News

On Saturday, March 3, 2018, a wildland fire was spotted in the Johnson’s Ranch area of Big Bend National Park. The fire is currently estimated to have burned 1,000 acres between Loop Camp and Gauging Station, primarily in mesquite and river cane vegetation along the river corridor. The cause of the fire is still under […]

Peg Leg Smith Liar’s Contest is all about fun. Thomas L. Smith (1801-1866) was a notorious mountain man, guide, fur trapper, prospector, horse thief, and liar. As for his prospecting, the only truth known about his discoveries is he was in fact in the Borrego Springs area (1840’s), roamed the valley and Santa Rosa Mountains,

Tucson, AZ – On Tuesday, February 20, work began at the front entrance to Saguaro National Park, Rincon Mountain District (east) to replace and install a new automatic front gate. During all phases of construction, traffic will be restricted down to a single lane. Once completed, the new gate will decrease operational costs incurred through

Tucson, AZ – On Tuesday, February 13th, a visitor bicycling in Saguaro National Park along the Cactus Forest Loop Drive in the Rincon Mountain District, east of Tucson, was bitten by a fox. It is unusual for foxes to display aggressive behavior, especially during the day. Because of this reported behavior, there is concern that

The National Park Service will temporarily close Salt Valley Road in Arches National Park starting Monday, March 5, 2018, in order to accommodate routine maintenance needs. Salt Valley Road is an unpaved, two-wheel-drive road that leaves the park’s main paved road near Devils Garden, passes through Salt Valley, and exits at the north end of the

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – The National Park Service (NPS) will again offer shuttle bus service between Grand Canyon National Park and the neighboring town of Tusayan in 2018. In anticipation of large spring break crowds, the route will begin service on Thursday, March 1. The Tusayan Route will run at 20- minute intervals between 8

SPRINGDALE, UT – Rock climbing routes on cliffs used by nesting peregrine falcons in Zion National Park will be temporarily closed, beginning March 1, 2018. Closures are implemented due to the falcon’s sensitivity to disturbance during the nesting season. If disturbed, the nesting pair may abandon their nest site and not nest again until the

BOISE, Idaho – With a fleet of 312 unmanned aircraft, the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Office of Aviation Services flew nearly 5,000 missions in 2017 to support everything from fighting wildfires to monitoring dams and spillways and mapping wildlife. The accomplishments of its unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drone program, can be found in

Beginning Monday, February 12, Manzanar’s 3.2-mile auto tour road will be closed for paving. The project is expected to last until late April. Visitors can still explore the site on foot and/or drive to the camp cemetery via dirt roads on the north and west boundaries of the site. The current road surface is dirt

SPRINGDALE, UT – The body of a female visitor was discovered in Refrigerator Canyon along the West Rim Trail around just before 5:00 p.m. Monday, February 5, 2018. Park Law Enforcement was dispatched to secure the scene, and a search and rescue team was assembled to recover the woman’s body. The injuries sustained were consistent