Grand Canyon

https://www.nps.gov/grca https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon_National_Park Grand Canyon National Park, in Arizona, is home to much of the immense Grand Canyon, with its layered bands of red rock revealing millions of years of geological history. Viewpoints include Mather Point, Yavapai Observation Station and architect Mary Colter’s Lookout Studio and her Desert View Watchtower. Lipan Point, with wide views of the canyon and Colorado River, is a popular, especially at sunrise and sunset. Grand Canyon National Park, in Northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world—unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors from the rim. South Rim is open. North Rim closed for winter. Daily updates > South Rim: Open all year, is located 60 miles north of Williams, Arizona (via route 64 from Interstate 40) and 80 miles northwest of Flagstaff (via route 180). Grand Canyon lies entirely within the state of Arizona. North Rim: Closed for the Winter between December 1 and May 15. The North Rim is located 30 miles south of Jacob Lake on Highway 67; the actual rim of the canyon is an additional 14 miles south. Jacob Lake, AZ is located in northern Arizona on Highway 89A, not far from the Utah border. Grand Canyon Visitor Center (South Rim) Visitor Center hours will fluctuate this spring. Check the "Operating Hours and Seasons" below for the days when it is open. Trip planning and hiking information is available through exhibit kiosks and sidewalk signs outside of the building. Park in one of four large parking lots and get your first look at Grand Canyon by walking to nearby Mather Point. With your vehicle parked at the Visitor Center, you can also board free shuttle buses and be transported around the village and out to scenic overlooks. Once you get past the South Entrance Station, continue following the road you are on for 5 miles, and it will lead you to the Visitor Center. Just before the parking areas, the road curves to the left. You can park your car in one of four parking areas, then get your first view of Grand Canyon by taking a short walk to nearby Mather Point. From the Visitor Center, it is also possible to Park-and-Ride. Leave your car at the Visitor Center, then board free shuttle buses and ride around the South Rim. North Rim Visitor Center Park Store - CLOSED FOR THE WINTER The Visitor Center Park Store will be open for the season between June 2, and October 15, 2023. Visitors have an opportunity to ask questions, plan trips, and learn about the day's activities and programs. The store offers a wide variety of books, maps, souvenirs, and gift items and is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily. Park rangers also staff an outdoor information desk between 10 am and 4 pm daily, at the Roaring Springs Overlook Kiosk, just north of the Visitor Center building, and along the canyon rim. Leaving U.S. 89A at the Jacob Lake junction, travel south on State Route 67 and drive 43 miles through forests and meadows to the North Rim of Grand Canyon. The North Rim Visitor Center is at the end of State Route 67, within the Grand Canyon Lodge complex, on the left, and adjacent to the main parking area for the lodge and Bright Angel Point. The North Rim of the park, as well as State Route 67 closes to all vehicle traffic from December 1, through May 14, due to snow. Verkamp's Visitor Center (South Rim) In the Village Historic District, near Hopi House and El Tovar Hotel, Verkamp's Visitor Center features exhibits that focus on the Grand Canyon Community; what it was like to live and work here on the brink of one of the seven natural wonders. A staffed information desk and a Grand Canyon Conservancy Museum Store are also located here. A water bottle filling station is just outside of the building near the canyon rim, and public restrooms are available in a separate building behind the Visitor Center. Verkamp's Visitor Center is a short walk just east of El Tovar Hotel and Hopi House. Parking in the nearby lot may be limited during busy periods, which include spring break, summer and fall months. If you are walking from the shuttle bus stop across from the Railroad Depot, climb the stairway to the top of the hill. Here you will find El Tovar Hotel, Hopi House, and Verkamp's Visitor Center. They are located on the east end of the Village Historic District. Desert View Campground (Reservations Required) At the East Entrance to the park, Desert View Campground offers a peaceful setting with 49 campsites. Sites accommodate tents or smaller RV’s, or vehicles with small travel trailers (30 ft. total length). Campsites available by reservation only at www.recreation.gov, and can be made up to 6 months in advance between Saturday April 15, through the night of Sunday October 15, 2023. Make reservations online or by phone (877-444-6777). It is possible to make same day call-in and/or online reservations. Campsite 18.00 Desert View Campground is now on a reservation basis through recreation.gov. on line, or by phone 877-444-6777. It is possible to do a same day-call and/or