Our National Parks

Our National Parks - A National Treasure 

Our National Park System received 281 million recreation visits in 2010. These visits contributed 258,400 jobs, $9.8 billion in labor income, and $16.6 billion in value added to the national economy.

Our National parks contain many of our nation's most treasured landscapes, from the majestic mountain ranges of Alaska to the vast saw-grass prairies of the Everglades. To safeguard these treasures, the National Park Service combines the best available science with innovative education and stewardship programs, such as Biodiversity Discovery, the Climate Change Youth Initiative, and Geoscientists-in-Parks.

We encourage you to "Explore Nature." Learn about the natural resources in parks, from the rocks under our feet to the sky overhead and everything in between. Discover the issues that affect our parks and how we join with neighbors and partners to address them. Meet the people who protect our parks and learn how you can help preserve these treasures for generations to come.

Check out the latest about our wonderful National Parks here:

http://www.nature.nps.gov/

CDTA Closes Down

It is indeed a sad story.  The Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA) will close its doors and shut down its operations because of the lack of funding. For many years, the CDTA has been the vision and guiding force in planning, developing, and maintaining the awesome Continental Divide Trail. The hiking and backpacking community will certainly miss them as an advocate for the hiking experience.  Go to the CDTA web site to read the entire story.

http://www.cdtrail.org/page.php