Everybody’s National Parks returns to family park travel and with that, the podcast after a long hiatus during the pandemic. Hear what we’ve been up to and upcoming episodes to look forward to including Cuyahoga Valley, Indiana Dunes and Glacier National Parks.

Yes, you can enjoy the national park system and stay safe during a pandemic. Danielle celebrates the 104th birthday of the NPS with guests Jason Everson of RV Miles Network and Bradley Kerouac of Hello Ranger. The trio explores pragmatic strategies for family travel in an otherwise unpredictable year.

Discussion includes the following:

[00:02] Introduction: National Parks Service Founders Day, Bradley Kerouac/Hello Ranger, Jason Everson/RV Miles, Soul Trak Outdoors

[03:39] Reports from the road: Dinosaur National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, Saguaro National Park, Mount Lemmon, Yellowstone National Park

[08:17] Logistics and locations: Glacier National Park, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Canaveral National Seashore, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Arches National Park

[11:37] Choose your (safe) adventure: Yellowstone National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak, Garden Of The Gods, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Dinosaur National Monument, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge Mountains/Shenandoah National Park

[18:45] Inside jokes

[20:00] Practical tips for making your choice

[27:28] Backyard parks and return visits: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Glacier National Park

[33:15] Park safety: Mesa Verde National Parks, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Dinosaur Quarry, Zion National Park, Big Bend National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Allegheny State Park

[41:00] Before you RV…: Cruise America

[46:23] A final word on safety

[47:04] A final word on places to visit: Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail, Freedom Riders National Monument, Pullman National Monument

[48:57] Guest contacts: RV Miles, The RV Miles podcast, America's National Parks podcast, The See America podcast, Hello Ranger

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Nicole Jackson of #BlackBirdersWeek and the brand new @blackinnpsweek talks about Black in National Parks Week 2020 this upcoming week. Listen to this joint interview phone call with @everybodysnationalparks and @hellorangerusa.
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Official Hashtag ⁣
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IG⁣: @blackinnpsweek⁣

Twitter: @BlackInNPSWeek⁣

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For the third in our Big Bend National Park series, Bryan takes an epic trip through eons with Dr. Thomas Shiller, assistant professor of geology at Texas' Sul Ross University. From uplift to erosion, inland seas to volcanic action, the pair discuss this desert park's changing topography and its once-thriving dinosaur population. The hardest hitting questions, however, came from Everybody’s National Parks’ junior geologists, making this episode a real family affair.

Discussion includes the following:

[00:02] Introduction: ENP Big Bend National Park Series, Dr. Thomas Shiller

[01:13] Geological timeline of Big Bend, Chisos Mountains, Santa Elena Canyon

[12:03] Night Skies program

[12:30] Big Bend: The once-great western interior seaway

[13:15] Big Bend’s rich deposit of fossils

[17:17] Digging deeper into the park’s Cretaceous Period

[17:40] Big Bend’s unique flora and fauna fossils

[19:50] Old school tricks of the geologist trade

[20:26] Big Bend fossil stewardship

[24:21] ENP Grand Canyon geology episode

[25:20] More Big Bend fossil stewardship: Paleo Lab at UT Austin

[26:33] Big Bend Fossil Discovery Exhibit

[30:30] Big Bend ranger programs

[30:53] Science Knights in the Morning: YouTube, Facebook, KVLF

[32:47] Missing time: Big Bend’s black conical hills and the great extinction event

[35:40] ENP’s junior correspondents take the mic (Part I): Western interior seaway facts

[35:46] ENP’s junior correspondents take the mic (Part II): A dinosaur census

For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com.

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For the second in our Big Bend National Park series, Danielle chats with Courtney Lyons-Garcia, executive director of Big Bend Conservancy, a major advocate for the park. From scenic drives to family-friendly hikes, and fossil experiences Courtney shares practical tips and activities suited to every kind of traveller

Discussion includes the following:

[00:02] Introduction: HelloRanger

[02:22] Guardians of Big Bend National Park: Courtney Lyons Garcia and Big Bend Conservancy

[03:15] Getting acquainted with Big Bend: An overview of the park and its conservancy

[05:35] Getting to the park: Interstate travel, suggestions for East and West Coast visitors

[09:03] Stocking up: Advice on retail options and supporting special dietary needs

[10:53] Best times of year to visit Big Bend

[13:21] Seasonal explorations

[16:28] An itinerary overview

[17:51] Perfect pairs: Suggestions for combining Big Bend with other areas of interest Big Bend State Park, Balmorhea State Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, White Sands National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Del Rio, Fort Davis

