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Post by Owen on Sept 3, 2020 23:41:54 GMT
1 ~~~ You Can Practically Have Yosemite National Park to Yourself This Fall ~ Conde Nast ~~~ 118
As the fifth most-visited national park in the country (4.5 millions visitors in 2019), Yosemite might not seem like the best place to escape to during a pandemic. But some changes at the park that went into effect in summer 2020 have made it not only a safer place to travel, but a more pleasant spot to visit in general. After closing in March, Yosemite reopened in June with a reservation system that limits the number of visitors entering the park by car. Keeping the number of cars down is having the dual effect of making it easier for visitors to maintain a safe distance from each other and greatly reducing traffic, which has been a scourge at the park for years.
The park is having a magical moment with less crowding and more wildlife sightings, says longtime park ranger Scott Gediman. "We might never get the chance to see Yosemite this way again in our lifetimes,” he says. After a recent visit to the park, my third, I can confirm that Gediman is right. I found the park transformed. There were no traffic jams or clogged parking lots, and it felt like my kids and I had miles of popular trails all to ourselves.
As we go into the fall, there’s a good chance Yosemite’s current state of wilderness bliss will hit an even higher note when the usual decline in summer visitors and excellent hiking weather combine with the reservation system’s crowd control, making it a great time to visit.
www.cntraveler.com/story/you-can-practically-have-yosemite-national-park-to-yourself-this-fall ~ 1 September 2020 ~ |
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Post by Owen on Sept 3, 2020 23:49:09 GMT
2 ~~~ National Park Rangers on the Essential Items Visitors Always Forget ~~~ From sun protection to star-gazing maps.
As we stay closer to home, a visit to a nearby national park is on many travelers’ to-do lists this summer. But as easy as a trip to the parks can feel, having a safe, stress-free visit also requires doing your research—and coming with the proper gear.
“Our national parks aren’t just playgrounds for us to run and hike, though they are also for those things,” says Sandy Snell-Dobert, a ranger at Colorado’s Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. “But they’re set aside for preservation of spectacular resources.” Included in those wild resources? Rugged terrain, wildlife, and a whole lot of land to get lost on.
To help you plan your next visit accordingly—and avoid all-too-common visitor mistakes—we dialed up nearly a dozen national park rangers, stationed at parks throughout the country, and asked them what visitors should pack when coming to their park. They had a lot to say. From survival essentials to entertainment, like a deck of cards to break out around the campfire, they spill on the must-haves that’ll improve your visit to any park in the U.S.
Whether you’re headed to camp beneath El Capitan at Yosemite, riding in a puddle jumper in Alaska’s Katmai National Park, or day-tripping to Shenandoah National Park from Washington, D.C., here’s exactly what you need for your national park visit.
www.cntraveler.com/gallery/what-to-pack-national-parks ~ 19 August 2020 ~ |
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Post by Owen on Sept 3, 2020 23:51:02 GMT
3 ~~~ The Most Beautiful Photo We Could Find of Every U.S. National Park ~~~ The Grand Canyon is just the beginning.
White sand beaches, swamps, stalagmite-filled caves, glaciers, hot springs you can swim in (and ones you definitely can't), rainforests, scorching deserts, volcanoes (dormant and active): The national parks scattered throughout the United States and its territories truly have it all. And while the 62 recognized parks only make up a fraction of the 419 sites that comprise the National Park Service, they represent some of the finest natural environments America has to offer. Here, our national parks, from A to Z.
This article was originally published in June 2017. It has been updated with new information.
www.cntraveler.com/gallery/the-59-us-national-parks-in-photos ~ 28 April 2020 ~ + 15 Hot Springs Around the World That Are All About the Natural Views ~~~ These photogenic attractions have us bubbling with excitement.
Hot springs, where scalding water has bubbled up to the surface, are some of the most amazing natural wonders you can encounter. For centuries, these mineral-rich waters have either gathered naturally into pools or have been channeled into man-made spas, both options providing therapeutic and medicinal benefits—and some good old-fashioned relaxation. (Because who doesn't love a hot tub?) And while you may not be able to take a dip in some of these springs, they're still photogenic enough to get you hundreds of likes on Instagram. Here, 15 of the best hot springs around the world. ~~~ www.cntraveler.com/gallery/the-best-hot-springs-in-the-world ~ 7 May 2020 ~ |
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Post by Owen on Sept 3, 2020 23:53:50 GMT
4 ~~~ The 50 Most Beautiful Places in America ~~~ Spacious skies, amber waves of grain, and more. You could spend a lifetime exploring the sites of the United States, all as beautiful as they are diverse. Hawaii's vertical Na'Pali Coast is easily one of the most beautiful coastlines on the planet. Denali National Park in Alaska is worth braving the extreme low temperatures. And perhaps you've heard of a charming little tourist destination known as the Grand Canyon? Whether you're looking for nature's greatest hits or hidden gems that take a little digging to find, here are (in no particular order) 50 of the most beautiful places in America. This gallery was last published in July 2019. It has been updated with new information. www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2016-07-04/the-50-most-beautiful-places-in-america ~ 8 May 2020 ~ |
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Post by Owen on Sept 3, 2020 23:55:39 GMT
5 ~~~ The Most Beautiful Place in Every U.S. State ~~~ Think of this as your starting point to the most epic cross-country trip ever.
If you've ever done a road trip across the U.S., you've probably stepped away thinking: How can one country look like that? No state is the same, and each has its stars, the kind of sights that make you catch your breath and nearly veer off the highway. Alaska's glaciers. Arizona's canyons. Arkansas's Ozarks. And that's only the As... What about the the coasts, from Big Sur to Kauai? Or the Kansas prairie? The geography of America is as diverse as it is photogenic; and if you're from here, it kind of makes you proud, knowing this is home. Picking just 50 places isn't easy, but we polled our Facebook followers, did some digging, and came up with this list of the must-see, must-visit spots in each state. Of course, it only begins to scrape the surface of what this country has to offer—so consider it your starting point, and start exploring.
www.cntraveler.com/gallery/the-most-beautiful-place-in-every-us-state ~ 9 May 2018 ~ |
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