From 2021 until 2024, while I was Secretary of the Interior, we worked to forge stability, create jobs in a clean energy economy, conserve more lands and waters for future generations, and secure clean air and water for communities in every corner of the country.

We treated everyone with dignity and respect鈥攙alues that New Mexicans live by. Today, the work we accomplished, alongside conservationists, farmers, ranchers, Tribes, rural communities, and cities is under attack.

In a time of questions and uncertainty in Washington, governors around the country will be on the front lines of defense against this president鈥檚 reckless firing of federal workers, massive cuts to services that people rely on, and general chaos. The Trump administration is vigorously defending its actions in court, and if they鈥檙e allowed to stand, the harm will only grow.

When wildfires strike, there will now be fewer federal firefighters to put out the flames. Jobs and livelihoods in the outdoor recreation sector are at risk. Families who plan to visit Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, Yellowstone in Wyoming, and other national parks will encounter longer wait times and possibly limited hours.

When folks are looking to gather firewood on national forest lands, they could have a harder time contacting support staff. Veterans who seek solace on our public lands might not have the access they once did. Hunters may notice that their organizations are losing funding, and their hunting grounds slowly disappearing and being sold off to the highest bidder.

I鈥檓 running for Governor of New Mexico because leadership matters.

Governors will need to meet this moment with bold and steady leadership, and I will be a Governor who stands up for New Mexicans and the public lands that we love. While I was Secretary of the Interior, we made tremendous strides to address climate change, expand access to public lands, address drought, and manage resources responsibly. This was all done with clear direction and respect for the workforce tasked with implementing our goals. We tried new things and shot for the moon, and we did it all hand-in-hand with the people most impacted.

We created meaningful change because we were a serious agency led by, frankly, serious people. The Interior was one of the largest agencies in the federal government with nearly 70,000 dedicated employees鈥攑ark rangers, firefighters, climate scientists, biologists, and more. These are the jobs in New Mexico that kids deserve to have when they鈥檙e grown.

As I travel around my home state listening to communities, I鈥檓 hearing time and again that people are afraid. I鈥檝e met federal workers who were worried about their jobs, seniors anxious about Medicare, veterans concerned about VA services, and families worried about their kids鈥� schools. Trump and Elon Musk are striking fear into our communities while failing to deliver the things they promised.

Governors have the obligation to protect our communities. I know I will carry the weight of standing up in the face of these attacks, but it鈥檚 a weight I will happily carry because I believe in a future where we all share in New Mexico鈥檚 bounty and success. It鈥檚 a vision that has sometimes been out of reach, but I believe that with my experience, we can change the system to work for the people.

Similar to the way I changed the system at the Department of the Interior by bringing Tribal Nations and local communities in as active participants in stewarding our lands, I will make that a reality for traditional communities and Tribes in New Mexico. I will also collaborate with other governors who recognize the threats posed by this administration and with the state attorney general to pursue legal routes to fight for the protection of our lands. I hope and expect that governors鈥攁s chief executives of states鈥攚ill work together to share and learn from their successes and find opportunities to pursue new solutions. We must recognize the urgency of this moment and lock arms against these very real threats.

As governor, I will make sure New Mexico鈥檚 state parks are maintained and accessible, and I鈥檒l work to break down barriers to access these treasures. If the national parks and other federal lands in New Mexico suffer further staffing and resource cuts, I will explore ways for the state to step up and provide support to keep federal lands safe and available. I will continue efforts to recruit and hire federal workers who have lost their jobs so that they can continue to share their valuable skills and training.

I鈥檓 running for governor because the experience I gained leading a federal department and working in Congress will help working people. And I will stand alongside all of the governors who will be on the frontlines to protect our beautiful landscapes, outdoor traditions, and natural resources for future generations.

Deb Haaland served as the 54th Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior.

The post Op-Ed: Public Lands Are Under Attack. State Leaders Should Protect them. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) had more than 12 million visitors in 2024, or about 34,000 guests every day. That makes the 522,427-acre swath of mountains, streams, and historic farmland the most popular national park in the country鈥攂y far. The next-most-visited national park is Zion, with 4.95 million visitors last year, followed by the Grand Canyon at 4.92 million.

GSMNP is consistently the top park for visitation partly because of its location in southwestern North Carolina and southeastern Tennessee; it鈥檚 within 800 miles of 60 percent of America鈥檚 population.

And also because it鈥檚 beautiful. The forest is lush and green, blanketing the park鈥檚 6,000-foot peaks and obscuring streams, waterfalls, and outcroppings. There are meadows full of elk and rivers stacked with trout, steep slopes, and placid lakes. GSMNP encapsulates the best the Southern Appalachians have to offer.

So, yes, people show up. On my recent trip to GSMNP, I sat for a solid hour in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Foothills Parkway, a scenic two-lane road that cruises the western border of the park. It sucked. But once I got inside the park, I was able to ditch the crowds and hike to a high elevation bald where I had a view of some of the prettiest damn mountains in the United States.

鈥淕iven the massive crowds, it could be tempting just to avoid the park altogether,鈥� says Steven Reinhold, a photographer and owner of , which works in and around GSMNP. 鈥淏ut you鈥檇 miss out on what is arguably the most beautiful and biodiverse landscape in the country.鈥�

The park, he notes, spans from 1,000 to over 6,600 feet in elevation, supporting a variety of different microclimates and ecosystems that range from Southern Appalachian hardwood to Canadian spruce-fir forests, within a few miles of each other.

鈥淭he cultural history is diverse, too,鈥� he says, 鈥渇rom the stories and traditions of the Cherokee People听to the preserved farms and homesteads of its early European settlers.鈥�

Keep in mind that if you do plan to visit this spring or summer, Western North Carolina is still recovering from Hurricane Helene. While Great Smoky Mountains National Park was largely spared by the brunt of that storm, it鈥檚 possible that some roads or trails could be closed for rehabilitation. Be sure to check the status of the park and active closures .

Living in nearby Asheville, North Carolina, I鈥檝e had a lot of adventures inside GSMNP. Sure, I鈥檝e waited for parking spots, but I鈥檝e also hunted for salamanders with my children, gotten lost off trail (twice), pedaled my bike across the entire park, run into black bears, jumped off waterfalls, climbed historic lookout towers, and paddled pristine lakes. The park might be crowded, but that鈥檚 only because it鈥檚 awesome.

Here are six reasons why I think Great Smoky Mountains National Park is still worth visiting.

1. The Foliage Is Incredible

Come fall, the hardwood trees that blanket almost every inch of Great Smoky Mountains National Park听transform into a riot of red, orange, yellow, and gold from mid-September to early November. The timing for peak foliage depends on the elevation: the higher the trees, the earlier they turn. To see the most color overall, shoot for mid-October.

Cruising Newfound Gap Road, a 31-mile highway that crosses the heart of the park, will deliver non-stop color to the windows of your car. It鈥檚 such a pretty drive, you probably won鈥檛 even mind the crowds. If you want color with less traffic, head to the eastern border of the park, where the Blue Ridge Parkway ends and the begins.

