The Parks Channel

04/25/2025

2025 PARKS MADNESS IS ON!

Check out the brackets, submit your votes and you’ll be eligible for a raffle of prizes. Let’s celebrate our national heritage together!

Vote now at theparkschannel.com

04/22/2025

Happy Earth Day from the Parks Channel! 🌎

Today we celebrate the incredible beauty, biodiversity, and resilience of our planet — and the public lands that help protect it. From snowcapped peaks to desert canyons, deep forests to vast grasslands, Earth gives us some truly wild places to explore, love, and defend.

This Friday, we’re channeling that love into some friendly competition: Parks Madness is back!

64 national parks and public lands will go head-to-head in a bracket-style showdown to crown the 2025 Champion. You’ll vote. Parks will advance. And by the end, only one will stand victorious.

Stay tuned, visit theparkschannel.com for more information, and let the madness begin!

04/15/2025

Parks Madness is back for 2025. 🏆

Our annual bracket tournament returns on April 25 with a fresh set of matchups as national parks and public lands compete for the title of national champion. The mood has changed this year. Our public lands are under threat at a level never seen before.

But now is not a time to despair. We believe there is real merit in reminding folks why “We the People” protected these spaces in the first place. Why they’re special. How they bring us together. Why they pay off unimaginably, and unforgettably, for the paltry investment it requires to keep them safe.

So we’re doing Parks Madness again, in hopes that we can revive the spirit of the common good. While you’ll see familiar names from last year, we’ve made some big changes—some parks have been dropped, and for the first time, we’re bringing in historical sites to reflect the full range of stories told on public lands.

We’ve organized the contenders into four themed brackets, each with its own personality, which makes for some unexpected matchups. From iconic natural wonders to historic treasures, this year’s tournament is a chance to learn, vote, and maybe fall in love with a place you hadn’t considered before. The competition is friendly, but the pride is real.

Head to the link in our bio to sign up for updates and learn more. Voting starts April 25, with the Champion announced on May 23.

03/12/2025

2024 marked a year of devastating fires across the west. In this blog post by Sheryl Kepping we hear about the Wapiti Fire in Idaho.

Hoping is taking root in the Sawtooths, and the forest is hopefully on the path to renewal. Project Pinecone is helping lead the charge, raising money for the collection of pinecone seeds to grow thousands of new trees. As part of a larger reforestation effort, and with community support these seedling will help restore the landscape for future generations.

Read the article at theparkschannel.com (see the link in our bio)

01/31/2025

We put together an Ultimate Permit List for 2025 and it includes great spots to visit in our National Parks, and public lands across the country!

Today is a special reminder because several of the rafting permits final day to apply for the lottery is today 1/31!

Check out the Ultimate Permit List 2025 blog on our website to learn more about the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, the Snake River, the Green and Yampa Rivers, and the Colorado River (lottery from 2/1/25-2/25/25).

01/06/2025

Thinking about a winter hike? ❄️

Kevin Morgan of .and.pointers has great tips on how to layer up and stay warm.

Read the article at theparkschannel.com and get more tips and recommendations on visiting our national parks and public lands this year.

What’s your favorite winter hike?

11/14/2024

Do you have a dog? Do you love National Parks? You’re definitely going to want to read this interview with Ryan Valdez who is Senior Director of Conservation Science at . You’re also going to want to see the comprehensive map on where you can take your dog in National Parks!

Ryan Valdez took his new springer spaniel Ennio on an epic cross-country trip, visiting 16 national parks. He used what he learned to create the first-ever comprehensive map on dog accessibility in parks. We spoke to Ryan about the joys – and challenges – of taking a dog on a park adventure.

10/10/2024

As Fat Bear Week in Katmai has concluded we wanted to share some great food options near National Parks were you can get some good grub before hitting the trail!

This list is by no way meant to be exhaustive! What are some of your favorite eateries near National Parks?

Check our blog for the full post and our story for a link!


Everglades:
Denali:
Teton:
Acadia:
Mount Rainier:

09/20/2024

We’re celebrating over a decade of conservation, cultura and comunidad during Latino Conservation Week!

From hiking and camping to virtual convenings and film screenings, activities promote conservation efforts and provide an opportunity for Latine/x folks to show their support for permanently protecting our planet.

Join an event near you: latinoconservationweek.com

09/16/2024

Check out the Parks Channel September Permit Alert!

Head over to our blog for more details about the Glacier Half Marathon, San Antonio Missions National Historic Park Hike and Bike Trail, National Hunting and Fishing Day, and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore camping permits.

Anything else on your National Parks/Public Lands permit alert for the month?

Glacier photo: thtgirl
San Antonio Missions: National Park Service
Apostle islands:

08/16/2024

We love this new blog post by Ari of ! To put it in his own words

“RV shopping can be a lot of fun at RV shows, but it can also be overwhelming. I spent the day at the Austin RV Expo in Austin, Texas, checking out hundreds of different RVs.”

Check out the blog to learn more about what he learned at the Austin RV Expo. Link in our story!

07/25/2024

Terry Tempest Williams is another author you should pick up if you are looking for more summer reads.

The Hour of Land looks specifically at 12 National Parks and Monuments and the importance of protecting and preserving these places.

Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert makes the case for preserving America’s Redrock Wilderness

Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place tells us about the flooding of the Great Salt Lake in the early 1980s and how that changed the landscape, as well as her family and their experiences.

These are just three of her 11 books and additional poetry and essay collections. Pick up one of her books for you next read and enjoy as she takes you on a journey to learn more about our public lands and the importance of protecting them

05/23/2024

Blog update post:

Parks Channel contributor Alice Ford has a life that could only be dreamed up in Hollywood. When she’s not traveling the world for her series Alice’s Adventures on Earth, she’s dodging bombs and kicking butt as a stuntwoman on films like Transformers. We spoke with Alice as she was putting the finishing touches on a new series that will debut on PBS, building on an audience that has already reached 5.7 million views on YouTube.

Head to the blog to read more about Alice, or follow her to keep updated about all of her adventures!

04/24/2024

On the big screens!

Free ad-supported streamer to complement company's online platform for parks content and planning tools

04/16/2024

https://www.einpresswire.com/article/704058501/no-1-is-no-1-yellowstone-defeats-zion-for-2024-national-park-championship

In a Face-Off of America’s Most Iconic Parks, Narrows Fall to Geysers to Take the Parks Madness Trophy

04/13/2024

TWO REMAIN. WHO WILL WIN? You decide. 🏆

Park fans have delivered a wild beauty contest for the ages, delivering solid wins for Yellowstone and Zion national parks in the Final Four of Parks Madness.

Cast your vote for the champion by midnight ET on April 15 and be entered in a raffle to win a NATIONAL PARK PASS! We'll declare the winner on April 16. Vote now: https://theparkschannel.com/parks-madness/parks-madness-yellowstone-vs-zion-for-the-championship

04/10/2024

Incredible Final Four matchup!

Final Four Pits Yellowstone vs. Yosemite and Zion vs. Arches in 2024 National Park Championship

04/07/2024

The votes are in - your Elite Eight has just been announced! 🌲🏔️🌋

Eight remain. We're getting down to the toughest choices now! The ballot will be live through midnight ET on April 9, so even if you missed earlier rounds, add your voice to see who gets into the Final Four.

Vote now: https://theparkschannel.com/featured/parks-madness-whats-your-final-four-make-your-picks

At Parks Channel, our mission is to become a destination platform for “America's Best Idea” – at home, on the journey and for making memories.