National Park Service

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Grand Canyon Hiker Dies Amid Extreme Heat

Man found unresponsive on trail in area likely to see 110 degrees on Thursday

(Newser) - A 67-year-old hiker from Texas died in the Grand Canyon on Tuesday with the Southwest baking under record-breaking heat. Park officials said the man from Alvarado was found unresponsive on the South Kaibab Trail below Cedar Ridge around 11:50am. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. His identity has...

With Ranger Numbers Down, Squirrels Take Over Yosemite

Rodents are becoming a lot more aggressive with fewer staff to discourage feeding

(Newser) - As ranger numbers dwindle in Yosemite National Park, squirrels are boldly taking over picnic spots and hiking trails—leaving visitors fending off persistent rodents and raising new concerns for both wildlife and human health. The park has seen an uptick in aggressive squirrel behavior, particularly in popular tourist spots...

Tennessee Lawmaker Wants Trump's Face on Rushmore

GOP Rep. Andy Ogles calls for study on adding Trump to historic monument

(Newser) - A Tennessee congressman is calling for President Trump's face to be added to Mount Rushmore, urging federal officials to study the possibility of expanding the iconic monument to reflect what he calls a new chapter in American history. GOP Rep. Andy Ogles has penned a letter asking Interior Secretary...

Extreme Heat Brings On 'Sploot Season' for Animals

National Park Service has images of animals striking odd pose to help stay cool

(Newser) - Humans aren't the only creatures trying to cope with this week's heat. The National Park Service announced that "sploot season" had arrived in a social media post that includes images of animals striking a "sploot" pose at various national parks.
  • Splooting, the NPS explains, is "
...

Park Visitors Asked to Report 'Negative' History

Some argue DOI order is about rewriting America's past

(Newser) - Visitors to every national park may soon be greeted by a new sign inviting them to report displays that cast America's past or landscapes in a negative light—a move prompting fresh debate over how the nation's story should be told. The Department of the Interior has...

Feds Ban Large Banners at Yosemite
Feds Ban Large
Banners at Yosemite
Jun 11, 2025 7:47 AM CDT

Feds Ban Large Banners at Yosemite

New rule targets protest banners after high-profile displays on El Capitan

(Newser) - Yosemite National Park's iconic El Capitan has become an unlikely protest stage over the past year, with activists unfurling large banners from its granite walls to address issues ranging from the Israel-Hamas war to the Trump administration's policies . But federal officials say no more. As of May...

At Yosemite's Most Iconic Hotel, Some Pretty Scathing Findings

The Ahwahnee Hotel has reportedly been plagued with rodent infestations, power outages, and more

(Newser) - If your summer vacation plans were going to include a stay in Yosemite National Park, you may want to keep your options open. A scathing 2024 performance review of the historic Ahwahnee Hotel by the National Park Service obtained by SFGate details repeated rodent infestations forcing multiple closures of its...

Seattle Climber Dies in 3K-Foot Fall on Denali

Rangers have recovered the body of Alex Chiu, 41, who was apparently unroped when he fell

(Newser) - A 41-year-old Seattle man died this week after falling 3,000 feet while ski mountaineering on Alaska's Denali, aka Mount McKinley. The National Park Service reports that Alex Chiu was unroped on Monday when he fell from the West Buttress route onto the Peters Glacier. Two members of...

Bison Gores Man in Yellowstone
Bison Gores Man
in Yellowstone
May 8, 2025 11:33 AM CDT

Bison Gores Man in Yellowstone

Florida resident's injuries were minor: NPS

(Newser) - A Florida man visiting Yellowstone National Park got too close to its famed bison, becoming the first person to be injured by the continent's largest land animal at the park this year. The 47-year-old Cape Coral resident was gored by the bison, resulting in minor injuries, the National Park...

German Hiker Dies After Fall in Utah

The 77-year-old man was pronounced dead after falling on a rugged trail

(Newser) - A German man died after falling while hiking at Arches National Park in Utah, authorities said Wednesday, per the AP . The National Park Service identified the hiker as Rudolf Peters, 77, from Haltern am See in western Germany. Peters was hiking the Windows Loop, a trail known for its...