The first portion of the road is paved and has overlooks similar to what you鈥檒l find on the parkway, with views of the valley below and ridges on the horizon. After nine miles, the pavement turns into one-lane, gravel Heintooga Round Bottom Road, which drops for 14 winding miles into the depths of the park. It鈥檚 a slow, one-way trek that puts you in the thick of the golden forest of autumn, passing creeks and small falls before forming a partial loop and arriving in the town of Cherokee, a vibrant gateway community within the 56,600-acre Qualla Boundary, the cultural hub of the Eastern Band of Cherokee.

2. Explore Car-Free Biking听

I鈥檝e ridden my bike across the park on Newfound Gap Road, which was beautiful but harrowing, as the car traffic on that highway is nonstop and the drivers seem unaccustomed to sharing the road with cyclists. Fortunately, park management has acknowledged us two-wheelers by creating inside the popular Cades Cove throughout the busy summer months.

Every Wednesday, from May 7 to September 24, the 11-mile loop through Cades Cove is closed to cars so walkers and cyclists can have the valley to themselves. This makes an easy, family-friendly pedal that delivers pastoral views and opportunities to check out historic structures such as cabins, churches, and school buildings. Among the plentiful hiking opportunities, is a five-mile out-and-back that follows a stream culminating at the 20-foot Abrams Falls.

3. You Can See鈥攁nd Hear鈥攖he Elk Rut听

Elk were extirpated from North Carolina back in the late 1700s, but the National Park Service the species to GSMNP in 2001, bringing 25 into the park from Kentucky. Almost 25 years later, the elk population is thriving, with numbers reaching almost 250, according to the .

And they鈥檙e huge. The bull elk in the park weigh an average of 600 to 700 pounds and can stand five feet tall at the shoulder. When my children were about seven, my wife and I took them to see the elk before Christmas, and they were convinced the animals were reindeer.

Fall is the best time to see herds, as it鈥檚 their mating season, known as the rut, when males bugle and spar for the attention of females. Cataloochee Valley, in the southeastern corner of the park, typically has the largest concentration of the animals, and the big meadow off Cove Creek Road is a good spot to watch and listen for the calls.

I鈥檝e seen the animals throughout the Smokies, from the pastoral Cades Cove on the western side to the high elevations of Balsam Mountain on the eastern edge. The elk are magnificent, but keep your distance and stay quiet so as to not disturb them.

4. The Fireflies Put On a Spectacular Show

Fireflies are a delight throughout summer in the Southern Appalachians and beyond, but a species of found inside the park puts on a choreographed light show every June. The bioluminescent beetles flash in unison, five to eight times in a row, pause for several seconds, then kick in again.

The prime time to catch the show is usually early June. You鈥檒l have to register in the ($1 fee) for a chance to see the splendor. It鈥檚 not easy to get a ticket鈥�20,000 people entered the lottery for just 1,240 vehicle passes in 2024鈥攂ut you can鈥檛 win if you don鈥檛 play. Or, you can book a guided backpacking trip with , which covers roughly 13 miles of moderate terrain in the Elkmont area of the park over two days, taking in waterfalls and wildflowers during the day and synchronous fireflies at night ($1,970 for two people).

And the fireflies are just the beginning. The Smokies comprise the most biodiverse unit in the entire national park system, with over 19,000 species of bugs, plants, and animals. The Flamed Tigersnail, which can be found inside the park, emits a bioluminescent orange mucus when it鈥檚 feeling threatened. Meanwhile, the hellbender salamander can reach 29 inches long. And did you hear the elk?

5. Winter Is a Great Time to Visit听

While I鈥檝e met people at Newfound Gap who have driven up from Florida in January so their kids can see snow for the first time, by and large visitation drops significantly in winter, and it鈥檚 a great time to explore the park. The trees don鈥檛 have leaves, which might sound like a bummer, but their absence reveals long-range views from trails that are usually socked in by the canopy.

Moreover, in my opinion, the best reason to visit GSMNP in the winter is the cross-country skiing; some of the park鈥檚 highest roads go unplowed during heavy snowstorms, turning them into XC playgrounds for the hardy. The seven-mile Clingmans Dome Road leads to the highest point in the park, formerly called Clingmans Dome and newly renamed Kuwohi in honor of the Cherokee people who consider the lofty peak sacred. Kuwohi, which collects the lion鈥檚 share of powder, is unplowed all season. Check before going鈥擧ighway 441, aka Newfound Gap Road, is often closed for plowing, preventing access to Kuwohi during the early part of storms. When the Newfound Gap Road opens, you can ski on Clingmans Dome Road and into Kuwohi.

I also like to watch , the innkeeper鈥檚 blog for the backcountry LeConte Lodge, which sits a mile high in elevation, for storm forecasts and snow totals.

6. Yes, You Can Avoid the Crowds. Here鈥檚 how.听

According to the most recent from the park service, Cades Cove is the most frequented spot in the park, with almost half of all peoplee planning to spend time in that area. Kuwohi, in the center of the park, and the on the western edge of the park, also get a lot of traffic, while half of all people also plan to hit the gateway towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, according to the same study.

What am I getting at? GSMNP might attract 12 million bodies, but most of them are going to the same places. They hit Gatlinburg, visit Cades Cove, and drive a piece of Newfound Gap Road to see Kuwohi.

That makes it pretty easy to avoid the crowds if you know what you鈥檙e doing. I鈥檝e spent entire days inside GSMNP feeling like I had the place to myself.

鈥淭here鈥檚 not even available parking at popular spots like Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome in the summer and fall,鈥� says Steve Dunkin, the president of Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, who also volunteers for the park inside Cades Cove. 鈥淚nstead, visit the North Carolina side of the park, or the Cosby and Big Creek areas on the north end of the park, all of which see far less traffic.鈥�

I like hiking to Andrews Bald on the , a 3.6-mile out-and-back that starts on the popular Clingmans Dome Road, but quickly leaves the crowds behind. Most people tend to stick to the nature trails and scenic walk up the concrete lookout tower, known as Clingmans Dome Tower, at the top of the mountain. You鈥檒l pass through a high-elevation spruce/fir forest before hitting the bald, a grassy area with views deep into the park.

Or you can do something hard. The majority of visitors stick to short trails close to trailheads. I recently hiked to the top of Mount Cammerer, a craggy sub-5,000-foot peak in the northern corner of the park with an incredible view from a historic lookout tower. I had the entire mountaintop to myself. Why? Because getting there required a . And it was totally worth it. The view was stellar, taking in the Pigeon River Gorge below. The Cammerer tower is unique in the Southern Appalachians, as it was modeled after the live-in fire towers more common in the Western U.S.

You could also check out Fontana Lake, a 10,000-acre reservoir on the southwestern edge of the park, which offers lonely coves for paddling (look for rope swings!) and harbors isolated trails. I like the 3.5-mile piece of the that starts next to the Fontana Dam and climbs steeply to Shuckstack Fire Tower, where you鈥檒l find a broad view of the lake, Smokies, and neighboring Nantahala National Forest.

Looking to camp? Try the under-valued , a 43-site facility sitting at 5,300 feet in elevation between the towns of Cherokee and Maggie Valley that has availability long after the uber-popular Cataloochee Campground fills up ($30 per night, make reservations up to six months in advance). I just checked and found sites for this upcoming weekend.

