National Parks Traveler Podcast

Who is "thenationalparksgirl.com"? In this week's Traveler podcast, Erika Zambello tracks down Sonja Saxe to discuss her national park explorations. Erika and her husband visit Gulf Islands National Seashore to catch dinner. We conclude with a question of whether Dinosaur National Monument should be renamed "Dinosaur National Park"?

Grand Teton National Park Foundation CEO Leslie Mattson discusses how her organization is able to help raise the visitor experience at Grand Teton National Park. Kurt Repanshek reviews two books focused on the Civil War, and Erika Zambello explores Russell Cave National Monument in Alabama.

Andrew Herrington, a search-and-rescue expert at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, outlines how to stay safe on your hikes into the backcountry, while artist Molly Hashimoto explains how she comes away from her park visits with beautiful bird sketches, drawings, and paintings. Finally, we take a short hike into the Peaked Hill Bars Historic District at Cape Cod National Seashore.

Dr. Rolf Peterson, a long-time wolf biologist at Michigan Tech University, discusses Isle Royale National Park's wolf recovery program in this week's episode, while host Kurt Repanshek reviews a book on butterflies you might encounter in national parks and another on marine life photography, and ends the program with a look at the many national parks with caves you can explore.

Dan Wenk, who spent four decades working for the National Park Service, shares his views on the current state of the agency and the National Park System. Host Kurt Repanshek discusses efforts to plan a restoration of the Tidal Basin at the National Mall and Memorial Parks with Katherine Malone-France of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Erika Zambello wraps up the show with a visit to Little River Canyon National Preserve in Alabama.

Utah State University wildlife researcher Dr. Dan MacNulty discusses wolves, bears, elk and other prey and predators in Yellowstone National Park in this week's episode, while Erika Zambello talks birding in Katadhin Woods and Waters National Monument with Doug Hitchcox of Maine Audubon. Host Kurt Repanshek wraps up the episode with a look at where you can find some incredible spring and summer wildflower blooms in the National Park System.

Kevin Poe, the original "Dark Ranger" of the National Park Service, talks dark night skies in the National Park System in this week's episode. Traveler contributing writer Kim O'Connell discusses what she's learned while researching a story on the state of Venezuela's national parks during the current social and political turmoil in that country, and host Kurt Repanshek concludes with a look at some of the "devilish" places in the park system.

John Freemuth, the executive director of the Cecil D. Andrus Center for Public Policy at Boise State University discusses the current political landscape and how it's impacting national parks and public lands.

This week, Traveler Contributing Editor Erika Zambello discusses the lionfish invasion in national park marine waters, while Contributing Photographer Rebecca Latson talks about a winter visit to Olympic National Park. Host Kurt Repanshek wraps up the show with a look ahead at harvesttime in the National Park System and where you can find tasty apples and juicy peaches.

There are thousands of miles of hiking trails in the National Park System. Traveler host Kurt Repanshek discusses some of the best with Michael Lanza, who keeps track of his adventures via his blog, The Big Outside. He’s also the author of Before They’re Gone, a Family’s Year-long Quest to Explore America’s Most Endangered National Parks. Also in this week's show, Kurt discusses the status of endangered Florida panthers with Elizabeth Fleming from Defenders of Wildlife. The show concludes with an interesting segment from the backcountry of Shenandoah National Park.