Essays

Get started on your national park journey by perusing our extensive archive of essays. Whether you want to be a park ranger, learn more about rangers and parks, or cultivate a wilder life, we have an essay that will help.

Parks

wildflowers in a field with a mountain in the background

National park rangers keep the records of our heritage. To lose their knowledge is to forget who we are and where we have been.

a wrought iron sign over a paved street

When we don’t understand history, we are destined to repeat it. This is a reality we are seeing play out right in front of our eyes.

sculpted red rocks under a starry night sky

The Trump Administration wants to steal public lands. They mistreat federal workers who protect those lands with one goal: to make them quit.

a foggy road shaded by autumn-colored trees

America is divided. Let’s create a modern national service program that would unite us in a common goal--protecting our public lands.

a sign declaring land to be private with no public allowed

Yes you read that correctly. And no it is not a dystopian science fiction plot. It is reality. Here’s what’s happening.

The arrowhead logo of the US national park service

One brave NPS staff person revealed how visitors are responding to Trump's call for public comments, and the results are not what he wanted.

Wild Living

hiker carrying a backpack outside

What's in my bag? As a former national park ranger, here’s what I take for a day hike, including a few items that might surprise you.

two hands forming a heart shape in the forest

How can you be a respectful national park visitor while parks are experiencing staffing shortages or other crises? Here are seven tips.

a river bordered by massive canyon walls

To build a wall in parks--that was the threat the first time Donald Trump was president. Now he is threatening the parks themselves.

a carved, colorful statue of wood

There are countless Native American cultural sites for visitors to explore in the Pacific Northwest. Here are some of the best.

Discover national parks that celebrate American Latino heritage, a community whose stories and culture are woven into the fabric of America.

a pool of rain on pavement

"What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" The line is not a call to action, but a call to inaction. A call to be free.