And if you have your heart set on hitting Kuwohi or Cades Cove, you can still do it without the crowds. 鈥淕o midweek, or time your visit for sunrise,鈥� says the area guide Steven Reinhold. 鈥淗it the park early and you鈥檒l be done with your adventure before most visitors ever reach the trailhead.鈥�

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He鈥檚 been visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park since he was a kid, and writing this article reminded him how much he loves that landscape.

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America’s 63 national parks and 433 NPS-managed sites should remain fully “open and accessible” to visitors, despite the recent staffing cuts, according to Interior Secretary Douglas Burgum’s .

Burgum’s mandate included another order: before reducing operating hours or closing visitor services like trails and campgrounds, national parklands must first consult with the NPS director and the assistant secretary for U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

The statement has sparked a debate within the NPS and the advocacy groups in its orbit. Proponents say that the order provides a roadmap for the Department of the Interior to ramp up staffing at the NPS sites so that the general public can enjoy them.

But critics say that the move forces understaffed parklands to proceed with services and open infrastructure despite a lack of manpower.

鈥淭he way that it’s written is hugely problematic,鈥� Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淵ou can’t wait for a political appointee in Washington D.C. to get back to you on a closure you need to make right now.鈥�

Brengel referenced Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where the Kilauea volcano has been erupting on and off since December 2024. It鈥檚 currently on again and spewing lava. 鈥淧ark superintendents need to be nimble in order to keep visitors safe,鈥� Brengel said.

NPCA is one of several non-profit organizations that have sounded the alarm about the feasibility of implementing the order. 鈥淚t sets up a situation that could be highly dangerous for park visitors,鈥� Brengel said.

But Rachel Pawlitz, public affairs chief for the National Park Service, told 国产吃瓜黑料 that the order is a win for the parks. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not unusual for the staffing needs to fluctuate,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his order spells out a process that will allow us to coordinate closely with leadership in the Interior Department to meet the evolving needs of our visitors, adapting as needed, to ensure visitor satisfaction.鈥�

In Section 4 of the memo, Burgum orders the Interior Department to “take action to ensure that NPS is properly staffed to support the operating hours and needs of each park unit.”

Another group praising Burgum’s order is The American Bus Association, a trade group representing coach and tour bus companies.听鈥淥verall, this action by the Department of the Interior underscores a commitment to keeping national parks open, accessible, and welcoming,” the group wrote in a statement. “For tour operators who rely on predictable access to NPS-managed sites, the order offers much-needed clarity and assurance, ensuring their ability to deliver high-quality travel experiences in partnership with the nation鈥檚 public lands.鈥�

The order comes on the heels of a challenging two months for the NPS. Starting in February, the Trump Administration began enacting mass layoffs, firings, and hiring freezes across the agency. More than 1,000 NPS employees were cut, and another 700 took buyouts. Since then, the NPS has been quietly hiring back some workers and also bringing on thousands of seasonal employees for the busy spring and summer months.

Several NPS sites, including California鈥檚 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and Yosemite National Park, have had to cancel programs and scale back on opening hours. Arches National Park in Utah hiking area on March 23 due to staffing shortages. A park spokesperson told听国产吃瓜黑料 that the move to close Fiery Furnace was due to safety.

“The Fiery Furnace is a labyrinth, and one sprained ankle can trigger a rescue,” Karen Henker, a spokesperson for Arches National Park, said. “And that鈥檚 five hours and ten staff people to carry someone out.”

On Thursday, April 10, Arches National Park announced on its website that to hikers on April 15. Ranger-guided tours will resume on May 4.

A National Park Service ranger speaking anonymously to 国产吃瓜黑料 expressed concern that reopening some closed areas could damage the parks. 鈥淪ure we can keep everything open,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut who wants to recreate in a park with broken down facilities and no maintenance and no search and rescue?鈥�

Bill Wade, the executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, a non-profit group that advocates for NPS employees, said that the order puts park superintendents in a difficult situation. Under the Organic Act of 1916, NPS employees are to protect the nation鈥檚 parks and monuments while also providing for public enjoyment now and for future generations.

Wade, who was superintendent at Shenandoah National Park for ten years, said the order places the needs of the public ahead of conserving park resources.

“The law gives priority to protecting the resources, so if you are a superintendent, you must be able to do this, even if you have limited resources, before you put them toward keeping the trails open, keeping the visitor centers open, keeping the public restrooms clean, those sorts of things,” Wade said.

He added, 鈥淚 hate to say it, but I’m glad I’m not a superintendent right now.鈥�

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Ever come across an incredible hotel that stops you mid-scroll and makes you think, Wow, wouldn鈥檛 it be something to stay there? We do, too鈥攁ll the time. Welcome to Friday Fantasy, where we highlight amazing hotels, lodges, cabins, tents, campsites, and other places perched in perfect outdoor settings. Read on for the intel you need to book an upcoming adventure here. Or at least dream about it.

When K墨lauea volcano in Hawai鈥檌 Volcanoes National Park began to erupt last December, spewing lava 300 feet into the air, I knew I had to see it in person. And there was only one place I wanted to stay.

As the lodge closest to the mammoth K墨lauea听Crater, is a highly sought-after spot among lava lovers. On any particular day鈥攁nd especially during eruptions鈥攖he back of the property is jam-packed with people watching for a telling orange glow or bubbling magma. During an active period, it鈥檚 not unusual for 1,000 people to pass through Volcano House鈥檚 doors daily. And given that the area is one of the most volcanically active spots in the world, this happens more often than you might think.

Why I Love the Volcano House

There was a crackling energy when I walked through the doors; I鈥檓 still not sure if it was from the excitement surrounding the recent eruption or some sort of shared energy between us and the volcano. (K墨lauea had another minor eruption听the day before my arrival in the park.) I was hopeful I鈥檇 be there for a follow-up.

Volcano House staff have plenty of stories from previous eruptions. Food and Beverage Manager Tina Balubar remembers when part of K墨lauea crater was filled by a lava lake. (This lasted from 2008-2018 when the lava burst through steam vents further along the island, destroying the Leilani Estates community and causing Volcano House to briefly close.) She showed me a photo of nearby Mauna Loa erupting, K墨lauea glowing a deep orange.

鈥淚 grew up near a volcano, so I don鈥檛 get scared,鈥� Balubar says. 鈥淲hen an eruption happens, I make all the employees stop, look up, and take it all in. That鈥檚 why [many of us] are here.鈥�

Volcano House鈥檚 history stretches back further than the establishment of the Hawai鈥檌 Volcanoes National Park in 1916鈥攁ll the way back to 1846. Increased tourism caused the original thatched inn to give way to larger wooden lodges. (The original building was later moved and now serves as the park鈥檚 art gallery, where you can find听oil paintings, sculptures, and photographic prints of previous eruptions in the park.) Over the years, dignitaries like Mark Twain, Jack London, Princess Victoria Kaulani, Amelia Earhart, and President Franklin Roosevelt have stayed at one Volcano House iteration or another.

In 1921, a new two-story wing was built, upping the capacity to 115 people. Unfortunately, that version of Volcano House was destroyed by a fire (started in the kitchen, not by the volcano) in 1940; the current iteration was erected in 1941 and expanded yet again in 1961. The lodge鈥檚 current capacity is 33 rooms.

