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Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West

Apr 3rd - 11:45am | Donna Charpied

Deanne Stillman is an important author of our times. Her passion, knowledge, and research skills ceate some of the best reading a person could ask for. I cannot wait to read Mustang. The ill-treatment of wild horses and burros sheds light on what kind of mean-spirited society we have turned into.

Apr 3rd - 10:14am | Deanne Stillman

Actually, I mention the wild horses of the east coast in my book (and of course read "Misty of Chincoteague" in my childhood), some of which are descended from the horses that came with conquistadors, just like many mustangs of the West. Speaking of the east coast, did you know that Paul Revere's horse - a steed commandeered from a Massachusetts deacon - had Spanish bloodlines?

Apr 2nd - 13:32pm | Bob Janiskee

We tend to think of wild horses as an icon of the West, but we've got feral horses here in the eastern U.S. as well. In fact, at least three national parks in the eastern half of this country have free-roaming wild horse herds. At Cape Lookout National Seashore, regulating the size of the horse herd became such a managerial headache that drastic measures have been taken.

Apr 2nd - 12:18pm | Burke Mortimer

Having read Ms. Stillman's earlier works, 29 Palms and some of her other works, and having read the galleys of Mustang, Ms. Stillman's latest work. I would highly reccomend this book to anyone who has an interest in the importance of the horse in the settling of the American West and the vitalness of saving the Mustang. Burke Mortimer Senior Librarian NYPL

Apr 1st - 23:59pm | John Brian

Two previously posted comments, that I have seen, appear to be classic examples of the adage, "A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing."

Apr 1st - 22:52pm | Mandy McNitt

In reply to Mr. Mojave's comment: The same could be said about men in the 1500's throught to the present.

Mar 31st - 10:46am | Nick Mojave

Two words: Invasive Species.

National Parks Conservation Association: Interior Buckled to NRA Over Park Gun Laws

Apr 3rd - 11:39am | Anonymous

I have been a regular visitor at Organ Pipe National Monument for 45 years. I hike a lot, and regularly see illegal activities, mostly groups of illegal immigrants. Although the area roads are heavily patrolled, it is extremely rare to see a park service enforcement officer in the backcountry.

GAO Finds Fault With Management Plan For Yellowstone National Park Bison

Apr 3rd - 10:52am | jsmacdonald

The Park Service has continued to slaughter bison; the totals are by far the highest ever. A lot more are being held in the Stephens Creek. Montana hasn't really amped up its slaughter yet. By the math I've done, another 500 or more buffalo have died from the winter. This is not just any other year; this is the worst year ever.

Acreage Donated to Expand Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Apr 3rd - 10:31am | Anonymous

Why shouldn't the Hensley family be fairly compensated for their land? It's ludicrous to assume that they should just donate the land to the government. The problem is the title of the article not the content. The land was not donated by the Hensley family, it was bought by the preservation groups and donated by them.

Apr 2nd - 17:41pm | Texas gal

Perhaps if Anonymous had elderly parents in need of expensive medical care or other personal needs, understanding why the Hensley family needed to recoup the true value of their investment might be easier.

Apr 2nd - 15:08pm | Anonymous

I find it very ironic that Mr. Hensley, Jr said that “Our parents never let us forget that we stand on hallowed ground..." but still made the groups shell out big bucks for it to be protected. If he truly wanted it protected, he would have just given it to the park.

Park History: Isle Royale National Park

Apr 3rd - 09:58am | Anonymous

I am from Michigan and I know people who have been there, but I have not. From what they tell me it is absolutely pristine, wild, rugged, FAR, but there are great opportunities to see lots of wildlife, like moose, and you will hear the wolves, but probably won't see them. There really isn't another place like it.

Apr 3rd - 09:04am | derossett r

I would love to go to this park, and one day hope to go. Living in TX means it is quite a distance even to reach the park. Has anyone been there, hiking? how was it?

Should Uranium Mining Be Allowed Outside Grand Canyon National Park?

Apr 3rd - 00:36am | Gregory

First I have to comment on Amy's post. Amy makes it sound like nuclear is somewhere in the middle of CO2 producing compared to renewables and fossile fuels. Which renewables, which fossile fuels? I agree that nuclear is not zero CO2, but it is at the very low end of the scale. Any Bio-fuel is a CO2 emmiter and largely so. Solar Power is a CO2 emmiter for the same reason AMY says about nuclear.

Who Visits Alaska's National Parks?

Apr 2nd - 22:31pm | Barky

I certainly hope to head back to AK this summer. I hope to visit the remoter parks (Krusenstern, Kobuk Valley, Noatak), even though getting there is a tad more difficult (and expensive). ========================= My travels through the National Park System: americaincontext.com

NPS Director Bomar Not Inclined to Overturn Yellowstone's Snowmobile Backing

Apr 2nd - 15:15pm | Frank N

I had an interesting experience this winter in Yellowstone. I took a walk from Mammoth Hot Springs to Swan Lake Flats along the road. The snow was packed down from all the snowmobile and snowcoach traffic, so I didn't even need skies or snowshoes. I was passed by skiers, snowmobiles, and coaches.