[19:34} Do, see & learn - River District: Rio Grande Village Visitors Center, Nature Walk, Boquillas Crossing Port of Entry, Boquillas Village, Mexico, Ernst Tinaja Primitive Roadside Campsite, Hot Springs Historic Trail

[23:05] Do, see & learn - Dinosaurs & Desert District: Fossil Discovery Exhibit, Grapevine Hills Trail

[26:27] Do. See. Learn - Mountain District: Window Trail, South Rim Trail, Emory Peak Trail/The Pinnacles, Lost Mine Trail

[28:01] Spotting the bears of Big Bend: Pine Canyon Trail

[28:43] More To Explore: Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Castolon Historic District, Santa Elena Canyon Trail, The Blue Creek/Horner Wilson Ranch

[30:27] Big Bend Accessibility

[31:53] More outdoor fun: River rafting with Big Bend’s preferred concessionaire Far Flung Outdoor Center, DIY paddleboard and canoe considerations

[34:58] An artists’ paradise

[35:25] Stargazing: Big Bend’s Night Skies program

[37:41] Lodging suggestions: Front country camping, Chisos Mountains Lodge. RV sites, Stillwell Ranch camping & RV sites

[41:06] Lodging suggestions: Backcountry camping reservations

[41:16] Courntey’s favorite park memory

For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com.

NOTE: DUE TO COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS, BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK WAS CLOSED AT TIME OF RECORDING THIS EPISODE. PLEASE CHECK NPS WEBSITE FOR UPDATES.

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The world may have changed since Danielle, Bryan, and the girls took their early February trip to Big Bend National Park in Texas, but hope for future family adventures springs eternal. With those eventual vacations in mind, Everybody’s National Parks presents the first episode in its Big Bend roundup. Painted landscapes, dark skies, and lessons in border policy await at the stunning junction where the US and Mexico meet. And this wouldn’t be a family trip roundup without eyewitness reports from Everybody’s National Parks junior ranger correspondents.

Discussion includes the following:

[00:01] Introduction to Big Bend podcast series.

[01:14] Danielle & Bryan set the scene - with a little help from TripPossible: Big Bend National Park, ENP Yosemite National Park series, ENP Yosemite TripPossible episode

[06:01] Know before you go: gateway cities El Paso, TX and Midland-Odessa, TX

[07:50] Know before you go: car rental issues, Avis

[08:40] Oil country: reflections on a drive through the permian basin

[10:18] Know before you go: when and where to stock up on supplies Terlingua, Marathon, Marfa

[11:23] Beautiful views and home base options: Chisos Mountains Lodge, Chisos Basin Campground, Chisos Mountains Lodge Restaurant & Patio

DAY 1

[13:08] West Side: Chisos Mountains Visitor Center, ranger programs, Fossil Discovery Center

[15:22] Touching extinction: K-Pg Boundary site

[16:22] East Side: Rio Grande Overlook, Rio Grande Visitor Center Rio Grande Village Nature Trail

[17:18] Know before you go: Boquillas, Mexico border crossing

[20:51] Boquillas Canyon Trail

[22:02] Nightcap: Ending the day at Hot Springs Historic Trail

DAY 2

[26:32] West Side explorations: Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Panther Junction Visitor Center

[28:04] West Side highlight: Santa Elena Canyon, Castolon Visitor Center, Cottonwood Campground, seeing prairie dog.

[29:18] Desert hiking: Lower Burro Mesa Pour-off Trail

[29:39] Day 2 activity run-down: Sam Nail Ranch, Sotol Vista Lookout, Mule Ears Spring Trail, Tuff Canyon, Castolon Visitor Center, Santa Elena Canyon

[30:55] Bryan’s trip highlight: Santa Elena Canyon

DAY 3

[32:40] Divide and conquer: Lost Mine Trail

[34:06] Divide and conquer: Ranger tales

[35:15] Window Trail, Chisos Basin campground

[35:59] Starry night cap: Night Sky program

DAY 4

[38:32] One last hike: Grapevine Hills Trail to Balanced Rock

[39:20] Junior Ranger swearing in

[39:36] Big Bend bucket list: Exploring the region’s Native American history, Persimmon Gap Visitor Center, The Comanche Trail, Empire Of The Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne

[40:48] Junior Ranger report, part I: Bear facts, Night Sky review, Hot Springs Canyon Trail review, javelina facts

[47:58] DIY joke: Royal dinos

[48:52] Junior Ranger report part II: Lost Mine Trail review, palm tree fun fact, roadrunner fun fact

[52:58] DIY quiz: Big Bend origins story

[53:53] Ocean origins and lemurs

[55:20] Night Sky review

NOTE: DUE TO COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS, BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK WAS CLOSED AT TIME OF RECORDING THIS EPISODE. PLEASE CHECK NPS WEBSITE FOR UPDATES.