Given its position on the National Register of Historic Places, updating the lodge presents a host of challenges. Painting the building exterior took more than five years, Balubar says, because a laboratory had to analyze layers of existing paint to determine the original shade used in 1941.

I took a peek inside the old steam room, where volcanic steam was piped in for the enjoyment of male guests in the 1940s. (Back then, women weren鈥檛 allowed to sweat, apparently.) When upkeep and repair costs became too high, they filled in those steam vents with concrete, rendering it obsolete.

Room furnishings are a bit dated, but comfortable. The ratan lobby furniture fits perfectly with that aesthetic.听But let鈥檚 be honest: When you鈥檙e visiting Volcano House, you鈥檙e really here for the volcano.

Floor-to-ceiling windows face K墨lauea, allowing guests to watch for eruptions in climate-controlled comfort. Across the lobby, a stone fireplace featured a sculpted image of the Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele inset in the rock. Oil paintings of previous eruptions ringed the room, while a flat-screen television played a never-ending loop of past eruption videos.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel

Considering the current administration鈥檚 war on our national parks, I felt the need to do something positive to give back to the protected land听during my visit. Each Saturday, , an NPS-approved group of volunteers, meet up to fight invasive species in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I joined more than a dozen others armed with loppers, all prepared to cut as much Himalayan ginger as we could. For three hours, we slashed and stacked the plant, ultimately clearing about an acre of the fast-growing plant. By the end, I felt like you could see the accomplishment radiating off of听 me鈥攂ut you probably could only smell the sweat.

With the work out of the way, I had time left for more traditionally听 fun activities. I spent the remainder of my first day hiking much of the , which traverses the north end of K墨lauea before connecting with the. The next morning, I was reluctant to move away from the K墨lauea overlook outside Volcano House, not wanting to miss the expected eruption, but there are too many things to do in the park to stay in one place for too long.

Parking at the K墨lauea Iki trailhead, I hiked to the short .2-mile lava tube before descending into the K墨lauea Iki Crater. The trail, my favorite in the park, winds down a series of switchbacks beneath a rainforest canopy to the crater floor.

The change of environments, from lush forest to arid lava rock,听 is a bit jarring. Walking onto the crater surface for the first time, I felt more like an astronaut than a hiker. As the cinder crunched under my feet, I wondered what would happen if the next eruption happened here. I found myself moving a little faster afterward.

Choice Rooms

While my own room offered comfort and stunning views of the crater, front desk agent Pam Bowers suggests asking for room 11, a.k.a. Uncle George鈥檚 Room. The former abode of the longest-tenured owner of Volcano House (and the namesake of its bar), the deluxe room is among the lodge鈥檚 most spacious, with gorgeous hardwood floors and one of the best views of the crater. It鈥檚 the most requested room by far, so be sure to book well in advance.

Can鈥檛 get a room at Volcano House? Check out the lodge鈥檚 , located about five minutes from the front entrance gate.

Eat and Drink

Volcano House鈥檚 menu is a mix of familiar favorites, like pizza and burgers, and more upscale offerings. The seafood is top notch. I overheard a few other diners raving about the barbecued prawns and New York Strip. But after a busy day on the trails and in the woods, all I wanted was a cheeseburger and a beer. Volcano House鈥檚 signature burger with cheddar cheese and avocado aioli, served on a punuluu sweet-bread bun, hit the spot perfectly.

When to Go

You can reserve rooms a year in advance, and Volcano House is typically fully booked about two months ahead. If you wait until a volcano starts burping lava to reserve a room, you鈥檙e probably going to be too late. But that doesn鈥檛 stop the calls when the volcanic activity starts.

鈥淎 while back, we had an eruption that started at 4 A.M.,鈥� Bowers says, 鈥淭he phone didn鈥檛 stop ringing until at least 2 P.M.鈥�

It鈥檚 a roll of the dice as to when the next eruption might happen, but for the best chances of getting a room, try booking for the spring or summer.

As my time at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park came to an end, I was reluctant to leave. Not just because K墨lauea hadn鈥檛 yet erupted during my visit, but also the hospitality I was shown at Volcano House made me want to stay. But given the volcanic upheaval here, I鈥檓 sure I鈥檒l be back at some point.

How to Get There

Volcano House is less than an hour鈥檚 drive from Hilo International Airport (ITO) and about 140 minutes from Kona International (KOA). There鈥檚 no airport shuttle, but you can reserve a car from any number of rental companies on site.

Don’t Miss

If you鈥檙e crossing the ocean to visit Hawai鈥檌 Volcanoes, you should also make a point to visit Hawaii鈥檚 other national park, Haleakal膩 on Maui. Both spots used to be known collectively as Hawaii National Park, but were split into two distinct parks in 1960. The flight between Maui and the Big Island is fairly inexpensive and lasts about 30 minutes.

I enjoyed a day hiking throughout Haleakal膩 and a night near the summit, observing the stars with ( , from $250). Ironically, Haleakal膩鈥檚 crater summit isn鈥檛 volcanic, but rather another form of geographical upheaval: two valleys merging at the summit of a volcano.

If you want to stick to one island for your visit, check out on the Kona side of the island, about two hours away. You鈥檒l learn about the lives of ancient native Hawaiians, as well as the geologic history of the island.

Details

Price: Room prices start at $285 for a standard room, $335 for a room with a crater view.

Address: 1 Crater Rim Drive,
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, HI 96718

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Behold! Classic trips have been reconsidered鈥攜ou鈥檝e gawked at the Grand Canyon, but have you run it from rim to rim?鈥攚hile new destinations have caught our eye. This year we鈥檙e joining the revelers at Colorado鈥檚 Red Rocks Amphitheater, trekking up Mexico鈥檚 tallest volcano, paddling through the world鈥檚 brightest bioluminescence off Puerto Rico, hiking Canada鈥檚 wildest coastal way, and much more. What do these trips have in common? They鈥檙e incredible experiences, all.

1. Hut-Hop in New Hampshire

The best way to experience the White Mountains鈥� Presidential Range is hiking between the Appalachian Mountain Club鈥檚 eight historic high-mountain huts. Connecting distances aren鈥檛 ridiculous鈥攖he shortest leg is 4.5 miles, the longest 13.4. From late spring to early fall, on-site staff make guests hot breakfasts and dinners, but I prefer to visit during shoulder season, when rates are cheaper and I can cook my own meals. My favorite hut is Zealand, because the wood-burning stove keeps the bunks toasty on chilly nights. Intent on a summer stay? Book on the AMC site three months in advance. From $74 鈥�Mardi Fuller

2. See a California Superbloom

As I cruised through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park one April afternoon, the road curved to reveal a seemingly infinite carpet of purple and yellow. Caught unawares, I felt like I鈥檇 entered Oz. A superbloom! The rare phenomenon occurs when consistent above-average rainfall follows a drought, nurturing a floral explosion so vast and vibrant that it鈥檚 visible from space. I鈥檝e since seen superblooms in Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve. They鈥檙e not limited to Southern California, though; for more info on possible places these awesome, ephemeral displays might appear in 2025, check out the nonprofit Theodore Payne Foundation. 鈥擲hawnt茅 Salabert