online reservations. o Sites are limited to 6 people o 2 Tents and 2 vehicles per site, or 1 vehicle with one RV/5th Wheel/Trailer o Maximum vehicle length is 30 feet; front bumper to rear bumper. o No hookups are available at any of the sites o Each site has a picnic table, fire ring/cooking grill o Restrooms with Flush toilets are available. Campsite (Senior or Access Pass) 9.00 Desert View Campground is now on a reservation basis through recreation.gov. on line, or by phone 877-444-6777. It is possible to do a same day-call and/or online reservations. o Sites are limited to 6 people o 2 Tents and 2 vehicles per site, or 1 vehicle with one RV/5th Wheel/Trailer o Maximum vehicle length is 30 feet; front bumper to rear bumper. o No hookups are available at any of the sites o Each site has a picnic table, fire ring/cooking grill o Restrooms with Flush toilets are available. RV in campsite An RV parked on a paved surface, nestled in a desert scrub forest. Maximum vehicle length is 30 feet. Empty campsite An empty campsite containing only a tent, draped picnic table, and fire ring Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire ring with a cooking grill Motorcycles Two motorcycles behind a trailer in a campsite Sites are limited to six people. Two Tents a paved surface Visit Desert View Campground for a more solitary experience. Desert View Campground Restrooms. Single story restroom building with men's side on the left and women's on the right. Campground Restrooms with Flush toilets are available between sites 9 & 11 next to the Camp Hosts site. Mather Campground - South Rim Mather Campground is located in Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. There are 327 sites. Each includes a campfire ring/cooking grate, picnic table, parking space and room for up to six people, three tents, and two vehicles. There are flush toilets and drinking water throughout the campground. No hookups are available, however there is a free dump station. Most RV spaces are pull-through. Pine loop is a tent-only area where generators are not permitted. Family Site 18.00 Family campsites range from accommodating a small tent, to 30 foot motor homes and fifth wheels. Family sites are limited to 6 people, three tents and two vehicles per site. There are no hookups available at any of the sites. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring with a cooking grill. Family Site with Senior or Access Pass/ Golden Age/ Golden Access 9.00 Family campsites range from accommodating a small tent, to 30 foot motor homes and fifth wheels. Family sites are limited to 6 people, three tents and two vehicles per site. There are no hookups available at any of the sites. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring with a cooking grill. Group Site 50.00 Group sites can accommodate 7-50 people and tents per site. 3 vehicles per site. RV and bus parking is prohibited. Communal Hiker Biker Sites 6.00 Hiker/biker are for people on foot or bicycle only. These are non-reservable communal hiker/biker sites (available on a first-come, first-served basis only) and hold up to one person, one tent and no vehicles. If you have more than a one person hiking party you will need to make more than one reservation. Communal Hiker/ Biker Sites - with Senior or Access Pass/ Golden Age/ Golden Access 3.00 Hiker/biker are for people on foot or bicycle only. These are non-reservable communal hiker/biker sites (available on a first-come, first-served basis only) and hold up to one person, one tent and no vehicles. If you have more than a one person hiking party you will need to make more than one reservation. Horse Camp 25.00 Campers in horse camp must have horses of mules. Horse camp can accommodate up to 6 people and 6 horses and mules. 30 foot vehicle limit including trailer. 2 vehicles permitted. (a trailer is considered a second vehicle.) Up to 6 tents. Horse Camp with Senior or Access Pass/ Golden Age/ Golden Access 12.50 Campers in horse camp must have horses of mules. Horse camp can accommodate up to 6 people and 6 horses and mules. 30 foot vehicle limit including trailer. 2 vehicles permitted. (a trailer is considered a second vehicle.) Up to 6 tents. Mather Campground Registration Kiosk An RV is parked while people stand in in front of a small brown building Checking in at the Mather Campground Registration Kiosk Mather Campground Site A man and a woman sit at a picnic table in the sunlight a tent and chairs surround a firepit Staying at Mather Campground Pull through campsite at Mather Campground <img alt="Image: a truck with an attached trailer is parked in a paved pull-through campsite. Two bi Pull through site at Mather Campground Group campsite at Mather Campground several tents in a group campsite with touring bicycles. Group campsites are available for hiking and bicycling groups Winter Camping in Mather Campground In a snow covered campsite, two dome tents, and some folding chairs Winter Camping in Mather Campground North Rim Campground The North Rim Campground, scheduled to be open from June 9, through October 15, 2023, is located on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona. The canyon's rustic and less populated North Rim is home to abundant wildlife, hiking trails, and unparalleled views of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The facility is at an elevation of 8,200 ft., with pleasant summer temperatures and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Family Site 18.00 Family campsites range from accommodating a small tent, to 40 foot motor homes and fifth wheels. Family sites are limited to a maximum of 2 vehicles, 6 people, 3 tents are allowed per site. (A vehicle, which is towing a trailer, pop-up, tent trailer, fifth wheel, or a motor home pulling a vehicle, is considered two vehicles.) There are no hookups available at any of the sites. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring with a cooking grill. Family Site with Senior or Access Pass/ Golden Age/ Golden Access 9.00 Golden Age or Access passport holders pay half price. (The passport number is needed when making reservation and passport holder must be camping at the site). Family campsites range from accommodating a small tent, to 40 foot motor homes and fifth wheels. Family sites are limited to 6 people, three tents and two vehicles per site. There are no hookups available at any of the sites. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring with a cooking grill. Group Sites 50.00 Maximum 25 people and 3 vehicles Hiker/Bicyclist (Communal Site) 6.00 Hiker/Bicyclist sites are for people on foot of bicycle only. These sites will not be sold to anyone with a vehicle. Each person in the hiker/bicyclist should know that this is a communal space, and they may be sharing the space. Tent pads, picnic tables, and food storage boxes may be available, depending upon capacity. North Rim Campground - family site in tall pines Two bicycles parked next to a large blue tent under pine trees. Picnic table in the foreground. North Rim Campground - family site in the tall pines. North Rim Campground - family site in aspen grove A white and blue tent under a canopy of brilliant yellow aspen leaves. North Rim Campground - family site in an aspen grove - fall colors North Rim Campground - group site. seven tents in a variety of colors pitched together under tall pine trees. North Rim Campground group sites allow a maximum of 25 people and 3 vehicles per site. North Rim Campground - pull-through RV sites two campsites with pull-through driveways. Travel trailers are parked in the driveways. North Rim Campground pull-through sites maximum vehicle length is 40 feet (12 m) Trailer Village RV Park - South Rim Trailer Village is the only in-park RV campground with full hookups (sewage, water, and electrical with 30 amp and 50 amp sites available) Open year-round, Trailer Village features paved pull-through sites which can accommodate vehicles up to 50 feet long. Trailer Village is operated by Delaware North. Reservations can be made up to 13 months in advance. If visiting during the busy season (May through October) making reservations 1 year in advance is recommend. Visit their website to make reservations. Paved RV Site up to 28 feet/8.5 meters total vehicle length 71.00 Includes paved site, 30 and 50 amp hookups, water, sewer, cable TV, charcoal grill and picnic table. Paved RV Site 29 feet/8.5 meters to 50 feet/15 meters total vehicle length 71.00 Includes paved site, 30 and 50 amp hookups, water, sewer, cable TV, charcoal grill and picnic table Classic RV Site up to 28 feet/8.5 meters total vehicle length 61.00 Includes gravel site, 50 amp hookup, water, sewer and picnic table Classic RV Site 29 feet/8.5 meters to 50 feet/15 meters total vehicle length 61.00 Includes gravel site, 50 amp hookup, water, sewer and picnic table Trailer Village 003 a wide panorama showing a number of RVs in individual sites. Full hook-ups are available at Trailer Village on the South Rim. Trailer Village 001 Three RVs in pull-through sites with picnic tables. Trees form the background. Pull through sites allow larger vehicles easy access and exits. Trailer Village 004 Several RVs parked in individual sites with several inches of snow covering the ground. Experience Grand Canyon during winter at Trailer Village RV Park. Trailer Village 002 A road with 5 RVs and a trailer facing forward in individual pull-through sites Trailer Village with RV hook-ups in Grand Canyon Village Grand Canyon Mather Point Sunset on the South Rim The canyon glows orange as people visit Mather Point, a rock outcropping that juts into Grand Canyon People come from all over the world to view Grand Canyon's sunset Grand Canyon National Park: View from Cape Royal on the North Rim The Cape Royal viewpoint curves into the distance and closer rock formations jut into the canyon. A popular outdoor site for weddings and receptions, Cape Royal Amphitheater is located 23 miles (37 km) from the North Rim developed area. Grand Canyon National Park: Desert View Watchtower (South Rim) The Desert View Watchtower looms 70 feet into the air over a vast and dramatic view of the canyon. The Watchtower is located at Desert View, the