Park Foundation community is made up of passionate enthusiasts who share a common love for our national parks — and you can be one of them! Join the national park community today and stay up to date on the latest park news! 
• Check out special offers: Several of our participating corporate partners are hosting special offers during April in celebration of National Park Week, including limited-edition products that provide additional support for our national parks.
• Give a gift: Be sure to check out the National Park Foundation's national parks gift guide, where you can always find a gift for someone special — or treat yourself. Whether you purchase clothes, coffee mugs, games, or tote bags, the proceeds will benefit our national parks. 
• Memorialize a loved one: Donate to the national parks in the name of a friend or loved one to celebrate their memory or mark an occasion such as a birthday or anniversary. 
• Make the parks your legacy: Whether you are interested in a simple gift through your retirement or life insurance plan, a traditional bequest through your will or trust, or perhaps a gift that pays you back like a charitable gift annuity—there are many ways to make a legacy gift. Explore how you can include the National Park Foundation in your estate plans.
• Shop for official gear: Visit either of the National Park Foundation's two stores to get Foundation and parks-branded gear to show your park pride. The NPF Store and the Find Your Park Store both carry a variety of apparel, coffee mugs, journals, posters and more, and proceeds from both go to support our nation's treasures!

We're excited to announce that the following companies are joining the celebration of National Park Week as participating partners including Airbnb, American Express, Aramark, Autotrader, Black Bear Diner, Brooks Running Company, Camelbak, Celestron, Chaco, Charity Miles, Chevron, Coleman, Columbia, Disney, ecoStick Sweeteners, Eagles Nest Outfitters, Eastern National, Free People, Greenvelope, Hub Group, Humana, M∙A∙C AIDS Fund, O.A.R.S., Osprey Packs, Parks Project, Pendleton Woolen Mills, Stabil, Subaru, The Coca-Cola Company, The North Face, Tailgate Clothing Co., Toad&Co, TomTom, Vacation Races – Virtual Running Club, Victorinox Swiss Army, Yakima, Yankee Leisure Group, and Zimride.


ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America's national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. In 2016, commemorating the National Park Service's 100th anniversary, the Foundation launched The Centennial Campaign for America's National Parks, a comprehensive fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national treasures for the next hundred years.

T + L: Top 12 National Parks

Above, the General Grant tree at Sequoia National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since vacation season will be here before we know it, the time is now to start thinking on where to go.

If one is thinking about visiting one (or more) national parks, an article in Travel + Leisure is sure to get the wheels in one's head turning.

It begins with:

Last year, former National Geographic travel photographer, Jonathan Irish, and NASA employee, Stephanie Payne, embarked on a journey to see all of America’s 59 national parks in 52 weeks. 

The couple decided to take the trip in honor of the centennial last year as a way to celebrate the parks and inspire travelers to get out and explore them. 

The pair, who had regularly visited national parks as children, spent as many as nine days in some of these parks to see the sites that many travelers never get to.  

Here are the top 12 the duo say every traveler should be sure to see. 

Above, Dorst Campground at Sequoia National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read (and see) more, go here. 

Tips To Stay Safe In Bear Country

Above, a mother and cub at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first time I've seen bears in the wild was during a trip my daughter Amber and I took in 1998 to Sequoia National Park. There, we saw a mother bear with two cubs in a meadow.

Since then, I've seen more. Most recently, a dead cub on the Tioga Pass Road in Yosemite National Park (a victim of a collision with a car) and last year at Yellowstone National Park while aboard a tour bus.

Some people enjoy hiking and backcountry camping. Most of our national forests are populated with bears and encounters between humans and bears can lead to tragic results.

However, risks of such tragic encounters can be lessened by following some tips posted by Love The Backcountry.

They begin with:

Hiking in bear country is something that most hikers will end up doing at some point in their travels. As exciting as it is to spot a bear, it can be a bit of a nerve-racking experience. The backcountry is filled with animals – some dangerous, some harmless – and one of the more common animal encounters is that with a bear. Luckily you can safely navigate your way through bear country if you follow some pretty basic tips.

Above, a bear-proof food storage locker at the North Pines Campground at Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Even in developed campgrounds easily accessible by car, can and do make raids. Most national and state parks provide bear-proof lockers for people to store food and anything else that gives off a scent that bears can smell. Campers, especially those who are camping in tents, should use them.

To read more, go here. 

Senior Park Pass Kit

One nice thing about becoming a baby-boomer geezer is that I now qualify for the lifetime National Park Service Senior Park Pass.

The Senior Park Pass comes as a kit. The pass itself is only $10.00, but when ordered, the total amount is $20.00 (which includes the processing fee).

Above, the General Grant tree at Sequoia National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I have reached the tender age of 62, I now qualify for the Senior Park Pass Kit. I ordered it through the United States Government Survey website.

The kit includes:

America The Beautiful - The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass (kit, includes brochure & hangtag). The Pass will have the Customer Name Printed on it.

To provide proof of eligibility, that is, a document that proves your age, etc. has to be included with the order. A photo of your driver's license or passport would do the trick. It can be uploaded with the application. It was actually an easy process.

To order the 2016 Senior Park Pass Kit, go here.