3. Backpack the West Coast Trail in British Columbia

A six-day trek along this 47-mile Vancouver Island trail exceeded my wildest expectations. The route ambles between mossy rainforest and sandy stretches, where black bears forage and orcas and gray whales breach offshore. Wooden ladders and boardwalks keep the hike engaging, and a dozen established campgrounds mean tent sites are plentiful (but also popular鈥� prepare to get cozy with your neighbors at Tsusiat Falls especially). I found solitude at Cullite Cove and Carmanah Creek. Download the West Coast Trail app to stay abreast of camping options, conditions, and tide info. And pack motion-sickness meds for the bumpy shuttle back from the far trailhead. Permits and mandatory ferry reservations, which do not include Pacific Rim National Park Reserve entry, go on sale each January and sell out within hours (from $154). 鈥擹oe Gates

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4. Ride Horseback in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

One May day, saddled atop two small horses perfect for our short frames, my teenage daughter and I followed a Din茅 woman and her preteen son up the low, brown waters of Chinle Creek and into the deep ochre Canyon de Chelly (pronounced de-shay). Indigenous people have lived here for 5,000 years, and the only way to explore the canyon today is with a Native guide. As ours narrated her tribe鈥檚 history, she pointed out petroglyphs鈥攐f hunters, snakes, the god Kokopelli鈥攐n the sheer thousandfoot-high walls and fielded queries about modern life in the Navajo Nation. On the return, the boy spotted a herd of wild horses and broke away from our equine train, chasing them through an open field surrounded by cottonwoods. The whole outing felt timeless. Justin’s Horse Rental is the canyon鈥檚 only authorized horseback outfitter. From $30 鈥擳asha Zemke

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It turns out that the U.S. national parks are more popular than ever.

The National Park Service (NPS) this week revealed that a record-breaking number of visitors toured its sites in 2024. According to the agency’s , the 404 out of the 433 NPS sites that that report data鈥攊ncluding all 63 national parks鈥攕aw 331,863,858 individual visits last year.

That’s 6.36 million more visits than in 2023 and approximately one million more than the previous record, which was set in 2016 when the park service recorded 330,971,689 visits.

The report went up on the NPS website on Wednesday, March 5; however, the data was not distributed to media in a press release as in previous years. On Thursday, March 6, The听 that the NPS asked staff in an internal memo not to push the information via a release or social media to the public.

国产吃瓜黑料 reached out to the NPS for comment but did not hear back by the time this story was published.

Buried within the report are a handful of compelling takeaways: NPS sites experienced major visitation upticks in March and June compared to the five-year average, while visitation during the remaining months was consistent with that of previous years.

NPS sites also saw an increase in overnight stays鈥攖his includes camping and nights spent at concession-operated lodges and hotels鈥攋umping 2.6 percent from 2023. Overnight stays at lodges increased 11.7 percent from 2023 numbers.

According to the data, 28 of the 404 parks set records for visitation鈥攂ut some of the most popular U.S. National Parks did not. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which historically sees more visits than any national park, saw a slight downturn in visits: 12.1 million in 2024 compared to 13.2 million in 2023. The Grand Canyon attracted 4.9 million visits鈥攗p from 2023 numbers鈥攂ut far short of its 2018 record of 6.3 million. Yellowstone National Park recorded its second busiest year, with 4.7 million visits, and Yosemite National Park its fifth busiest听with 4.1 million visits.

Instead, a handful of the NPS-managed National Recreation Areas and National Historic Sites experienced surges in visitation. Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California recorded 17.1 million visits, topping the previous record of 15.6 million in 2022. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. also experienced a record year, with 8.4 million visits. Gateway Arch National Recreation Area in Missouri also broke records with 8.4 million visitors.

The news comes as the NPS is weathering a staffing crisis after losing approximately ten percent of its workforce since the start of the year. On February 14, the NPS fired 1,000 employees with probationary status鈥攁 designation given to all workers in their first 12 months of employment. An additional 700 NPS workers reportedly took early retirement buyouts, further weakening the agency’s staff size.

The cuts are part of the Trump Administration’s efforts to shrink federal spending.

鈥淭he National Park Service just reported the highest visitation in its history, as the administration conducts massive firings and threatens to close visitor centers and public safety facilities,” said Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Park Conservation Association (NPCA) in a press release.

On Thursday, March 6 the NPCA, a nonpartisan group that advocates for the parks, operated by the NPS. The collection includes visitor centers, rescue facilities, and offices of law enforcement.

Brengel said the information was released by the House Natural Resources Committee on Friday, February 28.

Included in the list of canceled leases are nine visitor centers and contact stations:

• Morris Thompson visitor center in Fairbanks Alaska
• Little River Canyon center in Center, Alabama
• New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park center in Louisiana
• Mississippi National River center in St. Paul, Minnesota
• Niobrara National Scenic River center in Valentine, Nebraska
• Salinas Pueblo Mission center in Mountainair, New Mexico
• Missouri National Recreation River center in Yankton, South Dakota
• Klondike Gold Rush center in Seattle, Washington.

鈥淎s peak travel season arrives, park visitors will have to contend with closed visitor centers and campgrounds, canceled ranger programs, and less search and rescue staff,” Brengel said in a release. “If building leases are cancelled, it will make these problems worse.”

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The modern world is not quiet. Or maybe I should say:听people are not quiet. I live in a small mountain town, which you might expect to be an entirely peaceful habitat. But from my yard, throughout the day, I can hear cars on the interstate, kids playing, delivery trucks backing up鈥攊t鈥檚 a constant barrage of background noise that has become so much a part of our lives. I鈥檓 actually uneasy when I experience truly quiet situations.

Recently, I was camping alone in Utah, at the base of a canyon near Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, which is several miles from the nearest road. The silence was all-encompassing. Occasionally, I could hear the wind move through a sandstone channel behind my campsite, but otherwise, there was no noise. The sound of silence was so far from my status quo that it was disconcerting. No bugs. No fire crackling. Just鈥e.

But we need that quiet in our lives. Studies show that experiencing even brief periods of silence can help lower , improve , and even stimulate . As the world becomes noisier, more people are in search of silence, with 鈥渜uiet-cations鈥� becoming one of the hottest trends in .

The good news? There are still places where you can go to find total quiet, or at least places where the only sounds you hear are from nature: birds, crickets, wind rustling trees.

is a non-profit that researches and certifies locations all over the world based on the decibel levels of background noise (background noise in certified quiet locations doesn鈥檛 exceed 45 decibels).听I selected some enticing destinations deemed Quiet by the organization and scoured our public lands, looking for broad swaths of wilderness that are located so far from noisy roads and towns that they鈥檙e bound to be silent.

Here are 9 hush-hush destinations for your next quiet adventure.

1. Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas

There鈥檚 West Texas, and then there鈥檚 Far West Texas, a remote corner of the state near the Mexican border. Once you hit Far West, keep going, and you鈥檒l find Big Bend Ranch State Park, a massive (311,000 acres) swath of mountains, canyons, and desert along the Rio Grande. Together with its neighbor, Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch makes up the largest International Dark Sky Reserve in the world. The lack of ambient light pollution that delivers dark skies also means there鈥檚 a lack of ambient noise, contributing to quiet days. I spent several days exploring Big Bend Ranch on a mountain bike a few years ago and saw more road runners than people.

