America’s National Parks Podcast

RV Miles Network

Explore our national parks — their history, their people, and their stories. read less

Our Editor's Take

America's National Parks Podcast explores the fascinating story of America's parks. The National Park Service has maintained national parks and monuments across the United States since 1916. It looks after over 400 units nationwide. These include famous parks such as Yellowstone and Yosemite National Park. Other locations include Denali National Park and Glacier National Park. Lauren Eisenberg Davis writes each episode, while Jason Epperson is the host.

America's National Parks form a crucial part of the nation's history. With this podcast, listeners can learn more about the parks and the park rangers who take care of them. Each weekly episode features an intriguing story. One episode covers female leaders in the Parks Service and their conservation work. The show speaks about accessibility and provisions for disabled visitors. Other episodes demonstrate how America's National Park Service fights against destruction. There is a discussion of the damage caused by Hurricane Hilary at Death Valley National Park in 2023. Another episode explores how the National Park Service stops vandalism and graffiti.

The podcast also explores the parks' plant and animal life. These parks are home to animals such as elephant seals, elks, ponies, and sea turtles. The podcast talks about climate change and its devastating effect on the Earth. Listeners can learn more about diversity in the parks and why it's so important to protect them.

The "National Parks News" episodes share park stories from across the country. These monthly episodes include park openings and closures for visitors. They share political news that may affect the parks, such as new laws and debates. News episodes also explore individuals' experiences. Listeners hear about those who have gotten into trouble or lost in the parks. This podcast features everything a visitor could need to know for a trip to a National Park. It also offers interesting facts and discoveries for nature lovers.

The America's National Parks Podcast is independent of the National Park Service. Each episode is approximately ten to 30 minutes long.

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Society & CultureSociety & Culture

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Echoes of the Past: The Saga of Theodore Roosevelt National Park's Wild Horses

Echoes of the Past: The Saga of Theodore Roosevelt National Park's Wild Horses

What's with the big controversy over wild horses? In this episode, we take a look at these creatures and their place in the ecology and history of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Use code PARKS30 for $30 off of a $500 or more booking at www.rvshare.com.

Episodes

Echoes of the Past: The Saga of Theodore Roosevelt National Park's Wild Horses

Echoes of the Past: The Saga of Theodore Roosevelt National Park's Wild Horses

What's with the big controversy over wild horses? In this episode, we take a look at these creatures and their place in the ecology and history of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Use code PARKS30 for $30 off of a $500 or more booking at www.rvshare.com.

National Park News | National Parks Get Vandalized, NPS Sued For Not Accepting Cash, New National Monument?

National Park News | National Parks Get Vandalized, NPS Sued For Not Accepting Cash, New National Monument?

In this episode, we're taking a look two vandalism incidents in national parks, a lawsuit against the National Park Service over not accepting cash as payment for entrance at some units, some potential new and expanded national monuments, and the details of the upcoming National Park Week. Use code PARKS30 for $30 off of a $500 or more booking at www.rvshare.com.

EXPLORE ACT Returns Filming in National Parks and Expands Access to Public Lands

EXPLORE ACT Returns Filming in National Parks and Expands Access to Public Lands

In this episode, we're taking a look at the new EXPLORE act, passed by the US House of Representatives and on its way to the Senate, that will establish new bike trails, new accessible trails, ease concessionaire permitting in National Parks, and more, along with revamping the rules that pretty much shut down filming videos in national parks over the past few years. Use code PARKS30 for $30 off of a $500 or more booking at www.rvshare.com.

The Measure of Wonder

The Measure of Wonder

In this episode of America's National Parks, we embark on a journey of comparison and discovery, exploring the grandeur of the natural world through the lens of America's most treasured landscapes. From the towering sequoias of California and the vast expanse of the Grand Canyon to the cliffs of Zion and the shifting sands of the Great Sand Dunes, we compare these natural wonders to man-made marvels, offering a unique perspective on scale and the awe-inspiring power of nature. Hosted by Jason Epperson Use promo code PARKS20OFF to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Poaching in the Everglades

