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The National Park Service Celebrates 100 Years

Friday, January 1, 2016

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As America ring's in the new year today, 2016 marks a major milestone in the history of this country. Almost 100 years ago the National Park Service was created. On August 25, 1916, Congress passed the National Park Service Organic Act, which established the NPS to "promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks, monuments, and reservations .... which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

National Park Centennial celebrations will be held throughout the year, beginning with today's Tournament of Roses Parade. The theme for today's parade is “Find Your Adventure”.

The Centennial, however, isn't just about celebrating history. The National Park Foundation notes on their website that:
The Centennial will celebrate the achievements of the past 100 years, but it is really about the future. It’s about kicking off a second century of stewardship for America’s national parks and for communities across the nation.
Below is a video trailer from Finley-Holiday Films' Centennial Edition of "America's National Parks". Maybe this will inspire you to begin plans for a trip to a national park this year:



So, which park(s) will you be visiting this year:

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The National Park Service Turns 97 on August 25th

Monday, August 12, 2013

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On Sunday, August 25th, the National Park Service turns 97 years old. To help celebrate, admission to all national parks will be free so that everyone can join in the festivities taking place from coast-to-coast.

“National parks belong to all Americans, and we invite everyone to join us and celebrate this special day,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “From kite-building demonstrations at Wright Brothers National Memorial, to a river paddle at New River Gorge National River or a scenic railroad ride at Steamtown National Historic Site, America’s national parks offer something for the whole family.”

You could also plan a day of hiking at your favorite park, such as in Great Smoky Mountains, Glacier National Park, or Rocky Mountain National Park.

In partnership with the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, the NPS has created an online hub to help you plan your own personal National Park Service birthday trip at www.npsbirthday.org. Join the NPS to share birthday wishes or stories, pictures, or video from your latest or favorite national park adventure.

If you can’t make it to a park for the big day there are still many ways you can join the fun. The work of the National Park Service extends beyond park boundaries into communities across the country. The National Park Service works with partners to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities that revitalize neighborhoods and enhance the quality of life. You can visit www.nps.gov/communities/states.htm to see how they help in your community.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
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Obama's Budget Proposal Slashes National Parks Budget by 13%

Thursday, April 11, 2013

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The National Park Service announced today that the "President’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget requests $2.6 billion to support the critical conservation, preservation, and recreation mission of the National Park Service."

This request represents a 13% reduction in the amount from the original 2013 NPS budget, which gave total budget authority to the NPS in the amount of $2.99 billion. That figure was recently reduced by 5% as a result of sequestration, which brought the NPS budget down to roughly $2.84 billion for fiscal year 2013. When compared to the revised sequestration budget, the President’s budget is still 8.5% below 2013 levels.

More importantly, the President’s 2014 budget request takes National Park funding back to 2004 levels, when the NPS had $2.56 billion in total budget authority. Indeed, each year since 2010, when total NPS budget authority reached $3.16 billion, the budget for National Parks has decreased.

According to the National Parks Traveler, the President's 2014 budget:
"calls for a reduction of more than 100 full-time employees to an agency that currently has 900 full-time vacancies"

"The budget also calls for a reduction of 92 employees under park operations, and 30 from the construction programs."

"According to a synopsis of the budget provided by the department, the proposal calls for more than $600 million in programmatic reductions to offset spending. It also would sustain current administrative cost reductions in travel, contract services, and supplies and equipment that would save $217 million."
Given that Obama's overall Federal spending remains relatively flat in 2014, versus 2013, the decision to reduce the National Parks budget in the amount he's requesting is extremely disappointing. Are National Parks a lower priority when compared to other government agencies?

For more details on what's in the NPS budget, you can click here to read the NPS press release.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
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NPS Establishes National SAR Academy

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

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The National Park Service has founded a National Search and Rescue Academy (NSARA) to provide comprehensive, standardized Servicewide training in basic search and rescue competencies.