There are more than inside the park, some of which meander past old movie sets, Native American homesites, and the occasional oasis, not to mention more canyons and cacti听than I could count. Your best bet is to saddle up on a mountain bike ( has rentals from $50 a day) and pedal the 60-mile that combines singletrack, dirt roads, and dry creek beds to deliver you deep into the heart of the park. There are multiple bail-out options along the way if you don鈥檛 want to tackle the full route.

What to Listen For: The sound of a small waterfall (the Epic route passes by an oasis) and the neigh of feral donkeys that live within the park.

2. Olympic National Park, Washington

The last time I was in Olympic National Park, I was riding a bike, so I mostly heard the sound of my own heavy breathing as I tried to keep up with my group. But this is the park that inspired acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton to create Quiet Parks International in an attempt to preserve peaceful places. It鈥檚 a big park with a diverse landscape that ranges from craggy coastline to glaciated peaks, so there鈥檚 plenty of space to spread out and find your own slice of peace and quiet.

I鈥檝e spent near-silent afternoons paddling Lake Crescent with no soundtrack but my paddle strokes, and lonely stretches of beach offer opportunities to give yourself over to the sound of crashing waves. But it鈥檚 the Hoh Rain Forest, a 24-square-mile temperate rain forest on the west side of the park, that鈥檚 the most intriguing from a sonic experience. Giant old growth conifers rise towards the heavens while thick ferns and mosses blanket the forest floor, all combining to dampen sound.

The , an .8-mile loop near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, is the easiest way to experience the landscape, the trail’s namesake moss climbing the trunks of the trees throughout the area. If you want to explore further, hike a piece of the 17-mile Hoh River Trail to Glacier Meadows, which offers a view of Mount Olympus. Most day hikers turn around at Five Mile Island, making it a that will definitely get you away from the crowds.

What to Listen For: The babbling Hoh River will, unsurprisingly, accompany you on the Hoh River Trail. Also, keep an ear out for bugles from the herd of elk that live in the rainforest. And then there鈥檚 the rain; Hoh gets 12 feet of it per year.

3. Mount Tabor Park, Portland

You don鈥檛 have to leave the city for peace and quiet. , a 175-acre park on the eastern edge of Portland, was named the country鈥檚 first by Quiet Parks International in 2023. Mount Tabor is a popular park, and during the certification process, acoustic engineers recorded background noise between 38 and 43 decibels, which is just below the threshold for what Quiet Parks International considers quiet. But Mount Tabor鈥檚 accessibility to such a large and diverse population gave it the edge for the final designation.

Mount Tabor itself is a dormant cinder cone volcano, the shape of which helps isolate background noise. So, if one section of the park is noisy, you can trek to the other side for a more subdued experience. The park鈥檚 53 tree species, including a dense Douglas fir forest, help absorb some of the ambient noise as well. Mount Tabor has six miles of official trail and nearly the same length of social trail. Hiking the mile-long Red Trail and looking for a quiet path into the woods is your best bet for silence.

What to Listen For: Children playing. It鈥檚 an urban park with playgrounds, and the sounds of children playing are among the best human-made sounds on earth.

4. Niobrara National Scenic River, Nebraska

The Niobrara River begins in Wyoming and runs more than 500 miles before joining the Missouri River, but a particularly gorgeous 76-mile stretch has been designated a National Scenic River thanks to its outstanding beauty. Here, the Niobrara passes through the Sandhills of Nebraska鈥攔olling mounds of sand dunes stabilized by permanent grass and grazed upon by elk鈥攚hile also carving a path through the occasional sandstone cliff. The river is fed by hundreds of natural springs, some of which tumble into the Niobrara as waterfalls. You鈥檒l find the 63-foot Smith Falls, the tallest plunge in the state, along this designated National Scenic River.

The Niobrara National Scenic River has also earned the distinction of being the first certified from the Quiet Parks organization. The best way to explore the river and experience the soundscape is from the hull of a canoe.听Most of the land surrounding the river is private ranch land, but the nine-mile stretch through the听 just east of Valentine offers a scenic and mellow run with the chance to hop out of the boat and hike the refuge.听 has canoe rentals (from $69).

What to Listen For: Waterfalls, the sound of your paddle in the water, and waterfowl overhead.

5. Dixie National Forest, Utah

The is huge, occupying almost two million acres of aspen-topped mountains and red sandstone canyons in Southern Utah. Maybe more important from a sonic perspective, those two million acres are buffered by Capitol Reef National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, so the forest sits in the heart of a massive complex of public lands that has very few auditory distractions. I spent a week backpacking through Dixie and Grand Staircase and didn鈥檛 come across a single person outside of my small group. The only thing I heard was the wind whistling through the aspens and the occasional elk bugle.

Elevations in the forest range from 11,322 feet at the summit of Boulder Mountain to just under 3,000 feet, and the ecosystem shifts with the altitude. Up high, you鈥檒l find dense groves of aspens and evergreens and boulder-choked creeks. Down low is slick rock desert with narrow canyons and steep cliffs.

The Escalante Ranger District of Dixie has a robust trail system offering relatively easy access to solitude from the small town of Boulder. Pick up the Slickrock Trail northeast of town for a pleasant walk through a high-elevation spruce forest. If you really want to get away from it all (and you have solid route-finding skills), look south to one of the many canyons that drop from the ridge, traveling through a remote corner of the forest before entering Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.

What to Listen For: The wind rustling through the aspen leaves at higher elevations is a delightful sound.

6. Green Bank and Spruce Knob, West Virginia

At least part of the joy of finding quiet places is embracing the notion of getting offline. No cell phones, no social media, no buzzing alerts on your phone鈥攖hat听disconnection is what makes the small town of Green Bank, West Virginia, so damn appealing. It sits in the heart of a 13,000-square-mile National Radio Quiet Zone, which is a federal designation that bans all wireless tech. No radio, no cell service, no wi-fi. The rule is in place to remove any potential interference with the seven telescopes pointed skyward.

The Observatory is cool, but the Quiet Zone also encompasses some intriguing portions of the Monongahela National Forest, including 4,863-foot Spruce Knob, the tallest mountain in West Virginia. Hike the easy .5-mile Whispering Spruce Trail for a loop around the summit and views of Seneca Rocks, a fin-like sandstone outcropping that鈥檚 popular with climbers. If that nature trail isn鈥檛 quiet enough for you, hike deeper into the Spruce Knob-Seneca Creek Backcountry, where 60 miles of trail explores meadows, streams, and hardwood forests. Pick up the 5.2-mile at the summit and drop 1,000 feet of elevation off the ridge into fields of wild blueberries and huckleberries until you reach Seneca Creek.

What to Listen For: The wind whipping through the forest at the summit, so strong and constant that the peak鈥檚 red spruces have become deformed and only have branches and nettles on one side.

7. Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, Idaho

滨诲补丑辞鈥檚 Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness is the largest federally designated wilderness area in the lower 48 at a robust 2.37 million acres. That means if you鈥檙e standing in the heart of Frank Church, there isn鈥檛 a road or mechanical device within two million acres. Promising from an auditory perspective.

Most people experience Frank Church from the hull of a raft careening down the Salmon River, which is a bucket list adventure to be sure, but it鈥檚 not exactly the peaceful scenario we鈥檙e looking for here. I say lace up your boots and explore one of the primitive trails that traverse the Frank.