eastern-most developed area on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Looking down the Colorado River from Nankoweap at river mile 53 Tall canyon walls frame the wide Colorado river weaving back and forth. A view down the Colorado river from Nankoweap in Marble canyon. Bison Effects: Research and Monitoring Impacts and monitoring of bison herd on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Herd of bison stampeding through grassy meadow, kicking up dust at the edge of a forest. Bison in Grand Canyon, the Kaibab Plateau Herd Outline of the cooperative bison management on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. A herd of bison kicking up dirt inside of a corral with a mixed conifer forest in the background. South Kaibab Trail Shelter Now Available Grand Canyon National Park backcountry users can seek out shade and an opportunity to rest from the elements at the new Tipoff Shelter along South Kaibab Trail. open-sided shade ramada 12 x 24 feet, with metal roof. Capturing the Colors: Conservation Work at Desert View Watchtower Concludes Over the past four years, the historic tower at Grand Canyon National Park’s Desert View area has undergone extensive conservation and graffiti remediation work on the interior to conserve the murals that were painted in 1932. a conservator is working on a parapet wall below a ceiling of colorful painted designs. Catching Fossil Fever: A Paleontology Project at Grand Canyon National Park The rocks of Grand Canyon National Park preserve almost one third of Earth’s history and have inspired visitors and scientists from around the world for the past 100 years. Learn more about projects conducted this year to advance the paleontology program at Grand Canyon National Park as well as events scheduled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of National Fossil Day. view of the grand canyon 2010 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2010 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards 2009 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2009 Environmental Achievement Awards 2011 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2011 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards 2015 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2015 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Grand Canyon National Park Hosts Alternative Break Citizenship School Grand Canyon National Park's Volunteer Program wrapped up a week-long experiential training session for college students with the Alternative Break Citizenship School. Approximately 75 students from over 40 colleges participated in educational sessions and hands on service work at the park July 22 to 28, 2019. 4 college students wearing yellow safety vests are picking up litter. Partnerships add a Charge to your Travel Plans The National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, BMW of North America, the U.S. Department of Energy, concessioners, and gateway communities have collaborated to provide new technologies for travel options to and around national parks. As part of this public-private partnership, BMW of North America, working through the National Park Foundation, donated and arranged for the installation of 100 electric vehicle (EV) charging ports in and around national parks. National Park Getaway: Grand Canyon National Park A trip to Grand Canyon can be a great winter getaway. Colder temperatures, shorter days, and snow bring a slower pace to one of the nation's most visited national parks. Grand Canyon with snow 2012 SCPN-NAU Student Projects The 2012 SCPN-NAU School of Communication partnership took the form of a fall semester internship for NAU student, Kent Wagner. 2012 Student Projects Verkamps Tour with Susie Verkamp - 1/5/2011 Susie Verkamp leads a tour of the Verkamps, family curio store and home for 100 year to Grand Canyon's Verkamp Family. a complex, boxy, two-story building entirely covered with brown shingles. Birthday Greetings On February 26, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson signed a Presidential Proclamation to establish Grand Canyon and Lafayette (now Acadia) as national parks. We celebrate the concurrent birthdays of two places that unite America, and the vision of her leaders ninety-nine years ago. A receding series of silhouetted cliffs and ridgelines bathed in late afternoon light. The Civilian Conservation Corps As part of the New Deal Program, to help lift the United States out of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933. The CCC or C’s as it was sometimes known, allowed single men between the ages of 18 and 25 to enlist in work programs to improve America’s public lands, forests, and parks. CCC men lined up in front of a building and looking at a flag pole with an american flag. Grand Canyon Fire Managers Host Alternative Break Citizenship School Seventy-three students from thirty-nine universities attended a week-long Alternative Break Citizenship School (ABCs) at Grand Canyon National Park during August 2016. They learned about volunteer recruitment and the park's fire