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What makes the Emmy Award-winning show Rock The Park must-see tv? Bryan goes behind the scenes with Jack Steward, the show's co-creator and co-host, to find out how Rock The Park captures friendship and adventure for the camera. Then, Jack answers listener questions, including one from a 7-year-old fan.

Discussion includes the following:

[00:58] - Origins story: Jack Stewart and Colton Smith friendship; Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole, WY.

[06:05] - Rock The Parks from idea to episodes; ENP Isle Royale

[09:24] Rock The Park’s formula for adventure

[10:50] Big Cypress National Preserve; Rock The Park s6 ep21

[11:55] Adventure, beauty, and danger; Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park; Carlsbad Caverns National Park

[16:08] People make the park experience; Everglades National Park

[18:30] Sentimental park favorites: Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, Death Valley National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Virgin Islands National Park, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

[21:07] Rock The Park’s Daytime Emmy Award moments

[23:20] Listener questions: Rock The Park’s future plans

[25:50] Listener questions: Park tallies and what’s missing; Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park

[27:07] Listener questions: An invitation to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

[27:53] Listener questions; Managing friendship and national park trips

[30:48] Jack reflects on his most transcendent park moments; Fossil Butte National Monument

For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com.

Resources:

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Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks

Epic adventures require meticulous planning - and a trusted guidebook. Moon Guides author Carter G. Walker joins Danielle with recommendations for planning a two-week expedition covering three of the country’s best-loved national parks: Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier based on her book Moon Yellowstone to Glacier National Park Road Trip.

Discussion includes the following:

[00:02] Introduction - Carter G. Walker, Moon Yellowstone to Glacier National Park Road Trip: Jackson Hole, the Grand Tetons & the Rocky Mountain Front (Travel Guide); Suggested additional reading Yellowstone Resources and Issues Handbook (updated yearly)

[01:48] Pandemic park travel planning plus additional Moon Guide resources by Carter G. Walker

[04:33] Time Travel: What’s the perfect amount of time to allot for your Yellowstone-to-Glacier road trip?

[06:20] Car rental tips: Montana’s gateway cities maximize your budget - Billings, Missoula, Great Falls

[07:53] Stocking up: Tips for buying road trip provisions in Jackson Hole (Grand Teton National Park), Bozeman, Livingston (Yellowstone National Park), and Great Falls, Kalispell, or Missoula (Glacier National Park)

[08:58] Let’s Go: An overview of your epic journey

[10:35] Beginning in Bozeman, MT: Tips and resources for your first days in Yellowstone, NPS Yellowstone app, recommended ENP episodes for Yellowstone 4.1 through 4.8, Mammoth Hot Springs, National Geographic May 2016, Upper Geyser Basin

[14:18] Seasonal timing for your trip and the Yellowstone winter snow coach

[15:58] Bozeman sightseeing

[16:46] On to Jackson Hole, WY: Daytrips to Grand Teton and things to do

[18:12] All about Grand Teton: Seasonal highlights and activities at Jenny Lake, Two Ocean Lake, Snake River, Jackson Lake

[21:03] Jackson Lake Lodge activities and its environs: Signal Mountain, Oxbow Bend, Elk Island, DuBois, WY, Moran Junction, Ocean Lake, Emma Matilda Lake

[22:45] Lodge booking tips

[23:13] Yellowstone’s east side: Canyon Village, Tower Junction/Roosevelt, Mammoth Hot Springs, Paradise Valley, Lamar Valley

[24:08] Paradise Valley area highlights:Gardiner, MT Chico Hot Springs, Chico Saloon

[25:57] Rocky Mountain Front, MT to Great Falls, MT: Sluice Boxes State Park, Wishaw, MT, White Sulphur Springs, O’Haire Motor Inn and Sip 'n Dip Lounge, Piano Pat Spoonheim

[28:12] Browning, MT: Glacier Country activities and lodging: Museum of the Plains Indian, Blackfeet Nation

[29:03] Browning to Many Glacier highlights and camping resource

[31:32} Seasonal challenges: avoiding the crowds, backcountry safety, Highline trail

[34:04] Glacier National Park: Ranger-led programs and activities, St. Mary Visitor Center,

[35:27] Glacier Institute programs and multi-day camps

[36:37] Everything you need to know about Going-To-The-Sun Road

[37:43] Lake McDonald Valley and Lake McDonald Lodge area highlights and activities

[39:28] Crowd control: Planning your Highline or Going-To-The-Sun hikes including shuttle tips

[42:19] Lake McDonald to Whitefish, MT: Activities and lodging in nearby Essex, MT at Izaak Walton Inn

[43:28] Ending the trip in Bozeman: Flathead Lake, Jewel Basin, National Bison Range, Missoula, MT, Mission Mountains, Flathead Indian Reservation, Seeley Swan Valley, Helena, MT

Thank you to Moon Travel Guides for sponsoring this episode.

