It’s been nearly eight years since a storm of historic proportions pounded Death Valley National Park and did extensive damage in Grapevine Canyon in the northeastern corner of the park where Scotty’s Castle stands. The popular tourist attraction still has not reopened as repair work continues.
That storm was described as a once-in-a-thousand years storm.
A year ago, rainstorms again pounded Death Valley. In roughly three hours 1.5 inches of rain fell on the park and did considerable damage to roads and water systems and shut down the park. That storm also was described as a once-in-a-thousand-years storm.
Another powerful storm hit Death Valley National Park two weeks ago. On August 20, 2.2 inches of rain fell at Furnace Creek, according to the National Weather Service, making it the rainiest day on record in the park. For some perspective, during a full year the park usually sees only 2.15 inches of rain.
To discuss these storms and how the National Park Service is responding to them we’re joined today by Abby Wines, the park’s management analyst.
By Jess Repanshek - September 3rd, 2023
0:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
0:12 Episode Intro with Kurt Repanshek
1:11 Vista Verde - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of Peaks, Plateaus and Canyons
1:24 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
1:46 Yosemite Conservancy
2:08 Friends of Acadia
2:39 Flooded Death Valley
12:00 No’Easter - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
12:16 NPT RVing Guide
13:11 Washington’s National Park Fund
13:45 Interior Federal Credit Union
14:08 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
14:40 Flooded Death Valley Continues
25:07 Escalante - Tim Heintz -The Sounds of Peaks, Plateaus and Canyons
25:21 Great Smoky Mountains Association
25:42 The Everglades Foundation
25:54 Potrero Group
26:24 Flooded Death Valley Continues
41:52 Caribbean Song - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of the Everglades
42:15 Episode Closing
42:35 Orange Tree Productions
43:08 Splitbeard Productions
43:19 National Parks Traveler footer
Wolverines, the largest land-dwelling members of the weasel family, once roamed across the northern tier of the United States, and as far south as New Mexico in the Rockies and southern California in the Sierra Nevada range. But after more than a century of trapping and habitat loss, wolverines in the lower 48 today exist only as small, fragmented populations in Idaho, Montana, Washington, Wyoming, and northeast Oregon.
Spur a discussion about traveling to a national park for a vacation and odds are that it will revolve around getting out into nature, looking for wildlife, perhaps honing your photography skills, or marveling at incredible vistas.
Will the discussion include destinations that portray aspects of the country’s history, or cultural melting pot?
Tens of millions of people in the United States will be able to witness a Total Solar Eclipse on Monday as the rare astronomical event cuts a path from Texas to Maine, up to 122 miles wide in some spots. This is a great opportunity to see the exact moment when the moon fully blocks the sun, creating a blazing corona visible to those observing from the center line of totality.
With March madness down to the Sweet 16, and Opening Day of Major League Baseball having arrived, we’re going to take a break this week and dive into our podcast archives for this week’s show.
This is Kurt Repanshek, your host at the National Parks Traveler. My NCAA bracket was busted the very first day, and while the Yankees won their opening day game against the Houston Astros, I don’t think they’ll go undefeated this year.
One of the most popular public events in the National Park System was the release of sea turtle hatchlings, shuffling off into the Gulf of Mexico at Padre Island National Seashore. I say was, because the number of those public events has been drastically scaled back in recent years.
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The Essential RVing Guide
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.
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