Appellate Court Rules Against Yosemite National Park

Apr 2nd - 15:11pm | Anonymous

I would like to see a mandatory park shuttle system like at Denali/Zion implemented in the Valley. This would be very easy to do do, especially since people already bus into the park via YARTS and Amtrak from Merced...make Merced the place for park visitors to park their cars.

Apr 2nd - 14:47pm | Frank n

I've been to Yosemite many times and the crowds in the valley are very bad, plus it is WAY overdeveloped already. National Parks are for THE PEOPLE, not just the rich, so raising fees to the point that the average person cannot afford it is not the answer.

Mar 31st - 11:08am | Anonymous

A long term solution would be to restore the Hetch Hetchy valley by removing the dam. This would probably take 50+ years to accomplish, but at least there'd be another valley to visit once it's complete.

Mar 30th - 19:41pm | Kath

A reservations system works well for Denali National Park. The only entry into the park is by reserved seats on the bus, which must be made well in advance. And they aren't exactly cheap either. But it protects Denali from being overrun with vehicles and people. Reservations are required for spaces on the boats to to Channel Islands National Park.

Mar 30th - 11:50am | Cee

Good! The less people the better I say!, It is less likely to interfere with Nature at it's best with Less People! Cee

Mar 29th - 23:52pm | Tom

This is an excellent ruling! We need to understand that "...in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for future generations" means just what it says. The present NPS leadership seems to be placing visitors ahead of the resource. That's short sighted and damaging to the resource. Again, the courts got it right on this one!

Mar 29th - 03:45am | MRC

Raising the fees for the most admired parks will exclude that part of the people, that has the most limited options anyway. Limit the number of admissions by reserved tickets will lead to a secondary market of tickets with very much the same result. If the NPS wants to have even the most crowded parks open for all, they need to divert part of the visitors to secondary areas.

Battle Mounts Over Off-Road Vehicles at Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Apr 2nd - 13:58pm | Anonymous

Those of you posting pictures of that fox have NO IDEA what you are talking about. The Superintendent Mike Murray set the record straight at the last negotiated rulemaking meeting as was reported in the local press. The SUPERINTENDENT gave the order to shoot the fox because it was acting erratically and in his professional judgment could have been rabid.

Mar 31st - 11:43am | Ken

From the Plaintiffs "Memorandum of Law in Opposition to the Motion to Dismiss filed by the Defendant-Intervenors (the “Motion”)." The following is provided to illustrate how DOW, AS, and SELC are misrepresenting certain stated facts in their injunction. It is similar to misquoting or taking verses in the bible out of context.

Flood Through Grand Canyon National Park Creates Sandbars

Apr 2nd - 13:39pm | Lone Hiker

Before we all start patting ourselves on the back, let's remember that this same strategy was applied previously, with the same initial results. Within just a few short months however, the newly created islands of sediment were rapidly eroded to the tune of some 85% of the initial buildup being washed downstream and into the Gulf of California.

Arches and Canyonlands In the Fall: Rock Architecture and Dwindling Crowds

Apr 2nd - 11:13am | Rock

Just unreal cosmic place

Paper Calls For Park Service To Protect Wildlife From ORVs on Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Apr 2nd - 09:22am | VCHawk

Snowbird,you still casting stones from the left coast?C'mon over,let's take a ride.We can show you the "fire and fury" that's encompassing the outer banks secondary to the human devastation that will be caused by the loss of revenue from the recreating public.These people do not deserve to be broken by off island special interest groups who wish to dictate how they live...or don't...for the sak

Groups Sue Cape Hatteras National Seashore Over ORV Traffic

Apr 2nd - 08:59am | VCHawk

VCHawk Fumes?on the wind driven beach?Oil spills?We are Not the Exxon Valdez here..We do NOT run rampant,we ARE supervised by nps rangers and self police-ing.There are no"woodland trails"to access surf fishing sites,this is a beach,dear.This NOT an abuse of nature...nature cleanses this area with every (frequent) overwashing storm.Wildlife is still abundant there and the housing explosion does

Apr 1st - 15:55pm | Ryan

My family vacationed at Hatteras every summer of my childhood. It is a very special place for us, and I was shocked by an email one of my brothers sent that indicated access to Hatteras beaches would be limited. The idea that I would not have a chance to share with my children the experiences I enjoyed was very disturbing to me.