NSARA will be based in Northern Arizona in order to take advantage of the challenging rescue environments available throughout the region. The first training offering, which will be a six-week-long course in California, will be this fall (see the Friday training calendar for particulars).

NSARA will offer a highly structured learning environment. Participants will have to be physically fit and will begin each training day with fitness training and an intensive safety briefing. Training will occur in the classroom setting as well as in various physically challenging technical outdoor environments. Personal preparedness, rescuer safety, and operational leadership principles will be emphasized throughout.

NSARA will provide participants with a venue to efficiently attain field rescuer skills in a single condensed format that would typically require numerous years to obtain, including essential field rescue skills in ground search operations, the incident command system, swiftwater rescue, technical rope rescue, search management, and basic aviation safety.

NSARA will directly lead to improved workplace safety for employees and enhanced SAR response capability for the agency. National Park Service visitors and employees will both directly benefit from this program.





Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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America's Wilderness

Friday, February 3, 2012

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Simply beautiful! A National Park Service salute to the 1964 Wilderness Act:




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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National Park Service Funds Trail Projects in 22 States

Thursday, January 26, 2012

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The National Park Service announced today that nearly one million dollars in trail grants will be awarded to 14 trails in 22 states and Washington DC.

The 2012 Connect Trails to Parks Awards will provide a total of $934,000 to 14 projects where national historic and scenic trails intersect with national parks and other federal facilities. The projects will restore or improve existing trails and trailhead connections, provide better wayside and interpretive services, encourage innovative educational services, support bridge and trailhead designs, and provide planning services for important trail gateways.

Many of the projects reflect National Park Service priorities such as expanding outreach, connecting to youth, enhancing urban recreation, promoting healthy lifestyles, and upgrading interpretive materials as outlined in the agency’s A Call to Action: Preparing for a Second Century of Stewardship and Engagement. In addition to operating 397 parks across the United States and its territories, the National Park Service plays a vital role in overseeing the 52,000-mile National Trails System.

The Connect Trails to Parks program is designed to increase awareness, appreciation, and use of the nation’s federally-designated system of trails. The years from 2008 to 2018 have been declared "A Decade for the National Trails" ramping up to the trails system's 50th anniversary in 2018. Many of these projects will help specific trails and their related federal facilities to achieve goals associated with this commemorative decade.

One award of note for the Smoky Mountains region is the $64,200 grant for the "Implement Appalachian Trail Leave No Trace Initiative".

You can view all of the trail grants by clicking here.

I'll be honest, as I looked over some of these projects I couldn't help but think that this money could've been spent more wisely. $57,200 for a "Children’s TV Program About the Ice Age Trail". Are you serious? This is how we're spending our tax dollars? I don't know, what do you think?


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Free Admission to All National Parks from January 14-16

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

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The National Park Service announced yesterday that all 397 national parks across the country will offer free admission from January 14 through 16 to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Additionally, several parks will be holding special events to honor Dr. King over the three-day weekend.

The National Park Service will also waive admission fees on 14 other days in 2012:

– National Park Week (April 21 to 29)

- Get Outdoors Day (June 9)

- National Public Lands Day (September 29)

- Veterans Day (November 10 to 12)

Please click here to read the entire national park press release.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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NPS Introduces Online Water Safety Lessons

Sunday, July 17, 2011

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Heading to the water is a great way to beat the heat of summer. However, it is important to take precautions. Before hitting the beach, have the kids play two new National Park Service Junior Ranger WebRanger games to learn about rip currents and general water safety. They can be found at http://www.nps.gov/webrangers.

According to the Great Smoky Mountains website, drowning is one of the leading causes of death in the park.

“Millions of people every year enjoy swimming, fishing, paddling, and boating in national parks,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “However, regardless of age, every person needs to be properly prepared around water. This point was reinforced last month at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area. A seven-year old girl enjoying the waves on an air mattress was swept out into rough waters and flipped off the mattress. She survived only by staying calm and recalling instructions from a swim class she took last year. She floated on her back and tread water for 17 minutes until a rescue boat could reach her. Although exhausted, she was OK because she knew what to do in an emergency situation.”

