Podcast
Parkography
Hosted by RV Miles Network · EN
Parkography (formerly known as the America’s National Parks Podcast) is the new home for the powerful stories, rich history, and breathtaking landscapes of America’s national parks and public lands. Through immersive storytelling, vivid soundscapes, and in-depth research, we explore the people, places, and pivotal moments that shaped the wild places we cherish today. From iconic landmarks to hidden corners, Parkography brings the soul of America’s public lands to life—one story at a time.
23episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
News: Yellowstone & Glacier Bear Attacks, Grand Canyon Recovery, Alcatraz Coyote + State Park Updates
2d ago00:11:14Tap to summarizeBack-to-back bear attacks in Yellowstone and Glacier, Grand Canyon officials recovered the body of missing 26-year-old, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is investigating 33 federally protected black vultures dumped along Foothills Parkway, Denali introduced this year's sled dog puppies on its puppy cam, state updates include Louisiana’s bill to relocate removed monuments to state parks and Maryland’s possible expansion of park entry reservations and online payments, and more. 00:00 Yellowstone and Glacier Bears 01:23 Grand Canyon Missing Hiker 02:12 Smokies Vulture Dumping 03:01 Alcatraz Coyote Mystery 05:08 Denali Sled Dog Puppies 06:57 Louisiana Monument Proposal 08:04 Maryland Park Reservations 10:02 Crater of Diamonds Find 11:05 Wrap Up
Transcribe →News: Foreign Visitor Fees Fall Short, NPS Nominee Withdrawn, More
2w ago00:11:06Tap to summarizeThe Trump administration withdraws its National Park Service director nominee, leaving the agency under acting leadership, while a proposed 2027 budget would cut NPS operations by about $736 million (over 25%) alongside a new $10 billion DC construction/beautification program. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is turning “American Flag Blue,” and non-resident park fee revenue rose by about $2 million year over year, far below projections. Two recent fatal accidents at Zion National Park, Grand Teton’s robotic sage grouse decoys, a whistleblower complaint alleging widespread lead paint risks in Yellowstone employee housing, and more. 00:00 This Week 00:40 NPS Nominee Withdrawn 01:47 Proposed Budget Cuts 02:33 Lincoln Memorial Pool Turns Blue 03:55 Non-Resident Fee Revenue 04:51 Zion Trail Fatalities 05:35 Robotic Birds for Sage Grouse 07:25 Yellowstone Housing Lead Risks 08:21 Boundary Waters Mining Fight 09:54 California State Park Expansion 10:54 Wrap Up
Transcribe →The National Park Lodge That Almost Disappeared | Paradise Inn, Mount Rainier National Park
3w ago00:14:35Tap to summarizeHidden beneath hundreds of inches of snow each winter, there’s a historic lodge sitting high on the slopes of Mount Rainier National Park that almost didn’t survive. In this episode of Parkography, we’re exploring the incredible story of the Paradise Inn—a lodge built in 1917 that helped shape what America’s national parks would become. From its origins as a luxury resort in the wilderness to its near-demolition in the mid-20th century, Paradise Inn stands as a symbol of how our relationship with national parks has evolved over time. Written by Lizzie Tesch #MountRainier #NationalParks #USHistory Check out our other channels focused on RV travel: @RVMiles @RVMilesPodcast
Transcribe →News: Zion Dispersed Camping Ban, Boundary Waters Mining, Yellowstone Jail Time, Grand Canyon Water Crisis
4w ago00:11:02Tap to summarizeIn this episode: the BLM’s plan to ban dispersed camping on nearly 14,000 acres near Zion National Park—shifting use to designated areas and two proposed campgrounds, a resolution that could overturn a 20-year ban on copper-nickel mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters watershed, a Texas man sentenced to five days in jail for stepping off boardwalks onto Yellowstone’s thermal features, a settlement to keep the pride flag flying at Stonewall National Monument, tightened South Rim water restrictions at Grand Canyon due to pipeline breaks, Big Bend’s Chisos Basin closure being put on hold, and Yosemite’s historic Ahwahnee dining room moving to a required prix-fixe menu starting at $95. 00:00 Public Lands News Roundup 00:29 Zion Dispersed Camping Ban 02:37 Boundary Waters Mining Fight 04:29 Yellowstone Boardwalk Jail 05:34 Stonewall Pride Flag Returns 07:08 Grand Canyon Water Restrictions 08:14 Big Bend Closure Delayed 09:04 Yosemite Dining Goes Prix Fixe 10:52 Wrap Up and Subscribe
Transcribe →NEWS: Forest Service Completely Restructuring, Group Sues to Allow Guns In Parks & A New National Park?