For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com.

Resources:

Buy your copy of Moon Yellowstone to Glacier National Park Road Trip

Carter Walker http://www.cartergwalker.com

Yellowstone Resources and Issues Handbook

Note: This episode is coming out in spring of 2020 during COVID-19 please be safe and follow recommended guidelines. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy.

Actions:

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Description:

This is a replay. Bryan speaks with Park Ranger Shelton Johnson and Sergeant Elizy Bowman, a Buffalo Soldier in the 9th Cavalry in Yosemite (portrayed by Shelton Johnson). Sergeant Bowman discusses what it was like to be a Buffalo Soldier, the name given to African-American cavalry troops of the U.S. Army who were among the first park rangers. Ranger Shelton talks about diversity in the national parks.

This is episode number 19.5. This is the fifth episode in our series on Yosemite National Park.

For complete show notes, visit everybodysnationalparks.com.

If this is your first time tuning in, go back and listen to the other episodes in our Yosemite series including our trip report, a conversation with park naturalist Erik Westerlund, Tom Bopp sings for us while recounting the 1903 camping trip with President Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir, and a wonderful conversation about Ansel Adams’ Legacy with his son, grandson and internationally known photographer and Ansel’s last darkroom assistant, Alan Ross. Upcoming topics in our Yosemite series include Mountaineering, geology and tips for planning your own trip to Yosemite.

Actions:

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The reality of our new normal could spark renewed interest in an old favorite: the great American road trip. Danielle chats with Moon Route 66 Road Trip author Jessica Dunham about the allure of this iconic highway. With a focus on family fun, Jessica shares her top Route 66 picks including man-made kitschiness, scenic lookouts, and national park access. And, keep those engines revved up because Jessica gives a sneak peek into her forthcoming book The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips In The USA.

Discussion Includes the Following

[0:02] Listener comment - Piñon Flats Camp Ground, Great Sand Dunes National Park

[2:58] Jessica Dunham, author: Moon Route 66 Road Trip and The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips In The USA

[6:48] History of Historic Route 66: Federal-Aid Highway Act, National Park Service Corridor Preservation Program

[9:58] Route 66 Family Road Trip: Overview

[10:54] Midwest Region: Route 66 Association Hall Of Fame and Museum, Gateway Arch National Park, Indiana Dunes State Park, World’s Largest Route 66 Rocking Chair

[16:02] Great Plains Region: Cars on the Route, Cadillac Ranch

[19:34] Southwest Region: Musical Highway, Wigwam Village Motel

[25:02] National Parks Along The Route - Part I: Petrified Forest National Park, Grand Canyon National Park

[26:23] NPS Dark Skies Program

[27:12] Arizona’s big sky vistas and Meteor Crater

[29:15] More Grand Canyon Attractions: Grand Canyon Railway, Phantom Ranch

[32:01] National Parks Along The Route - Park II: Mojave National Preserve, Joshua Tree National Park

[34:16] Saguaro National Park

[36:12] End Of The Route: Los Angeles, CA and Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA

[38:27] National Parks To Ponder on The Lonliest Road: The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips In The USA, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison, Great Basin National Park

[40:00] A Great Texas Road Trip: Big Bend National Park, Alpine, Marfa, McDonald Observatory, Marfa Burrito

[46:00] National Astronaut Day, Girl Scouts, NPS Dark Skies Program, Shenandoah National Park,

[47:20] California Road Trip Favorites: Yosemite National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Redwood National And State Forest

Thank you to Moon Travel Guides for sponsoring this episode.

For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com.

Note: This episode is coming out in spring of 2020 during COVID-19 please be safe and follow recommended guidelines. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy.

Actions:

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Send us your national park stories, recommendations, comments, or questions to Hello at everybodysnps.com.

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Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks and @everybodysnationalparks

Celebrate Parks to Kids Day on May 16, 2020 with the National Park Trust from your home. Due to COVID-19, the National Park Trust has developed many ways to bring the national parks to kids this year. Hear all about the activities they have available on their website and all of the virtual experiences available on the ParkPassport app. The National Park Trust teamed up with Blue Star Families to bring over 500 virtual park experiences from the app.

Visit https://kidstoparks.parktrust.org

Share your activities.

Follow and Tag @NationalParkTrust and @everybodysnationalparks

#ParksToKids #BuddyBison #everybodysnationalparks