The hiking is tough (rangers recommend you carry a handsaw in case you need to clear any downed trees), but the offers an approachable entry into the wilderness. Pick up the trailhead at the Langer Monument on Beaver Creek Road and hike 2.1 miles to the aforementioned backcountry lake. The climbing begins immediately, gaining almost 1,000 feet in the first mile, but it levels out in a valley recovering from a previous wildfire. The lake itself is a 12-acre pond at the base of the craggy Roughneck Peak that is known to have feisty rainbow and cutthroat trout if you are so inclined.

What to Listen For: The sound of your fly smacking the water as you hunt patiently for one of the wild trout within the lake.

8. 100-Mile Wilderness, Maine

The 2,000-mile long Appalachian Trail, running from North Georgia to North Maine, is arguably the most famous footpath in the world. Some 2,000 people try to hike the entire thing every year, but most of them give up before they hit Maine. That means they never get to experience the 100-Mile Wilderness, the most remote stretch of the entire A.T., with no paved roads or towns along its corridor. The terrain is a mix of backcountry lakes, craggy peaks, and dense hardwood forests, with steep climbs and a tread that is notoriously rocky and rooty.听 So why bother, you ask? For the chance to take cold dips in backcountry lakes, spy 360-degree vistas from peaks, and experience real solitude, which can be tough to find on the eastern seaboard.

You could hike the entire thing if you鈥檙e looking for an epic adventure ( can help with logistics like shuttles and food drops), but if you don鈥檛 have the requisite week to 10 days this sort of effort requires, I recommend heading to the portion of the 100 Mile Wilderness. This is a 1,600-acre tract owned and preserved by Maine Audubon that offers day hikers a manageable intro to the wilderness via a handful of short trails. Hike the 1-mile , which follows the shore of a pond before climbing to the rocky, dual-peak summits of Borestone Mountain. From there, you鈥檒l get a 360-degree view of the wilderness that, on a clear day, extends all the way to Mount Katahdin, the northern terminus of the A.T.

What to Listen For: It鈥檚 an Audubon preserve, so listen for the 10 warbler species that call the sanctuary home. Peregrine falcons are also known to soar near the craggy peaks, and moose are commonly found near the lakes.

9. Deer Haven, Badlands National Park, South Dakota

If you want to get away from the noise of modern life, heading to South Dakota is a good start; the entire state has less than a million residents, many of whom are huddled in Sioux Falls. Exploring Badlands National Park will get you even further from any ambient noise, as the park鈥檚 steep canyons, tall buttes, and thick red clay have appeared inhospitable to humans since the Lakota gave the area the 鈥渂adlands鈥� moniker. But tough terrain often equals quiet, as few visitors venture into the park鈥檚 backcountry.

Start at the Conata Picnic Area and pick up the , an unmaintained game trail that leads for 2.5 miles through grasslands and between buttes to a cluster of juniper trees. Bring a tent and find a primitive site either in the prairie at the base of the buttes or tucked into the junipers.

What to Listen For: Keep an ear out for the hooves of the 1,000-strong bison herd that roams this section of Badlands.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, he is fortunate enough to live within a few hours of three free national parks. He recently wrote about the best hikes in Joshua Tree National Park, his favorite mountain town, and the national park he chose as the most adventurous.

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It has been more than two weeks since the Trump administration let go of hundreds of National Park Service (NPS) employees, and the exact impact of the cuts have yet to play out鈥攖hough experts anticipate everything from longer lines to overflowing trashcans to major safety concerns. Last weekend, the , a group made up of current and former NPS workers, and other public lands enthusiasts held protests across U.S. parks. On Saturday, March 1, 2025, more than 433 different protests occurred in support of national parks.

 

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Here is a roundup of the most creative signs we saw this weekend:

 

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This is just one batch of the many protests that have come to fruition since the layoffs. Last month, climbers and National Park rangers in Yosemite hung an upside down flag on El Capitan, signaling a sign of distress and sounding the alarm for other cities and parks to do the same.

 

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Alex Wild, 35, has been a park ranger for 15 years, working seasonal National Park Service positions for five of the last six years. Then, in 2024, Wild landed his dream job as an interpretive ranger at California鈥檚 Devil鈥檚 Postpile National Monument. He was still within the 12-month probationary period that all NPS workers undergo when they start a new position when the Trump Administration began slashing NPS jobs on February 14. Like thousands of other federal workers, Wild was told that afternoon that he鈥檇 been let go.

鈥淚 was the one who interacted with the park鈥檚 visitors, who handed out the badges for the Junior Ranger program, who coordinated visits from churches and other community groups,鈥� Wild told 国产吃瓜黑料. He was also the park鈥檚 only EMT, and the first responder for emergencies, assisting in multiple incidents every week.

Like many cut NPS staffers, Wild to express his sadness. 鈥淢y heart is broken for all of the other people who lost their jobs and their housing,鈥� he wrote on Instagram. 鈥淢y heart is broken for the parks and landscapes that will be damaged. And my heart is broken for my country.鈥�

Wild is one of an estimated 5,000 employees working for public lands who have lost their jobs since February 14. About 1,000 of these were with the National Park Service鈥攁nother reportedly took buyouts and went into early retirement. The rest were with the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

 

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In the days since the massive layoffs, media outlets and the public have sought to understand how these cuts will impact specific National Parks. After all, the busy spring and summer travel seasons are on the horizon, and in just a few weeks millions of Americans will descend on America鈥檚 parklands and campgrounds for their vacations.

Most NPS site have yet to publish details on which jobs have been lost amid the culling, and the NPS’s national office has not distributed a list of fired employees.听国产吃瓜黑料 reached out to the NPS national office to inquire about specific jobs that were terminated, but the agency didn’t respond. 听鈥淭he National Park Service is hiring seasonal workers to continue enhancing the visitor experience as we embrace new opportunities for optimization and innovation in workforce management. We are focused on ensuring that every visitor has the chance to explore and connect with the incredible, iconic spaces of our national parks,鈥� read a statement released by the NPS on February 27.

Instead, the public has pieced together information via , , and crowdsourced information. This lack of details has caused headaches with the non-profit groups that work with the NPS and other agencies to assist with trail projects and fundraising.

鈥淭here hasn鈥檛 been any transparency from the administration about the layoffs or deferred resignations. The public is in the dark,鈥� said Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of governmental affairs for the National Park Conservation Association. 鈥淭hankfully, many park rangers and staff who were laid off are speaking out and we are learning more about the positions lost. It should concern the public that maintenance technicians, wildlife biologists, interpreters, archeologists, ecologists who test water safety, fishery biologists, and EMTs were fired.鈥�

Amid the lack of information, social media posts like the one Wild published have helped media outlets and the general public get a sense of just how sweeping and damaging the cuts have been to the agency. This month, a non-profit group called the (ANPR) has shared crowdsourced information about how many layoffs have occurred at each park. The information was compiled by a seasonal ranger who has asked to remain anonymous. The ranger has maintained a detailed spreadsheet with the number of jobs lost at all 433 NPS sites, including the 63 national parks.

Bill Wade, the executive director of the ANPR, called the list “unofficial,” but said that the information has come from reliable sources.

“These numbers come from existing employees at national parks, or from friends groups that know what is going on at the park,” he told 国产吃瓜黑料.听Wade said that social media posts like the one Wild published have also helped his group tally the layoffs.

