Episode 79 – National Park Foundation and our 2019 Travel Plans
The longest government shutdown in American history has ended, and as we all know, it took its toll on our National Parks. Many people are looking for ways to help, so on this episode of RV Miles, we brought Robert Mathias, Chief of External Affairs with the National Park Foundation,...
Episode 78 — Outdoor Newbies & RV Extended Warranties
This week’s RV Miles podcast covers lots of tips and trips for folks that are new to the outdoor lifestyle — how to visit a National Park or other public lands for the first time. Then we talk with Staci Ritchie-Roman from Wholesale Warranties about the ins and outs of...
National Parks add $36 Billion to US Economy, 300,000 Jobs
NPS Photo | Neal Herbert The Department of the Interior announced today that visitor spending in communities near national parks in 2017 resulted in a $35.8 billion boon to the nation’s economy, and supported 306,000 jobs. That’s up nearly a billion from 2016, according to the annual National Park Service...
After 50,000 Public Comments, Zinke Backs Down From Massive National Park Fee Increase
In the face of widespread opposition from the public and elected officials, the Interior Department has announced it will back down from a plan to impose steep fee increases at popular national parks. The plan would have nearly tripled entrance fees at 17 of the nation’s most popular parks, including...
Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias Set to Re-Open June 15
Yosemite National Park has announced that the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias will reopen to the public at 9:00 am on Friday, June 15, 2018. The area has been closed to the public since July 2015 for a major renovation, which is nearly finished.
Budget Slashes National Park Jobs, Repairs Infrastructure via New Energy Leases
The fiscal 2019 budget for the United States government put forth by the White House would slash 2000 National Park Service jobs, even as the parks are “being loved to death,” according to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.
Thousands of Federal Campgrounds Will Close as Government Shuts Down
Thousands of campgrounds operated by the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, and other federal agencies will close until Congress can agree on funding for the federal government.
3/4 of a National Park Advisory Council Resign in Protest
9 of the 12 members of a National Park Service advisory board resigned their posts Monday night in protest of how Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has treated them.
National Park Service Extends Comment Period for Fee Increase
The National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior have announced that the public comment period for proposed fee increases at 17 national parks has been extended to December 22nd. Under the proposal, the peak season entrance fee for a seven-day pass to each park would be $70...
The National Park Fee Increase Doesn’t Add Up
The proposed 180% increase in fees at national parks is not going to do what the administration says it will. There’s no way it can. We took a look at the numbers, and how they only add up to using our national parks as political pawns.