After Halting Air-Quality Tests, a 180 by NPS

WaPo report on shuttering of monitoring in all 63 national parks seems to have changed NPS' mind

(Newser) - The Trump administration has halted air-quality monitoring at every national park in the country, though following media reporting, there are indications the stoppage will now be short-lived. The National Park Service falls under the Interior Department, which issued stop-work orders last week to the two contractors who run the monitoring...

After Edits to Underground Railroad Page, NPS Reverts

Harriet Tubman pic, slavery mentions were deleted; NPS rep says edits were made 'without approval'

(Newser) - The National Park Service has restored a webpage about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad after Tubman's photo was removed, along with numerous mentions of slavery. The Washington Post described various website changes on Sunday, attributing these to strict interpretations of President Trump's executive orders to eliminate "...

Deepest Lake in the US Is Closing to Tourists

Swimmers and boaters won't be allowed in Oregon's Crater Lake until at least 2029

(Newser) - If seeing the deepest lake in the US is on your bucket list, you may want to plan a trip to Oregon this summer. The National Park Service is closing access to the iconic Crater Lake for swimmers and boaters after the 2025 summer season, reports SF Gate , until at...

The Most, and Least, Visited National Parks in America

Great Smoky Mountains National Park saw 12.2M visitors in 2024, making it No. 1, per NPS data

(Newser) - Our country's national parks saw their biggest visitor influx ever last year, collectively logging nearly 332 million visitors in 2024, according to the National Park Service . That busts the almost 331 million guests who descended upon the parks in 2016. Of the 400-plus parks, national monuments, and other protected...

Atop El Capitan, a 'Signal of Dire Distress'

Frustrated staffers at Yosemite hang upside-down American flag to protest Trump workforce cuts

(Newser) - An upside-down American flag is meant as "a signal of dire distress" —and that's exactly what visitors found at California's Yosemite National Park over the weekend. It seems staffers upset about the Trump administration taking a hatchet to the federal workforce draped a giant flag from...

Yosemite Locksmith: 'The People Who Fired Me Don't Know What I Do'
Yosemite Locksmith:
'The People Who Fired Me
Don't Know What I Do'
in case you missed it
Feb 23, 2025 11:05 AM CST

Yosemite Locksmith: 'The People Who Fired Me Don't Know What I Do'

Park's only locksmith was fired under Trump administration cuts

(Newser) - The Trump administration fired more than 1,000 National Park Service employees who were still in their probationary period last week—including the man with the keys to Yosemite National Park. In an Instagram post this week, Nate Vince, the park's only locksmith, said he was 48 weeks into...

Fired National Park Rangers' Emotional Letters Go Viral

'Things are not ok. I am not ok'

(Newser) - Among the thousands who have lost their jobs as the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency works its way through the federal workforce are about 1,000 National Park Service employees. One of those, Brian Gibbs, responded with an open letter that quickly went viral, CBS News reports. Gibbs...

Tribe to Reclaim a National Park Gateway

Yurok to gain 125 acres at southern entrance to Redwoods National and State Parks

(Newser) - Colonial settlers forced the Yurok Tribe from their ancestral homelands in modern day California during the 1800s while exploiting natural resources, from gold to lumber. "As the natural world became completely decimated, so did the Yurok people," Yurok descendent Rosie Clayburn tells CBS News . But in a sign...

Canyoneer in Zion Falls to His Death
YouTuber Falls to
His Death in Zion
UPDATED
Oct 10, 2024 7:08 AM CDT

YouTuber Falls to His Death in Zion

Justin Bingham, 40, of "Life in Holland," fell up to 200 feet while canyoneering on Saturday

(Newser) - The canyoneer who fell to his death in Utah's Zion National Park has been identified as YouTuber Justin Bingham. The 40-year-old was with three others near the exit of Heaps Canyon when he dropped 150 to 200 feet, according to the National Parks Service. He chronicled life with his...

21-Year-Old Climber Dies in Fall From Devils Tower

National Park Service says there have been 7 fatalities in a century there

(Newser) - For all its popularity among climbers, deaths on Devils Tower in Wyoming have been few: just seven in more than a century, per the National Park Service. That number rose from six on Sunday, when a 21-year-old rock climber died while rappelling down the second pitch of El Cracko. ABC...

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