The WebRanger activities present scientifically sound information but in a child-friendly manner. The water safety module includes information about appropriate floatation devices and swimming locations. The rip current activity teaches children how to identify and escape from this common shore hazard. Even the most seasoned swimmer cannot go against a rip current. It is important to stay calm and swim parallel to the beach until free of the current. If unable to swim out of it, remember that rip currents only travel about 50 yards before dwindling.

The games were developed by the country’s leading experts on water safety, including scientists and practitioners from the National Park Service, U.S. Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and U.S. Life Guarding Association.

"These interactive games are the result of an incredible collaboration between many groups interested in increasing awareness and saving lives,” Jarvis said. “We want everyone to enjoy the outdoors and we want everyone to go home safely.”


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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New NPS State-by-State Web Pages Launched

Thursday, March 10, 2011

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The National Park Service yesterday launched a new state-by-state suite of web pages to communicate the breadth of the Service’s work. Although many people think of only national parks when they think of the NPS, the agency’s work touches almost every county in the country – regardless of its proximity to a national park. Truth is, communities invite the NPS to work with them and help them by providing expertise and grants, reviewing tax credit projects, and making surplus federal land available for parks and recreation facilities – and more.

The goal of the pages is to tell the full story – what the NPS does in 394 parks and a multitude of national programs that benefit communities.

In addition to parks, this first phase of the project features nine programs and includes “by the numbers” statistics for 10 additional programs. The phase one programs are the:

* Land and Water Conservation Fund
* American Battlefield Protection Program
* Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance
* Save America’s Treasures
* Preserve America
* Certified Local Governments
* Federal Lands to Parks
* National Register of Historic Places
* Historic Rehabilitation Tax Incentives.
* More programs will be added in future phases.

The pages include a beta version of an interactive map that shows national parks and additional layers that show national program activities. Because it’s a beta version, the NPS will continue to refine and improve the map, including making parks more visible. The list view is another way to explore the map layers.

From the new pages, we learn, for example, that Tennessee has 12 National Park units that saw 7,898,557 visitors in 2010, and generated $501,305,000 in economic benefits through tourism (in 2009). We also learn that 176,478 hours were donated by volunteers in 2010.

Comparatively, North Carolina has 10 National Park units that received 17,093,464 visitors in 2010, and generated $707,241,000 in economic benefits through tourism in 2009. Volunteers donated 103,790 hours to national parks in the Tar Heel state in 2010.

The site provides a lot more data, and links to individual park units, for those interested.





Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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NPS Funds Trail Projects in 10 States and DC

Monday, February 7, 2011

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The National Park Service has awarded $340,000 to eight projects that will link existing national historic and scenic trails to national parks and other Federal facilities.

The annual “Connect Trails to Parks” awards will develop or enhance trail connections. They will also fund informational waysides, educational services, bridge and trail designs, and planning services.

“These grants will help upgrade trails and expand access to national parks and national trails,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis. “Trails are increasingly important not just as places to exercise but as places where we can unplug and rewind, places where we can explore and commune with the outdoor world and learn about our heritage.”

The National Park Service plays a vital role in operating the 54,000-mile National Trails System. The Trails System dates to a 1968 law that created the Appalachian and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trails. Today, the National Trails System is comprised of 11 national scenic trails (NSTs), 19 national historic trails (NHTs), and more than 1,100 national recreation trails (NRTs).

Each “Connect Trails to Parks” project must cost $100,000 or less and be slated for completion by the end of next year. The program was established in 2008 to increase awareness, appreciation, and use of the National Trails System as it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2018.

For more information on the eight projects receiving funds, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Great Smoky Mountains historical visitation trends

Thursday, January 27, 2011

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Last week the National Park Service Public Use Statistics Office reported that the Great Smoky Mountains ended the year with a total of 9,463,538 visitors to the park in 2010.