Poaching in the Everglades

An entire food chain lives in the Everglades. But throughout its coexistence with man, the Everglades have been threatened by poachers, who disrupt the delicate balance of this important ecosystem. By Lauren Eisenberg Davis Hosted by Jason Epperson Use promo code PARKS20OFF to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Designing a National Park Visitor Center for the 21st Century

Designing a National Park Visitor Center for the 21st Century

The Zion Canyon Visitor Center is one of the greenest buildings in the National Park Service inventory. In this episode, we take a look at how it cools without air conditioners, heats without a furnace, and more. Plus, as park visitation grows, how a second visitor center on the other side of the park could improve the visitor experience. Use promo code PARKS20OFF to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

National Park News | Biden Proposes NPS Budget, Employee Housing Crisis, & More

National Park News | Biden Proposes NPS Budget, Employee Housing Crisis, & More

In this episode, we look at the final National Park visitation numbers for 2023, a new budget for the NPS from the White House, an employee housing crisis in the National Park Service, a new look at Gateway Arch National Park, and more. Use promo code PARKS20OFF to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Wives into the Wilderness: The Unpaid Force That Shaped National Parks

Wives into the Wilderness: The Unpaid Force That Shaped National Parks

In this episode, we delve into the untold stories of the women who lived in the shadows of America's majestic landscapes, their lives intertwined with the national parks we cherish today. The wives of National Park Rangers played a pivotal role in the early days of the National Park Service, yet their contributions have largely gone unrecognized. As we explore the isolation, challenges, and the remarkable resilience of these women, we uncover how they not only supported their families in the most remote wildernesses but also served as de facto rangers, contributing significantly to the operations and development of the parks. From leading tours to pioneering educational programs, their legacy is an integral part of the national park experience. Hosted by Jason Epperson With Narration by Abigail Trabue Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20OFF to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Nature's Palette: Unveiling Arizona's Petrified Forest

Nature's Palette: Unveiling Arizona's Petrified Forest

Dive into the heart of Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park, a landscape where the Painted Desert's kaleidoscopic hues meet the ancient, stone-cast logs of the Petrified Forest. This episode takes you through the mesmerizing colors and geological wonders that define the park, from the brilliant reds and oranges sculpted by mineral sediments to the fascinating process that transformed wood into quartz over millions of years. Explore the rich tapestry of past life, the deep human history etched into the land, and the strict conservation efforts preserving this unique ecosystem. By Lauren Eisenberg Davis Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20OFF to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

National Park News | Man Diverts a National Park River, New Shark Species Discovered, Rabies Scare at Saguaro

National Park News | Man Diverts a National Park River, New Shark Species Discovered, Rabies Scare at Saguaro

In this month's national park news, new-to-science fossils have been uncovered at Mammoth Cave and John Day Fossil Beds, a rabies scare is taking hold at Saguaro National Park, a man gets convicted for diverting the Platte River at Sleeping Bear Dunes, and more. Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20OFF to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Stiltsville: An Offshore Hideaway at Biscayne National Park

Stiltsville: An Offshore Hideaway at Biscayne National Park

Set against the backdrop of Miami’s skyline, six structures rise from the turquoise waters of Biscayne Bay. Rugged and isolated, these houses on stilts are an unexpected site in the midst of a national park water world that was designated to preserve the coral reefs, seagrasses, mangrove forests, and other natural features. Cormorants and herons perch on the houses' roofs, railings, and pylons. Dolphins and manatees swim between them. Together, these six structures are all that remain of Stiltsville's whimsical history, although none are among the original twenty-seven that formed this curiosity in the midst of a national park that is ninety-five percent water. How did such a village come to exist and what does the future hold for these few relics that remain? By Lauren Eisenberg Davis Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20OFF to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Harboring History: The Salem Maritime Site and America's Cultural Treasures

Harboring History: The Salem Maritime Site and America's Cultural Treasures

Salem Maritime is not just any National Historic Site; it’s the first place the National Park Service was tasked with preserving that wasn’t about nature, scenery, or wildlife. Over 160 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, It was time to preserve our history. Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20 to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

National Park News | Park Service Morale Low, Investigative Ranger Ranks Dangerously Low

National Park News | Park Service Morale Low, Investigative Ranger Ranks Dangerously Low

