Yellowstone's gateway communities seeing economic impact from flooding closures

Aug 9, 2022
Some businesses are rebounding after historic flooding in the region. But others are still struggling.
The visitor's center in West Yellowstone displays part of a message tourists see all around town: Be patient, be kind, be cool.
Madelyn Beck/Mountain West News

In Texas, conservationists push for stricter land protections at a popular national park

May 16, 2022
Visitor numbers have skyrocketed at Big Bend, prompting calls for a wilderness designation to better protect the park’s pristine landscape.
As tourism in the area grows, conservationists are worried about keeping Big Bend National Park protected.
John Moore/Getty Images

Reservation systems may be here to stay at popular national parks

Apr 22, 2022
The restrictions help manage the continued influx of visitors at places, like Yellowstone and Acadia.
Thinking about a summer trip to Yosemite? Don't forget to make a reservation.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

In the Western wilderness, crowds of vacation renters are pricing out locals

Dec 21, 2021
Locals who live near national parks, like Joshua Tree, are seeing more and more housing stock become lucrative short-term rentals.
Tiffany Hopkins searches for new rental listings after hearing she has to be out of her triplex in Yucca Valley before Christmas. Hopkins has heard the property will be converted to short-term rentals.
Amanda Peacher/Marketplace

Why did the outdoor economy suffer in 2020 when more of us were outside?

Nov 11, 2021
Lockdowns, public lands closures, supply chain disruptions and travel restrictions took a toll. But many outdoor retailers still had a great year.
More Americans got out and about biking, fishing and hiking amid COVID-19 in 2020. Above, a bike shop owner repairs a tire in Brooklyn.
Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images

National Parks, and businesses nearby, prepare for holiday rush

Jul 1, 2021
Some parks are restricting access to prevent congestion.
Leading up to the Fourth of July, one restaurant near Grand Canyon National Park is serving more patrons than before the pandemic.
Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

How national and state parks are handling COVID-19 closures

Mar 30, 2020
Hundreds of parks have closed to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus. But many remain open, and some are even waiving entrance fees.
A closed sign is posted in front of a parking lot at China Camp State Park on March 25, 2020 in San Rafael, Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered all parking lots at state parks and beaches to be closed in an effort to discourage people from visiting.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

U.S. parks and trails rely on a volunteer labor force

Oct 17, 2019
Like most public projects, public lands have a backlog of needed repairs.
Tim Morris, a retired bank trader, clears overgrowth from the Pacific Crest Trail using a long brush saw.
Ben Bradford/Marketplace

National Park Service budget problems are subject of congressional hearing

May 7, 2019
U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt is set to testify before a House appropriations subcommittee Tuesday. Bernhardt is likely to face questions about a severe maintenance backlog in the National Park Service, which says it can’t afford to keep its parks looking like what people expect. “These funding problems really threaten not just the integrity of […]
A volunteer cleans a restroom at Joshua Tree National Park on January 4, 2019 in California.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

What are the economic benefits of a national park?

Feb 26, 2019
It's the 100th anniversary of the Grand Canyon National Park, which has spurred millions in spending in nearby communities.
A general view of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, on Feb. 13, 2017.
RHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images