Apr 200:10:48Tap to summarizeThis week in national park and public lands news: A major US Forest Service overhaul, including relocating its headquarters from Washington, DC to Salt Lake City by 2027; a bill to redesignate Chiricahua National Monument as a national park passed the House and heads to the Senate; National Park Week in 2026 will move to August; a lawsuit challenges firearm bans inside NPS buildings; Grand Canyon’s South Rim enters Stage 3 water restrictions after a Trans-Canyon Waterline break, and more. 00:00 Intro 00:38 Forest Service Overhaul 02:32 New Arizona Park Push 03:39 Mammoth Cave Expansion 04:05 National Park Week Moves 05:14 Firearms Rules Lawsuit 06:29 Grand Canyon Water Crisis 08:23 Idaho Wildlife Charges 09:22 Millions of Bees Spill 10:35 Wrap Up and Goodbye
Transcribe →Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Where a President Was Made
Mar 2600:12:53Tap to summarizeBefore he was president… before he was a Rough Rider… Theodore Roosevelt was a sickly kid struggling to breathe. Then he came to the Badlands. In this episode of Parkography, we explore how the rugged landscapes of Theodore Roosevelt National Park transformed Roosevelt’s life—and ultimately helped shape the future of conservation in America. From cattle ranching along the Little Missouri River to devastating personal loss, this is the story of how one wild place forged one of the most influential presidents in U.S. history.
Transcribe →News: Parts of Big Bend To Close, Sequoias in Danger, Rushmore Fireworks Return
Mar 1900:09:58Tap to summarizeThis week in national park news: The National Park Service reports 323 million recreation visits in 2025 (down 2.7% from 2024), Mount Rushmore will host fireworks for the U.S. 250th anniversary amid ongoing regional wildfire concerns. A new CBP map no longer shows a primary border wall through Big Bend, instead labeling the area as detection technology, while Big Bend’s Chisos Basin will close starting May 1 for up to two years for lodge replacement and water infrastructure work. Lawmakers introduce the Save Our Sequoias Act to fund reforestation, monitoring, and forest management after major tree losses, and Indiana will add all-terrain track chairs to every state park at no cost. 00:00 Big Changes Ahead 00:34 2025 Park Visitation Report 02:19 Mount Rushmore Fireworks Return 04:08 Big Bend Border Wall Update 05:41 Chisos Basin Two-Year Closure 07:03 Save Our Sequoias Act 08:47 Indiana Parks Accessibility Upgrade 09:46 Wrap Up And Thanks
Transcribe →The Dark and Surprising History of Mount Rushmore
Mar 1100:19:52Tap to summarizeMount Rushmore is one of the most famous monuments in the United States. Nearly everyone can recognize the towering faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln carved into the granite of the Black Hills of South Dakota. But the real story behind Mount Rushmore is far more complicated—and far more fascinating—than most people realize. In this episode of Parkography, we explore the surprising history behind America’s most recognizable monument. From the unlikely idea of South Dakota historian Doane Robinson, to the larger-than-life and controversial sculptor Gutzon Borglum, to the hundreds of workers who risked their lives carving the mountain with dynamite and hand tools during the Great Depression.
Transcribe →NEWS: New Volcano & Geyser Eruptions, Border Wall May Go Through Big Bend, Big Sur Wildflowers Destroyed
Mar 500:12:19Tap to summarizeThis week in national park news: Mount Rainier National Park has officially dropped its timed entry reservation system for 2026 — joining Yosemite, Arches, and Glacier in abandoning the pandemic-era crowd management experiment. Meanwhile, one of Yellowstone’s most unusual geothermal features — Echinus Geyser — has suddenly begun erupting again after years of dormancy. We also cover: • A fatal incident near the Kīlauea caldera in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park • A controversial proposal to build new border barriers through Big Bend National Park • One of the best wildflower blooms in Death Valley since 2016 • A strange act of vandalism at Big Sur’s famous Calla Lily Valley • Possible campground closures in Washington state parks • And the opening of a brand-new Texas state park for the first time in 24 years 00:00 Intro 00:46 Mount Rainier Drops Timed Entry 02:01 Hawaii Volcano Fatal Incident 02:57 Yellowstone Geyser Returns 04:47 Big Bend Border Wall Proposal 06:58 Death Valley Wildflower Bloom 08:14 Big Sur Flower Vandalism 09:46 Washington Campground Cuts 10:58 Texas Opens New State Park 12:05 Wrap Up
Transcribe →The Darkest Day in Carlsbad Caverns History
Feb 2700:09:36Tap to summarizeIn 1979, armed men took control of one of America’s most famous national parks — 750 feet underground. More than 100 visitors were trapped inside the Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns while gunshots echoed through the darkness. The hostage takers demanded money, a flight to Brazil, and a reporter to tell their story. What happened next became one of the strangest and least-known incidents in National Park Service history. Join the PARKography Facebook group to discuss this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/parkography
Transcribe →