national parks

Zion National Park’s shuttle buses are ditching the propane and going electric

David Condos

The new shuttles are part of Zion’s long-term plan to manage growing visitor numbers while preserving the park’s natural beauty.

The entrance to Arches National Park in southern Utah, March 10, 2023.

Politics & Government

Government shutdown? Not for Utah’s national parks, Cox says

Sean Higgins

The state has previously stepped in to fund park operations, something Gov. Spencer Cox said is critical for rural communities.

Elke Vanderelst, right, lifts her son to get a drink from a water fountain outside a Zion National Park visitor center.

Sports & Recreation

This is what a day with extreme heat looks like at Zion National Park

David Condos

Even with temperatures reaching well over 100 degrees, visitors continue to flock to Utah’s Zion National Park. That means park staff have to work extra hard to keep people safe.

Water levels at Lake Powell, note the white bathtub ring on the rockface, as of May 13, 2023.

Health, Science & Environment

Lake Powell boat ramps start to reopen as epic snowmelt offers a temporary reprieve

David Condos

Many boat ramps closed as the Colorado River drought pushed Powell to record lows. But abundant snowmelt is bringing some good, if temporary, news for both recreation enthusiasts and the local economy.

Jan Balsom, left, Havasupai ceremonial practitioner Uqualla and Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable pose for a photograph Thursday, May 4, 2023, at the park's South Rim. The Havasupai Tribe and the park marked the renaming of a popular campground below the rim from Indian Garden to Havasupai Gardens. (AP Photo/Ty O'Neil)

Race, Religion & Social Justice

Forced from Grand Canyon National Park, the Havasupai Tribe embraces spiritual homecoming

Associated Press

Members of a small tribe in Arizona are marking the renaming of a popular campground in Grand Canyon National Park as Havasupai Gardens. The Havasupai Tribe had lobbied the federal government for years to change the name from Indian Garden.

A snow-dusted North Window in the pre-dawn light at Arches National Park, Feb. 24, 2022.

Sports & Recreation

Cooperation, not ‘polite rejection,’ will help national parks overcrowding, says Rep. Moore

Sean Higgins

Overcrowding has been an issue at some of the nation’s most popular parks over the past decade.

Volunteers work on clean-up and maintenance projects in the San Rafael Reef Wilderness at a National Public Lands Day 2021 event, Oct. 12, 2021.

Health, Science & Environment

National Public Lands Day brings all the conservation volunteers to the yard

Elle Cabrera

This Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, is Public Lands Day. It is more than a fee-free day at National Parks, it's also for people to help conserve protected areas.