I was curious to see what the historical trends were for this measure of the country's most visited national park. This same website also provides annual visitation count data going back to 1931. Here's a look at the total number of visitors by year:

It might be a little tough to see from this graph, but the park reached the one million visitor milestone for the first time in 1941, just as the United States was getting ready to enter into WWII. During the war years, visitation declined significantly, just as you might expect. However, in 1946, the first full year after the war, visitation jumped above one million mark again, and never looked back.

From 1946 through 1977, the park experienced almost uninterupted growth. 1977 was also the first year visitation pushed through the 9 million mark. Since that year, and up until the present, the number of visitors has basically trended within a range of 8 - 10 million visitors per year. On three occasions the park has exceeded the 10 million mark. Interestingly, since 2001, the Smokies has seen a tighter range of visitors flowing into the park, averaging just above 9 million visitors per year.

You can click here for a few more visitation stats for 2010 and the month of December.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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National Parks in the News

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

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The following are a couple of news items that were reported in the NPS Digest yesterday that I thought might be of interest to you:

* Late last year the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that 47 projects in national parks, forests and wildlife refuges across the United States will share in $27 million from its Paul S. Sarbanes Transit In Parks program to improve public and alternative transportation within the grounds. Funding from the grants will support more than 30 NPS and partner projects, such as bicycle and pedestrian network installations, procurement of hybrid and clean diesel fuel buses, visitor information and wayfinding systems, planning studies and railroad improvements.

There are no projects announced for the Great Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway or Shenandoah. You can click here for the full list of projects.

* In February, the National Park Service will launch a Civil War 150th anniversary webpage. The site will serve as the hub of information about the activities and events planned for this significant commemoration as well as a platform to invite people – especially those who may not be interested in the fighting itself – to learn about the people and lasting legacies of the war, including the struggle for civil rights that continues to this day. A Civil War history website will launch in April in conjunction with the anniversary of the shots fired on Fort Sumter.

* In March, the NPS will launch a series of state webpages that will begin to demonstrate the full scope of National Park Service activities. Each new state page will offer an interactive map that features not only national parks, but also the locations of other program work – preservation grants, National Natural Landmarks, and RTCA projects, for example. The page will also highlight, with photos and short descriptions, exemplary projects in each state and upcoming, state-specific news and events.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Friday's Video

Friday, December 10, 2010

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Have you ever considered or wondered what it would be like to work at a National Park? The video below gives a bit of the inside scoop on working for the government, or one of the concessionaires that provide a host of services for many of our parks.

The producer of the video, Rosemary Regello, a former employee of Aramark, Xanterra and Delaware North Companies, doesn't exactly paint a very pleasant picture. Is this a case of a former employee with a bad attitude? Possibly. However, I guess the bottom line for those considering such a job is to do a lot of research before jumping in. This might be a good place to start:





Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Results of National Historic Landmark Photo Contest

Saturday, November 13, 2010

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Yesterday the National Park Service announced the results of the National Historic Landmark Photo Contest. Winners were chosen from a record number of entries.

The winning photograph for this year was “Mount Rainier in the Morning” by Matthew Bell of Olympia, Washington. The photo is described as:

Under a sky of periwinkle blue and pastel pink, the bulk of Mount Rainer, with its gray face swathed in snow, slopes gently downward toward the lush meadow that occupies the middle-ground of the photograph. In the foreground, a waterfall’s “pale streams,” spectral and smoke-like, course down a wall of rock.

Twelve photographs received honorable mentions in the annual contest. You can view each of the winners by clicking here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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National Parks & Forest Service waive fees on Veterans Day

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

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To honor America’s service men and women, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced that areas managed by the department will not charge entrance fees on Veterans Day, next Thursday, November 11th.

This includes public recreation lands managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation.

“The Department of the Interior is honored to offer this fee free day to thank our nation’s service men and women,” said Salazar said “The sacrifices and achievements of the brave men and women of our armed forces can never be understated. We invite all of our visitors to enjoy this fee free day and take time out on this national holiday to remember our service men and women who are currently serving overseas in harm's way.”