As of Friday, February 28, the group had charted 759 firings. 国产吃瓜黑料 was able to view the spreadsheet, and see how the layoffs impacted each national park. According to the ANPR鈥檚 data, these are the number of employees lost at each park:

• Acadia National Park: 8
• Arches National Park: 3
• Badlands National Park: 1
• Big Bend National Park: 5
• Biscayne National Park: 3
• Blue Ridge Parkway: 1
• Bryce Canyon National Park: 2
• Capitol Reef National Park: 1
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park: 14
• Channel Islands National Park: 6
• Congaree National Park: 1
• Crater Lake National Park: 1
• Cuyahoga Valley National Park: 4
• Death Valley National Park: 6
• Denali National Park and Reserve: 4
• Dry Tortugas National Park: 1
• Everglades National Park: 15
• Glacier National Park: 2
• Grand Canyon National Park: 10
• Grand Teton National Park: 4
• Great Basin National Park: 5
• Great Sand Dunes: 2
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 12
• Haleakala National Park: 7
• Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: 7
• Isle Royale National Park: 1
• Joshua Tree National Park: 6
• Kenai Fjords National Park: 1
• Lassen Volcanic National Park: 1
• Mammoth Cave National Park: 15
• Mesa Verde National Park: 2
• Mount Rainier National Park: 10
• National Capital Parks-East: 6
• American Samoa: 5
• North Cascades National Park: 6
• Olympic National Park: 5
• Petrified Forest National Park: 5
• Pinnacles National Park: 2
• Redwood National Park: 6
• Rocky Mountain National Park: 12
• Saguaro National Park: 2
• Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park: 10
• Shenandoah National Park: 15
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park: 2
• Virgin Islands National Park: 2
• Wrangell-St Elias: 1
• Yellowstone National Park: 7
• Yosemite National Park: 9
• Zion National Park: 11

 

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Other areas managed by the NPS have suffered major cuts as well, according to the ANPR data. Lake Mead National Recreation area in Arizona lost 13 staffers, including an aquatic ecologist who tests water safety. Gateway National Recreation Area in New York and New Jersey lost 11 staffers. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area lost 12, and Golden Gate National Recreation Area lost 10. The NPS鈥檚 Historic Preservation Training Center, a group that helps restore and maintain historic structures, let 34 people go.

The cuts have impacted a wide swath of jobs, from custodians and trail maintenance crews, to visitor center workers and听 fee collectors, as well as scientists and teachers. “We’ve been told that interpretive rangers and people who do education for kids and school groups were hit the hardest,” Wade said. “And people who are involved in collecting fees.”

Aubry Andreas, 29, was working as a visual information specialist at Rocky Mountain National Park when she became one of the park鈥檚 12 probationary employees fired on February 14.

Andres oversaw all of the park鈥檚 printed materials, which in 2023 was the fifth-most visited NPS site with 4 million visitors. Among her tasks were creating the annual visitor’s guide, maintaining the official park map and the area maps that get handed out to visitors, and helping with park signage.

At the time of her termination, Aubry was leading an initiative to develop a new accessibility guide to Rocky Mountain,听both for people with physical limitations as well as cognitive considerations. She was also redesigning the park鈥檚 junior ranger book using money from a grant.

鈥淭he crazy thing is, I鈥檓 the only Visual Information Specialist there,鈥� Andreas told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淣ow that I’m gone, all that work will either have to get dropped鈥攚hich obviously is going to impact visitors鈥攐r it’s going to get placed onto other people who already have their own full breadth of duties and responsibilities to carry out.鈥�

A group of former and current NPS workers plan to hold protests at more than 100 sites managed by the agency. The group is calling itself 鈥�.鈥�

Other Agencies Feel the Cuts

Thousands of employees with other agencies overseeing public land have also lost their jobs throughout February. estimates that the National Forest Service lost 3,400 positions. Throughout February, laid-off employees from these agencies have also posted about their plights online.

The day before she lost her job with the U.S. Forest Service, Arianna Knight, the Wilderness Trails Supervisor for the Yellowstone Ranger District in Montana, was working late. She traversed the backcountry adjacent to Yellowstone National Park by snowmobile, doing routine maintenance on one of her district鈥檚 ten public rental cabins. When Knight, 29, returned to the office, she received an ominous text from her boss. 鈥淭here were whisperings of the terminations starting,鈥� Knight told 国产吃瓜黑料.

At home that evening, Knight checked the /fednews page on Reddit and learned that probationary employees听were going to be fired. Since stepping into a management role earlier in the year, she had been given that designation.

鈥淚 went into the office the next day knowing it was a lost cause,鈥� Knight said.

Losing Knight will have a dramatic impact on the Yellowstone Ranger District. In 2024 her maintenance team鈥攕he managed between two and eight workers鈥攃leared 4,062 trees that had fallen across trails near Yellowstone. Knight believes her ranger district won’t have the manpower in 2025 to do the same job. 鈥淭here鈥檚 not enough support available from nonprofits and volunteers, and they’re not specialized enough to do the type of work that we do,” she said.

Nate Stickler, 25, who was a trails crew leader in Colorado鈥檚 San Juan National Forest, told 国产吃瓜黑料 that he was two months away from finishing his probationary period when the cuts came down. The San Juan trails crew is comprised of seasonal workers, mostly novices, and volunteers. At the start of the season, it was Stickler鈥檚 job to train the crew, on everything from how to use a radio for communications in the backcountry to how to use a chainsaw.

鈥淭his is absolutely going to affect people鈥檚 experience of our public lands,鈥� Stickler said. 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping that people will speak up and contact their congress person before the situation gets completely out of control.鈥�

Wild contends that by opting to fire people on probationary status, the federal government will lose some of its best public land managers. 鈥淭hese are the people who鈥檇 just gotten promotions,鈥� he said. 鈥淥r who鈥檇 performed so well in seasonal roles that they were offered permanent positions.鈥�

Sam Oseroff, 34, is one. In 2024 he was hired by the Middle Fork Ranger District in Willamette National Forest as a seasonal employee. After several months, the NFS offered him a permanent job as a forestry technician, starting in January, 2025.

鈥淚t was bad timing,鈥� Osteroff said. Doubly so because he鈥檇 just purchased a house鈥攁 decision he鈥檇 made after getting the offer for permanent work.

When Osteroff was let go, he was in the midst of replacing rotted beams on the roof of a shelter in one of the district鈥檚 campgrounds. He鈥檚 not sure who will take over the project, or how the rest of the maintenance that happens during winter is going to get finished. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a hot springs, a couple dozen trailheads, and about 15 campgrounds,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd only two people left to take care of them.鈥�

He’s also worried about the portion of the national forest closest to Eugene, Oregon, where unhoused people sometimes set up temporary camps, leaving behind garbage and human waste. 鈥淚n the fall, we filled a pickup truck and 26-foot trailer full of gross stuff from a campsite we found along Salomon Creek,” he said.

Knight said what鈥檚 happening is a devastating loss. 鈥淣ot only was my career taken from me in a way that can’t be replaced, but an entire industry is being dismantled,鈥� she said.

The post Here鈥檚 How Many Employees Each National Park Is Losing appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.