In this month's news round-up, we take a look at some concerns about the ranks of National Park Service employees: morale is lower than that of other federal employees, and Park Service criminal investigators are down by nearly half. Plus, actor Pierce Brosnan has been busted for going off-trail in a thermal area of Yellowstone, a Mexican Wolf has been spotted in Valles Caldera after nearly 100 years away, and more. Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20 to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Denali, and the Effects of Gold Mining in the Kantishna Hills

Denali, and the Effects of Gold Mining in the Kantishna Hills

Gold Mining drew the world's eye to the wonders of Alaska. Some of our most treasured landscapes were explored in the first place in the effort to strike it rich. But what are the ramifications of gold mining in our national parks? Even in places where it ended a century ago? In this episode, we explore the effects of gold mining in the Kantishna hills of Denali National Park. Find the Alaska Park Science Journal here: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/alaskaparkscience/index.htm Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20 to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Second Only to George Washington

Second Only to George Washington

George Rogers Clark, the twenty-six-year-old commander of the Kentucky Militia, petitioned Virginia governor Patrick Henry to be allowed to take 500 American troops into Kentucky (already annexed to Virginia) to conquer the Northwest for Virginia, and increase the footprint of the state and its aspiring country. He proposed to claim the key towns and forts for America, on a march to ultimately conquer Fort Detroit. Patrick Henry agreed. The 500 troops never materialized. Instead, Clark found a mere 130 or so men at his disposal. Young, persistent, bold, and innovative, he was undeterred, never considering the possibility of abandoning his plan, despite floods, starvation, and the constant threat of his scant troops slipping off in the night to scramble for home. Clark and his men accomplished one of the greatest underdog victories by means of deception. Written by Lauren Eisenberg Davis Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20 to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com. "George Rogers Clark and the Winning of the Old Northwest" can be found here: https://amzn.to/3RZGXGj

News From The Parks | Navy Rescues Motorcycles from Death Valley, 3 New National Park Sites, Yosemite Reservations Return, More

News From The Parks | Navy Rescues Motorcycles from Death Valley, 3 New National Park Sites, Yosemite Reservations Return, More

In this episode, we share all the ins and outs of Yosemite's new returning reservation system; we share the news about three new National Park Service sites; two motorcyclists took a closed road in Death Valley and had to be rescued by the US Navy, and more. Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20 to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Vandalism and Capitalism vs Historical Artifacts: Defacement in the NPS

Vandalism and Capitalism vs Historical Artifacts: Defacement in the NPS

The defacement at National Park sites goes beyond graffiti, and each layer peeled back raises more questions about what destruction is vs. what a historical artifact is. Somewhere in between the ancient rock markings from the Native Americans and the brash, purposeful defacement by current-day visitors, lies an entire spectrum that comprises a a very grey area for interpretation. Written by Lauren Eisenberg Davis Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20 to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Christmas in Yellowstone

Christmas in Yellowstone

For this holiday season, we thought it’d be great to revisit short stories we told way back in 2018 about magical Christmases in America’s first national park. Hear the splendor of the holidays in early years at Yellowstone, and discover how three 6-year-olds saved Christmas from an impending disaster. Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20 to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

A Dream of Peace

A Dream of Peace

At the 125th anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg, Nearing the end of the Cold War, famous scientist Dr. Carl Sagan would re-dedicate the Eternal Light Peace Memorial. The speech, co-written with his wife Ann Druyan, juxtaposed the weapons of the Battle of Gettysburg with the weapons of subsequent wars, highlighting the increased potential for destruction with each war. Sagan used the platform he was given to call for nuclear disarmament, underscoring the need to recognize our humanity as brothers and to work toward peace. Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20 to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

National Park News | Park Reservations in ’24, a Daring Whale Rescue, and More

National Park News | Park Reservations in ’24, a Daring Whale Rescue, and More

From the reintroduction of timed entry systems at Arches, Glacier, and Rocky Mountain National Parks for 2024 to the National Park Service's commitment to increasing female representation in law enforcement roles, a lot is happening across the country's parks. We also dive into the concerning discovery of chronic wasting disease in a mule deer at Yellowstone National Park, the heroic rescue of an entangled humpback whale at Glacier Bay National Park, and the groundbreaking for the Texas White House Rehabilitation Project at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, and more. Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks. Use promo code PARKS20 to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.