This issue of National Park Explorer features Olympic National Park as seen through the eyes of NPCA staffer Shane Farnor. Shane’s slideshow captures the beauty of the park and the sense of excitement and joy the visit inspired. It’s an excellent reminder to us all to get out in the parks this summer and have fun! To help you with your travel plans, we’ve created a top ten list of parks with special events and new exhibits. Or perhaps you might enjoy an NPCA-led trip? If so, read about our next trip to Kenai Fjords in Alaska. And while you’re in the parks, make sure to get your National Parks Passport stamped as you go!
In This Issue
Featured Park: Olympic National Park
Celebrating 100 Years of the Antiquities Act
Travel in the Parks This Summer:
New Adventures in Our National Parks
Travel with NPCA: Kenai Alaska Adventure
Get Your Park Passport & Start Collecting Park Stamps
You’re Invited
Featured Park: Olympic National Park
An Olympic Adventure, Staff Journal
by Shane Farnor, Program and Volunteer Coordinator, Northwest Regional Office
In late April, following a retreat for NPCA’s regional employees, ten intrepid staffers met up for a one-night backpack trip along the wild coastline of Olympic National Park. The park’s coastal strip stretches about 60 miles from Shi Shi Beach in the north to the Kalaloch area in the south. Our group was made up of people from all over the country— California, Florida, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C. For several, this was their first time experiencing the longest stretch of uninterrupted wilderness coast in the Lower 48. It was a true adventure. We had some sun, some fog, some rain. We had to hoist ourselves (with fully loaded packs) over slippery bluffs with nothing but a light rope. We encountered one very assertive chipmunk during lunch our first day. Some of us unexpectedly got wet from the sneaky surf. We had a wonderful time!
As you view the snapshots and read the notes from our trip, imagine the continual sound of waves crashing on the rocky shores, the occasional call of a bald eagle as it approaches its lofty perch, and the pitter-patter of rain against the hood of your jacket. Relax and enjoy the slideshow!
Read the Olympic State of the Parks report
Celebrating 100 Years of the Antiquities Act
On June 8, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the first piece of legislation to protect the natural and cultural resources of the United States. Today it is known as the Antiquities Act. Under this law, presidents have the authority to protect national landmarks by designating them as national monuments to ensure that our nation's archaeological resources, historic structures, and natural areas are preserved for future generations.
Over the past hundred years, 14 presidents have used the Antiquities Act to establish more than 120 national monuments across the United States, many of which have become part of the National Park System. In 2005, units of the National Park System protected in whole or in part through the Antiquities Act received more than 45 million visitors—nearly one out of every six national park visits.
Without the use of the Antiquities Act, our National Park System would look much different today. The act has facilitated the protection of more than 25 percent of the National Park System, including spectacular national treasures like the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Zion, Joshua Tree, Wrangell-St. Elias, and the Statue of Liberty.
The Antiquities Act stands as one of our nation’s most powerful tools for protecting national landmarks. The centennial celebration of the Antiquities Act represents an important achievement in history, one that helps preserve America's heritage.
Read the Fact sheet
Read the Press Release
New Adventures in Our National Parks This Summer
“Whether it’s a short weekend getaway or extended trip across country, new educational programs and thrilling exhibits in our national parks offer fun and adventure for travelers this summer.”
–Tom Kiernan, NPCA president
Are you making travel plans for the summer? Thinking of visiting a national park? If so, NPCA may be able to help you put your trip together. We’ve created a top ten list of parks with new programs and special events for the summer. New adventures include:
- Discovering the cultural heritage of the Cherokee Indians in a new exhibit in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, that features tours and stories that retell the traditions of the Cherokee Indians in both English and Cherokee languages;
- Commemorating the centennial of the Niagara Movement, the cornerstone of the modern African American civil rights movement—August 18-20 at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, West Virginia;
- Celebrating Mesa Verde’s 100th birthday with a celebration of festivals, lectures, and access to sites that have been closed to the public for decades in a four-day festival from June 29-July 2 in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado.
Read the Full Top Ten List
Travel with NPCA: Kenai Alaska Adventure
Join NPCA for a unique tour that focuses on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula with its diverse landscape of mountains, glaciers, and marine ecosystems. Local naturalists will point out wildlife, interpret the geology, and share issues facing the region. A behind-the-scenes tour at the Alaska SeaLife Center offers an unrivaled experience with the region’s marine animals. Explore the stunning marine ecosystem on a boat tour of Kenai Fjords National Park along with great wildlife and bird watching, and enjoy the rare opportunity to spend time on the protected coves of Fox Island. The flexible pace of the trip includes opportunities for varying levels of activity, including cycling, sea kayaking, nature walks, tram rides, and beachcombing. Accommodation options include the distinctive Alyeska Prince Hotel—a mountain lodge with great Alaska flavor—and private log cabins tucked in among the trees on Fox Island.
To participate call the NPCA Parkscapes Travel Desk at 800.488.4080.
Learn More About the Trip
Get Your Passport to the National Parks & Start Collecting Park Stamps
This summer add a new dimension to your park visits by collecting park stamps in your own national parks passport. The "passports" are available for purchase in many park bookstores or online for $7.95. Once you have your passport, you can get it stamped at many of the parks you visit. The cancellations, similar to those received in an international passport, are free and record the name of the park and the date of your visit. Collecting the stamps is fun, and each one serves as a lasting record of the parks you've visited. The book is also a compact, convenient travel guide to the parks. It includes information about the parks by region, color-coded maps, illustrations, and photographs. But be warned, once you get started collecting the stamps, you may well find yourself visiting new parks in unexpected places to help your collection grow! Ready to get started?
Visit the National Park Travelers Club to meet other collectors and to learn more about collecting Passport To Your National Parks cancellation stamps.
Buy your Passport and related items online from the program's sponsor, Eastern National.
You’re Invited
The Northwest National Parks Art Show “From Inspiration to Action” on Exhibit until September 2, 2006
Landscapes and wildlife of Northwest national parks are the subject of a new show titled "Northwest National Parks: From Inspiration to Action" at the NPCA Park Information Center in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square. The show consists of oil paintings, watercolors, and photographs by northwest artists Eric Eschenbach, Mary Lampe, and Shellye Poster. For more information, contact Shane Farnor, at 206.903.1444, ext. 24, or via e-mail at sfarnor@npca.org.
3rd Annual National Parks Family Day
NPCA’s Central Valley office is pleased to announce the Third Annual National Parks Family Day in Roeding Park, Fresno, California. This event brings the parks to the people on Saturday, July 8, to show families what neighboring national parks have to offer.
Located at the entrance of Storyland and Playland in Roeding Park, this free event allows residents the opportunity to learn first-hand about Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks. The fun begins at 11:30 a.m. and runs until 4:30 p.m. For more information, call the NPCA Central Valley field office at 559.229.9343 or send an email to Laine Hendricks.
Did You Know?
When you visit the national parks this summer, you may find fewer park rangers and more volunteers as our parks struggle to balance critical needs with fewer funds. Watch or read the June 2006 ABC News/World News Tonight story about the experiences of visitors and cutbacks at Yosemite.
From All the Staff at NPCA,
Thank you for your time and dedication to helping enhance and protect our national parks for present and future generations.
NPCA's park protection work is made possible by the generous support of people like you. An introductory membership is just $15, and includes a subscription to our award-winning National Parks Magazine. Join us Today!
National Park Explorer is a publication of the National Parks Conservation Association. Contact us at TakeAction@npca.org or write to us at 1300 19th Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036.
Visit us online at www.npca.org.