What better way to honor America’s Veterans on Veteran’s Day than to visit a National Park that commemorates where they fought and served their country. The National Park Service has a relatively new website that lists the battlefields, military parks, and historic sites that commemorate and honor the service of American veterans. This is a great place for discovering and researching a new park you may not have ever visited.

Not yet included on this website is the newest national park in the system, the River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe, Michigan.


U.S. Forest Service waives fees:

The U.S. Forest Service has also recently announced that they will be offering national fee waivers on recreation sites.

"The Forest Service is working to ensure as many visitors as possible have the opportunity to experience the great outdoors and take advantage of the many recreational activities national forests have to offer," said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. "By waiving fees, everyone will have the opportunity to enjoy the wonder and rejuvenation of recreation on national forests and grasslands."

These fee waivers are offered in cooperation with other federal agencies under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. Day use fees will be waived at all standard amenity fee sites operated by the Forest Service and concessionaire operated day-use sites may be included in the waiver if the permit holder wishes to participate.

Traditionally, fees are not charged on 98 percent of national forests and grasslands and over two-thirds of developed recreation sites on National Forest System lands can be used for free. Many recreation opportunities such as camping, sightseeing and hiking can be enjoyed throughout the year at no cost.

The Forest Service operates approximately 17,000 recreation sites nationwide. Of those, approximately 6,000 require a fee, generally used to help offset the costs of visitor services, repairs and replacements, and facilities maintenance.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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National Park Service / NASA offer space station sightings

Thursday, October 7, 2010

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Because the space station is more spectacular away from skyline clutter and light pollution, NASA and the National Park Service have partnered to share information with park visitors about where and when to look up.

Sightings depend on lighting, weather conditions and the station’s location as it orbits 200 miles above Earth at 17,500 mph. With the help of the Park Service, NASA recently imported the coordinates of 507 locations, including national parks and seashores, historic sites, monuments, and wild and scenic rivers. The station’s Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston uses these locations and the orbital path of the space station to predict times when people can see the station zoom across the sky.

Sighting predictions are available on NASA's SkyWatch website, via the agency's new mobile website, and NASA iPhone and iPad applications. Many park rangers who present night sky programs and park event calendars also will have the information available for park visitors.

"It's a good idea to check the sighting opportunities ahead of time," said Chad Moore, a scientist with the National Park Service night sky program. "Many remote national parks, which offer the best night sky conditions, have limited Internet or cell phone coverage."

The space station usually appears over the western horizon and disappears over the eastern horizon in a matter of minutes. The best time to observe the station is near dawn or dusk, when the viewer is in near-darkness, and the passing station continues to reflect light from the rising or setting sun.

For detailed sightings information, please click here.

For more information about the International Space Station, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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National Park Service to Waive Fees on August 14 & 15

Friday, July 30, 2010

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Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced earlier in the week that the National Park Service will waive entrance fees on August 14 and 15 to encourage all Americans to visit our national parks.

“This fee-free weekend provides an opportunity for individuals and families alike to take an affordable vacation or to explore a nearby park they have never visited before,” Salazar said. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of the free admission to visit not only our greatest natural wonders but also our nation’s historic and cultural icons.”

There are 392 national parks located across the country in 49 states, many of which will hold free events on August 14 and 15. A complete list by park or state is available at www.nps.gov. A sampling of offerings include:

* Ranger-led programs with free instruction and equipment loans for those who want to get wet. Enjoy snorkeling at Cape Cod, kayaking at DeSoto, or canoeing in Congaree or Big Cypress. Prefer to simply chill out near the water? Bring your blanket to one of the 50 parks with beaches.

* Watch history come to life at military encampments and firing demonstrations at Antietam, Gettysburg, Fort Laramie, Fort McHenry, Fort Vancouver, Fort Stanwix, Fort Matanzas, Kings Mountain, Wilson Creek, Kennesaw Mountain, and Yorktown.