Our Endangered National Parks

Apr 1st - 11:52am | Anonymous

I would like to see the NPS become a separate agency within the Executive Branch that itsn't beholden to the Interior Department. Examples of agencies of this type include EPA and NASA. While it would still be politicized to a certain degree, it might be less than what it is now. Kurt's idea of a 6-year directorship is interesting, to be sure.

Mar 31st - 19:33pm | repanshek

I'm not yet convinced that the Centennial Initiative is going to do the job that the park system needs done. For starters, Congress has yet to pass legislation to authorize the initiative.

Mar 31st - 18:46pm | Sabattis

Is a new Commission really needed in light of the Centennial Initiative? Moreover, if the only goal of the Commission would be to make the case that the National Park Service needs more funding, I doubt that it would represent good bang for the buck. You could probably paper-over the city of Washington with Commission Reports that identify the need for more spending on national priorities.

Mar 30th - 20:49pm | Barky

One can only hope that the "green" movement can be enlisted to protect the parks. Their voice and political clout is increasing, if saving the parks can be considered a green initiative, maybe that will turn the tide. ===========================

Mar 30th - 10:12am | Anonymous

Pardon me Kurt, I meant "conscience" not conscious. Sometimes anger gets in the way with words regarding the Bush & Cheney administration. Sorry!

Mar 29th - 18:46pm | fhasti

Yes we do need a commission to keep our National Parks a priority in the minds of any and all who hold the power to give or take away funding. However, have we seen anything in the current roll of potential leaders of our country who have any interest at all in changing anything within our park system??? Do you really believe anyone who says they will make changes?

Mar 29th - 12:48pm | Anonymous

With the Bush administration running out the clock as are do nothing president, expect the worse from the NPS. The next administration will have a monumental task in cleaning up the Bush & Cheney environmental mess with the Park Service. Such a travesty of a administration without a conscious!

Whatever Became of the Decommissioned National Parks?

Apr 1st - 06:32am | Sabattis

A great topic! I think rather than starting with the question of what the National Park System shouldn't be, one should start with the quesiton of what the National Park System should be. A great definition I have heard is that the National Park Service should represent our Nation's greatest, natural, historical, and cultural treasures.

Mar 28th - 23:16pm | Merryland

Who the heck is "Claire Burtons"? If you mean Clara Barton and somehow think that her life and story aren't worthy of a central place from which to tell it, you are sadly mistaken. Now Glen Echo Park -- that's certainly a big question mark...

Mission

Mar 31st - 22:33pm | 53 National Parks

Kurt and Jeremy! Nice job on the website. Making a cool looking site like this is hard. I love your color scheme and graphics. Peace, and happy travels.

Mount Vernon, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Proposed To Become World Heritage Sites

Mar 31st - 19:57pm | Sabattis

I know that the National Park Service will argue that it doesn't want to take on sites that are already being adequately preserved by other entities, but it seems particularly discongruous that the Cahokia Mounds World Heritage Site is in fact an Illinois State Park.

Violent Deaths in the National Parks

Mar 31st - 19:17pm | Anonymous

NRA propaganda? Because the country is so "stressed" at the moment?

Mar 29th - 15:31pm | Fred Miller

Nicely said Jim. It is amazing to me that it is so incredibly difficult for some people to understand such a simple concept. Please continue voicing your opinion on this issue. You have a very good way with words.

Mar 28th - 22:39pm | Jim

On the "Parks are safer than cities so you don't need guns." argument; If that is true then drivers in rural areas don't need insurance because there are fewer fatalities - even on a per capita basis.

Entrance Fee Repeal Legislation Would Have Little Impact on National Parks

Mar 31st - 19:11pm | Sabattis

Sens. Baucus and Crapo miss the point - Americans do not already pay to use their public lands through their taxes. While taxes do pay for the protection of public lands, these taxes do not cover usage. A person visiting public lands imposes additional costs on the land, such as wear and tear on the facilities, and the time of Rangers, etc.

Congress Authorized Expansion of Petrified Forest National Park, But Forgot to Fund It

Mar 31st - 18:45pm | repanshek

Sabattis, good to hear from you again. NPT has missed your voice.

Mar 31st - 18:33pm | Sabattis

Kurt,

Big Cypress National Preserve: Is More ORV Access In Bear Island Unit Wise?

Mar 30th - 01:58am | ERIK

I have a few things to say one is that i know many OVRer and 98% of them care more about a trail then most vistor because that is there backyard i have seen it from south florida to the northwest. I have lived all over the US and they are in every state and are great people and most adhear to the treadlightly plan.

World War II Sites in the National Park System

Mar 29th - 18:56pm | Truman Sterk

Jeremy, There are a lot of war monuments and memorials that are not in the US Park system. I have been to the two Pacific arena national cemetaries that include memeorials. One is in Honolulu the other is in Manila. Both are very inspiring and a tremendous tribute to the men and women who are buried there.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.