Welcome!

Hi All,

I am thinking to go to Yellowstone & Grand Teton NP on one of these dates for 4-5 days. Please suggest which one is better based on the road conditions fully open, wildlife viewing opportunities, waterfalls full volume, easy to hike, all attractions open etc.

1. June 14th

2. June 28th

3. July 4th

4. July 12th

Guadalupe Mountains National Park initiates frontcountry management planning, welcomes public input

Dell City, TX – The National Park Service (NPS) invites public thoughts and ideas on the initial stages of a frontcountry management planning process for Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The goal of this planning effort is to establish long-term direction for resource protection and visitor experiences in the park’s frontcountry, as well as develop high-level concepts to guide potential future facility investments and build climate resiliency. The public engagement period for this initial stage of the planning effort will take place from May 1 to June 7, and include opportunities to submit written comments and learn more about the plan through virtual meetings and a project newsletter.

Virtual meetings will be hosted on the dates and times listed below.
• Virtual Public Meeting #1 | Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | 4:00 – 6:00 pm MT
• Virtual Public Meeting #2 | Wednesday, May 22, 2024 | 12:30 – 2:30 pm MT

More information and meeting links can be accessed via the project webpage https://parkplanning.nps.gov/GUMO_Frontcountry under the ‘Meeting Notices’ tab. For those unable to attend a live virtual event, recordings will remain available at the meeting links after events have concluded.

The public is also invited to inform the planning process by submitting written feedback. A newsletter with more information on the planning process is available via the project webpage https://parkplanning.nps.gov/GUMO_Frontcountry under ‘Open for Comment’. Please consider reviewing this newsletter and sending the National Park Service your thoughts on the future of frontcountry areas in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Public input, particularly early in the planning process, will help inform forthcoming management concepts and strategies.

Comments can be submitted online on the project webpage (preferred) under ‘Open for Comment’, or mailed/delivered to the address below:

Guadalupe Mountains National Park
RE: Frontcountry Management Plan
400 Pine Canyon, Salt Flat, TX 79847

Thank you for your interest in the future of Guadalupe Mountains National Park!

Guadalupe Mountains National Park homepage https://www.nps.gov/gumo

I'm taking a quick trip to Seattle soon and thought I might try to visit either of the two NPs I have not yet been to.

To my understanding, these parks are mostly peak summer parks and may still be quite cold/snowy/closed. I'm not a hardcore hiker who's going to high peaks, so some trails being not open yet isn't a huge dealbreaker. Any suggestions? I won't really have time to see both so I figure one or the other.

Hi all,

After 18 years of trying I finally get to go to Yosemite. I’m very experienced outdoors and with national parks, but having trouble narrowing down options. I’m also clueless as to what I won’t be able to do with Tioga Road closed. I’ve look on all trails and so many of the same photos are on all the trails I can’t really tell what’s what. I’m going for four days, want to see highlights of course but also want to get out into the thick of it. Lakes. Trees. Any pointers from the pros?

Going may 15 Thu 20 want to go to all three. I will have five of us going. Can't walk more than 2 1/2 miles on trails. Any advice will help like best moderate trails time slots extra. Probably renting a minivan so no 4x4

Spending a day and a half in the greater North Cascades recreational area this August and narrowing down our itinerary.

We are passing through on highway 20 and will only have time for one of these options as we head East. For anyone that has done the following hikes, which option would you recommend for a couple in their late 20s who are in good shape and hike semi-regularly?

1. Maple Pass, with detour down to Lake Ann
2. Thunder Knob + Rainy Lake

I’m hearing Maple Pass is moderate/hard but manageable, and also that it’s a “can’t miss” if you are visiting. I also see that views from the latter two are stunning.

Curious to hear everyone’s thoughts!

P.S. we are aware of fire risk in this area that time of year and will have a backup plan in case this becomes an issue.

Arches National Park

Hello, I wanted to gather some more centralized information about visiting these two parks in the US, as presumably at least some of you have visited.

If you're willing to share info like what date you went, charter flight company, charter flight costs, story of your experiences in general.

Hi everyone!