* Dance or tap your toes to the sounds of the Pig War Band at San Juan Island, Cajun music at Jean Lafitte, Ojibwe music at Grand Portage, mountain music on the Blue Ridge Parkway, folk songs at Carl Sandburg, classical music at Saint-Gaudens, or dulcimer music on the Natchez Trace Parkway.

The entrance fees being waived at the 146 sites usually charge for admission range from $3 to $25. There are 246 other parks that do not have entrance fees so you can plan a free visit year-round. The fee free waiver does not include other fees collected in advance or by contractors—such as fees charged for camping, reservations, tours and use of concessions.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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National Park Foundation Launches Disaster Recovery Fund

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

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Last week, the National Park Foundation and the National Park Service established the National Parks Disaster Recovery Fund to help national parks recover from future natural and manmade disasters. The fund was immediately activated by Director Jarvis and NPF President and CEO Neil Mulholland to begin raising funds that will be available to Gulf parks for immediate needs throughout the oil spill disaster as well as long-term monitoring of the health of damaged ecosystems.

No funds raised will be used to mitigate the liability of any responsible parties for the injuries caused by the oil spill.

“The federal government’s unprecedented response to the environmental disaster in the Gulf is matched only by the desire of the American people to help,” said Tom Strickland, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks of the U.S. Department of the Interior. “Thanks to this effort by the National Park Foundation, those who wish to help us protect national parks threatened by the oil spill can do so.”

Individuals wishing to support this effort may visit www.nationalparks.org, or text “PARKS” to 90999 on their mobile device to make a $10 donation. Funds raised between now and July 1, 2010, will go directly to the impacted parks in the Gulf and support critical and immediate needs as well as sustained scientific study of maintenance of impacted ecosystems.

Parks in the projected path of the Gulf oil spill include:

* Big Cypress National Preserve
* Biscayne National Park
* De Soto National Memorial
* Dry Tortugas National Park
* Everglades National Park
* Gulf Islands National Seashore
* Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
* Padre Island National Seashore

To learn more, visit http://myaccount.nationalparks.org/GulfSpill.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.
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New NPS Website Helps Chart Summer Adventures

Friday, May 21, 2010

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Summer is the time for… climbing the peak … hitting the trail … rafting the gorge …even discovering our history. Before heading out for adventure, all but the most spontaneous traveler spends at least a little time planning an itinerary, negotiating routes and researching the environs. If you’re looking for great places and things to do, the National Park Service has the site for you.

The National Park Service’s new 2010 Summer Adventure trip planning website connects visitors to travel resources, events and services at national parks across the country.

An easy-to-navigate design links visitors to sites of interest, lodging, upcoming events and tips to get the most out of their national park adventure. An interactive calendar makes it easy to search for special events by state or by park. Visitors will also find information about educational programs in the national parks and an array of travel guides.

Last year more than 285 million people visited national parks. Make this the year for your national park adventure.

Visit the site at www.nps.gov/pub_aff/plan_your_visit/index.htm.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.
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National Natural Landmarks Photo Contest

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

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The seventh annual National Natural Landmarks photo contest is now underway.

Each entrant may submit up to three photographs to the contest, but each photograph must be from a different National Natural Landmarks (NNL) site. Please note a change in the contest rules this year. To promote greater diversity of NNL sites represented in the contest and calendar, images of the 13 NNL sites featured in large format in the 2010 calendar will not be accepted. These images can be found by clicking here.

Click here for the official rules and entry form.

Be sure to visit and photograph your favorite NNL today. To find a NNL near you, please click here. There are more than a dozen sites in the region just outside of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The National Natural Landmarks Program, administered by the National Park Service, recognizes outstanding examples of our country’s natural history and supports landowner’s voluntary conservation efforts. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in both public and private ownership. The 586 NNL sites nationwide possess scientific significance, educational value and exceptional scenic beauty.

The contest ends on June 30th. For more information, contact Heather Germaine, 303-969-2945, heather_germaine@nps.gov.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.
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