What's Going on in America's National Parks?

It has been an odd summer in America's national parks. It seems like every few days lately there is another story of something odd or tragic happening inside one of the parks, including lots of encounters with wildlife and other strange going-ons. Here's a rundown of just some of the things that have been taking place within the past few weeks.

Of course, one of the biggest stories of the summer has been the bison attacks in Yellowstone. Just a few weeks back a woman was charged by a bison while she was using a selfie stick to take a photo. She had of course wandered a bit too close to the animal, which was then annoyed at her presence and expressed it the only way he knew how. I can't say as I blame him, as selfie sticks really annoy me too.

But this wasn't the only incident involving visitors to Yellowstone and the bison that live there. Far from it in fact. There have been at least five other bison attacks in the park this summer, as visitors seem to not be heeding the warnings about wandering too close to the large, and sometimes very aggressive, animals.

The bison aren't the only creatures to be wary of in Yellowstone either. Last week, a grizzly bear attacked and killed a hiker there too. 63-year old Lance Crosby was described as a very experienced hiker who had been working at medical clinics within the park for the past five years. It is unclear exactly what happened, but it seems likely that Crosby came upon the bear while hiking alone, and was attacked as a result. The bear was later captured and euthanized.


Over in Yosemite, a child has been diagnosed with the plague. It seems the child picked up the disease – which is the same as the "Black Death" that ravaged Europe in the 14th century – in a campground within the park. Apparently it can be transmitted from flea bites and takes about 3-7 days to incubate within the human body. Fortunately, it was diagnosed and treated quickly, so this young person is going to be fine. But the mere thought of being exposed to such a disease in this day and age is a bit startling.

The campground in question is Crane Flat by the way. It has been closed this week while health officials apply flea treatment to the burros of rodents that live in the area. It is hoped that that will kill the fleas carrying the plague and make it safe to return again soon.

Finally, there is the sad story of the French couple who died while hiking in the White Sands National  Monument earlier this week. Apparently they ran low on water while trekking in temperatures the exceeded 100ºF/37ºC and eventually succumbed to dehydration and heat exhaustion. The two gave extra water rations to their nine-year old son however, who was found alive and extremely dehydrated, near his fallen parents. It is an incredibly sad story that underscores the dangers of being out in extremely warm weather.

Each of these stories also remind us that even though the national parks see millions of visitors on an annual basis, they remain wild and untamed in many ways. Nature is still an incredibly strong force capable of bringing great harm to us humans. It has been a strange summer in the parks for sure, but lets hope the remaining weeks of the travel season are calmer and safer all around.

Get Outside and Celebrate National Park Week - April 18 - 26

If you're looking for something to do this weekend, than perhaps a visit to a national park is in order. Tomorrow begins the annual National Park Week here in the U.S., and to celebrate all of the parks are waving their entry fees for visitors this weekend. Additionally, many parks will have a number of activities planned for the week ahead as well, including events to commemorate Earth Day on Wednesday too.

The national parks have been called "America's Best Idea," and rightfully so. These amazing outdoor settings are amongst the best in the entire world, and have spurred numerous other nations to protect their natural landscapes too. Yellowstone became the first national park in the world back in 1872, and Yosemite would follow a couple of decades later. Both remain amazing examples of the natural beauty that can be found in the western United States, and I for one appreciate that someone had the foresight to protect these places.

You will no doubt find plenty of online articles and blog posts providing suggestions on how you could celebrate National Park Week. The National Park Foundation has one here, and your's truly wrote another one for About.com that can be read here. But the bottomline is that over the course of the next week – if at all possible – you should get outside and enjoy a one of these great places. With more than 400 units in the U.S. park system, there is almost assuredly one semi-close to where you live. And to help you locate where they are, the new Find Your Park website will certainly come in handy.

I know there are a lot of readers of this blog who are not from the U.S. of course, but considering that many nations across the planet have designated national parks, now is a good time to visit one of yours as well. National Park Week may be an American event, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't celebrate your parks too. In my experience, if a destination has been designated as a protected park, it probably is a place worth visiting.

As for me, I have to forego my national park visits for a few more weeks. I'm heading out of the country tomorrow, and won't be around to take part in the celebration. But at the end of May I'll be heading out to visit Yosemite, Sequoia and King's Canyon, and I'm looking forward to that experience. Until then, I'll just have to be patient and wait for my chance.

Video: Yellowstone by Moonlight

Yellowstone National Park is one of my favorite places on Earth. The landscapes and wildlife there are simply mesmerizing. That amazing place is captured incredibly well in this video, which features timelapse images from Yellowstone that were captured at night. Some of the more famous places in the park are on display here, including the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Old Faithful of course. If you haven't ever been there, enjoy this video and then immediately start making plans for a visit of your own. If you have been to Yellowstone, you just might see it entirely different after watching this clip. Enjoy.

Yellowstone by Moonlight from Christopher Cauble on Vimeo.

Video: Sled Dogs - More Than Meets the Eye

This video comes our way courtesy of our friends at National Geographic. It was filmed in West Yellowstone, Montana, were sled dog mushers compete each year in the Rodeo Run, a two-day race through that spectacular part of the country. The video introduces us to these amazing dogs, who simply love to run, and gives us a glimpse of the bond they share with their owners. With the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod just weeks away at this point, it seems a fitting video to share. I hope you enjoy.