My friends and I are planing a road trip through Wyoming and South Dakota visiting sites like Devils Tower, Mount Rushmore, and Badlands. We are a little pressed on time and have our trip all planned out, One place I would love to visit and trying to convince my friends to visit on the trip is the Little Bighorn Battelfield. Itss a little out of the way for us and all the research I have done shows that there is not to much to do in the area. In all of your adventures would you say that this is a site that we should see or save for another time?

Thank You!

Trail to Hall of Horrors

April 18th 2024

I’m heading out west for about a month I’m trying to hit as many national parks as possible , any suggestions or routes ?!

For those of you contemplating visits to National Parks in Colorado this summer, Highway US50 is shut down over Blue Mesa Reservoir, between Gunnison and Montrose in Colorado, due to cracked bridge foundations. This is a major east-west route in the mountains, and it could stay closed for months. Detours via I-70 or US160 could add six to seven hours to your trip (in the worst case) and so planning ahead is critical. This most directly affects visits to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, but may cause grief for other trips.

They will eventually get a local detour open, maybe on a dirt road. But it's not open yet and won't be able to handle that much traffic. Speaking generally, GPS in this part of the country will often suggest alternate routes that look good on paper but really are not practical unless you know the area well and have off-road capability.

This could also affect your trips to National Parks in Utah if you are driving from the east, but the alternatives aren’t as bad if you plan ahead.

I’m thinking about taking a little road trip. What are some must see attractions at Yosemite?

Looking to visit the second weekend of June. Does anyone know if hiking Wheeler Peak will be possible at the time or if it’ll still have too much snow on it?

I'll be making a roadtrip from the midwest to Western Colorado in about a month, and gave myself just enough time for a quick peek at both parks. I have the time to devote maybe half a day or slightly less at each. What's the best quick way to get a glimpse of these parks in a flash? (Or anything in between I should see instead)

Adding: any tips for a good spot for a photo of the dunes with mountains in the background?

Looking to make as a gift and be a little crafty. Any suggestions for best methed? The ones on Etsy are super cute and I'm basically looking for something a notch down from how fancy those are but not the a printed paper on a cork board or anything. Open to suggestions

Hey everybody, myself and 2 buddy’s are thinking about going to Olympic National Park at the end of May for Memorial weekend so it’s a 3 days trip. Looking for recommendations on what to see there and what is the typical weather like. What are the best hikes to do for medium level hikers. Any tips and tricks would be appreciated.

Need advice on a road trip for parks east of the Mississippi. I have been to Shenandoah and Gateway Arch so I’ll skip them. Out of convenience I will have to delay my trips to Acadia and the Florida Parks. Live in NJ so I plan to hit the parks as followed: 1.) New River Gorge 2.) Congaree 3.) Great Smoky Mountains 4.) Mammoth Cave 5.) Hot Springs 6.) Indians Dunes 7.) Cuyahoga Valley I hope this is a good plan let me know about anything I should should consider/sights to see!

looking for any recommendations/advice! my fiancée and i are going to drive to badlands, wind cave, and theodore roosevelt NPs on our way to minnesota. our plan is to sleep in my car, and so i wanted to check here and see if anyone has any advice for car camping (this is our first time doing it) as well as any recs for things to do in these parks :)

Howdy y'all,

I'm going to Alaska for a week to visit a friend who just moved to Seward, AK. I plan on flying out late on a Tuesday evening in mid July and flying back a week from that Tuesday. I'm flying into Anchorage and will spend that weekend in Seward with that friend (Friday - Sunday).

That weekend I'm with my friend we plan on going to Kenai Fjords, but I need some advice on what to do in the interim. I know Denali is the closest to Anchorage, and Lake Clark is another option, but just curious what to check out, and what I should avoid. Any advice and recommendations would be appreciated.

Hi everyone,

Recently went to RMNP over the weekend, fantastic time and such an amazing place. However, my girlfriend has one of those national park passports and gets it stamped at every place we go. When when we left the park the information center was closed so she was unable to get the stamp, understandably bummed out. Is there any way that someone in this sub will be at the park soon and willing to get one of the stamps on a small piece of paper, or on one of the stamp passport stickers (there’s like 3 blank stickers in a pack) in the Estes park information center? If anyone is up for this just send me a DM, I’d pay for shipping (located in northern IL) as well as the cost of the stickers (if you chose that option) and extra for taking the time to help us. Any help is appreciated!