NATIONAL PARKS BLOG

Now that Autumn is in full swing, it’s time to check out colorful fall foliage! Lucky for you, the National Park Foundation just announced the 2011 “Great National Parks for Fall Foliage” list this week and it’s full of great ideas! Whether by water, foot, bicycle or car, these spectacular colors of the season are not to be missed.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Photo credit: Justin Hess

Here’s a glimpse at the 2011 list:

CALIFORNIA
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Peak colors expected middle to end of October. On October 18, a hiking event to Whiskeytown Falls offer a perfect way to view the foliage during the peak season.

MISSISSIPPI
Natchez Trace Parkway
In middle to late October, the maple, hickory, oak and other hardwood trees begin to change colors.

PENNSYLVANIA
Flight 93 National Memorial
The trees across the Flight 93 National Memorial begin to turn around mid-October.   Check out honorflight93.org/webcam today to find instant inspiration for a trip to the site or to take a virtual fall foliage tour.
To see the full list visit “NPF REVEALS GREAT NATIONAL PARKS FOR FALL FOLIAGE VIEWING”.

Also, I definitely encourage all you foliage seekers to contact specific parks for the inside scoop on their unique foliage timing, as many factors impact the timing of peak fall colors viewing.  Visit the National Park Service website for contact information and special event listings for all 395 national park units.

P.S. Don’t forget to share your fall foliage photos with us at www.facebook.com/nationalpark!

Just the other week NPF partnered with the National Park Service and Nickelodeon to host the Worldwide Day of Play on the Ellipse in President’s Park in Washington, D.C. and it made me think about all the endless adventures that exist in America’s national parks for kids of all ages!

Thousands of people gathered on the Ellipse in President’s Park in Washington, D.C. for Worldwide Day of Play 2011.

No matter the time of year, America’s national parks offer endless activities to get the family out of the house and enjoying the outdoors together!  Here are a handful of fun-packed national park adventures for kids and families (you can read the entire list of 10 adventures at “10 WAYS FOR KIDS TO PLAY IN AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS”):

FLORIDA
Biscayne National Park
Families visiting Biscayne between December and April can sign up to attend “Family Fun Fest” – a daylong program held on the second Sunday of those months and focused on activities tied to the park’s diverse resources.

MICHIGAN
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Winter isn’t the off-season here, as there are trails for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. And if there’s enough snow, kids and adults can even sled down the 100+ ft. Dune Climb.

WYOMING
Grand Teton National Park
Teens looking for a challenge can measure themselves against the Tetons, thanks to climbing schools where world-class guides will teach them the basics and lead them to the summit of 13,770-foot Grand Teton.

Want to learn about more great national park adventures for kids and families? If so, definitely check out National Park Foundation’s special guide, “Parks for Play: 35 National Park Adventures for Kids of All Ages.”

Did you hear the news? It was just announced yesterday! Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan will be performing at the dedication ceremony of the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA on Sat., Sept. 10!

Photo credit: Raphael Mazzucco

We are so honored to have her join us and our partners as we dedicate this important memorial. You’ll be able to watch her performance and the rest of the dedication ceremony LIVE at www.flight93dedication.org and at history.com/flight93 thanks to a partnership between National Park Foundation and HISTORY.

Are you wondering who else will be speaking and performing at the Flight 93 National Memorial dedication and 10th anniversary commemorative ceremony? We will be announcing more dignitaries and special guests in the coming week and we will be sure to keep you posted.

In the meantime, be sure to visit www.honorflight93.org to learn more about the Flight 93 National Memorial and how you can help build a lasting tribute to the 40 heroes onboard Flight 93.

Have you visited Rock Creek Park? It’s the largest urban park in the National Park system and is truly a gem in our nation’s capital with more than 1,700 acres of hardwood forest, meadows, and streams. If you haven’t been there, you need to go! And if you’ve already been, there’s definitely more to be enjoyed in the park - so go again!

In an effort to help national park enthusiasts like yourself plan the perfect escape to this park, we gathered up questions from our social media community (on Facebook and Twitter) in addition to a few questions from our very own NPF staff and posed them to Ranger Dan Winings at Rock Creek Park.

Questions about best places to camp, best places to horseback, can’t-miss activities and much more are answered in this edition of Trail Talk! Be sure to catch up on the latest Trail Talk for the inside scoop on Rock Creek Park! Click here to read it today!

Last month, three National Park Foundation staffers set up shop in Central Park for the 7th annual Adventures NYC. This free event gave people the opportunity to enjoy a day outdoors and participate in various activities such as biking, canoeing and rock climbing. An estimated 25,000 people attended! We loved talking to the many folks who stopped by our booth to learn more about America’s greatest treasure, our national parks.

NPF employee David talks to event participants about America’s greatest treasure, our national parks. Photo credit: Kate Lacey Photography

We met people of all ages from all over the country and around the world, handing out hundreds of National Park Service maps, “I ♥ Parks” pins, NPF brochures, and much more. And get this - four lucky people who came by and chatted with us won a NPF prize pack consisting of an annual parks pass, National Parks Yahtzee and some awesome NPF gear including a NPF t-shirt, hat, water bottle, and Fodor’s Official Guide to America’s National Parks. Congrats again to our winners Giovanni, Silas, Scott and Arina!

The Skyriders, a professional team of acrobats whose routines include skis, snowboards and ball tossing, all the while jumping and performing tricks on the trampoline provided excellent entertainment throughout the day. If you haven’t seen them before, you should definitely check them out here.

The Skyriders at Adventures NYC 2011. Photo credit: Kate Lacey Photography

Overall, we had a really wonderful time meeting people who all share a common love for the outdoors and our nation’s parks. The event was a great opportunity to answer questions, help plan trips, and instill excitement for the places that preserve our country’s natural beauty and the stories of our nation’s history.

P.S. Check out more Adventures NYC photos from Kate Lacey here.