management program. When they return back to campus they will share what they learned with other students who will be leading an alternative break (volunteer service) in the school-year 2016/2017. A park firefighter shows students the contents of her fireline pack. Grand Canyon Helitack Receives Prestigious National EMS Award On July 25, 2016, National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis presented the 2015 National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Wildfire Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Award to the Grand Canyon Helitack Crew. group photo of award presentation Interagency Aviation Officer Receives DOI Honors In 2010, Mike Ebersole, interagency aviation officer for Grand Canyon National Park and the Kaibab National Forest, was honored by the Department of the Interior with two awards—the 2010 Secretary's Award For Outstanding Contribution to Aviation Safety and the Award of Honor For Safe Flying (Twenty Years). A man stands in front of a helicopter inside a building Grand Canyon Helitack Assists with Injury Extraction This video tells the story--through first-person accounts by the participants--behind the successful extraction of a firefighter injured by rockfall on the 2011 Las Conches Fire on the Santa Fe National Forest. The video teaches associated terminology and highlights the importance of continuing staff training, drilling, risk analysis, and strategic partnerships in safely dealing with a life-threatening situation. A helicopter hovers close to the ground with several people below it The Force that Drives the Water Through the Rock Listen to Aaron Ximm's, "The Force that Drives the Water Through the Rock," a piece created during his residency at Grand Canyon. vast canyon tinged pink by setting sun California Condor Species description of the California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus). An adult condor with the wing tag label number 80 stands over a juvenile condor. Arizona Bark Scorpion The most venomous scorpion in North America, the Arizona bark scorpion is a small animal that only grows to 2.5 inches (6.4cm) long. An Arizona bark scorpion glows white under a black light. Structural Fire Awards Presented to Parks and Firefighters for Excellence in Service In 2013 the NPS Office of Structural Fire presented awards to those parks and individuals who have made a difference over the past year in furthering the structural fire program agencywide. Article identifies recipients of Superior Achievement Award, Compliance Achievement Award, Outstanding Fire Instructor of the Year award, and Leadership Awards. National Park Service Visitor and Resource Protection Staff Focuses on Week of Leadership Staff from all levels of the National Park Service in law enforcement, United States Park Police, as well as fire and aviation spent a week learning leadership lessons from one another as well as from a diverse group of leaders during the last week of September 2019. A group of women and men on a rocky outcrop in high desert. America's Best Idea: Featured National Historic Landmarks Over 200 National Historic Landmarks are located in national parks units. Some historical and cultural resources within the park system were designated as NHLs before being established as park units. Yet other park units have NHLs within their boundaries that are nationally significant for reasons other than those for which the park was established. Twenty of those NHLs are located in parks featured in Ken Burn's documentary, The National Parks: America's Best Idea. watchtower against blue sky 1922 - Into the Grand Canyon and Out Again by Airplane Most aviators, I venture to say, would have been content to fly down into the canyon and make a safe landing. But not so Thomas. He was not satisfied with his performance until he had climbed back up again without landing and then dropped over the rim in a long tail-spin, which carried him nearly to the bottom, five thousand feet below... Old fashioned biplane with pilots standing nearby. 1925 - Building the Kaibab Trail The Chimney, Ooo-Ahh Point, Windy Ridge, the Red & Whites, the Tip-Off, the TrainWreck…For those who know and love the Kaibab Trail, the recitation of these names conjures up images that are the stuff of longing, wonder, and enchantment. Man in wide brimmed hat overlooking grand canyon. Recovering the Endangered Sentry Milk-Vetch, Methods & Preliminary Results The recovery effort takes a multi-faceted approach to meeting recovery plan objectives. Priorities include identifying and protecting existing habitat and populations, researching optimal growing conditions, and establishing new populations. Sentry Milk-Vetch In the City that Never Sleeps Grasshopper Mouse will howl like a wolf. She is a member of the toughest mouse family that lives. She is a carnivorous creature, fast and sure enough to kill and eat giant centipedes and scorpions, immune to their terrible venom. The few who have seen one of these battles know that it resembles a cross between a lion attacking a full-grown Wildebeest and a Jackie Chan fight scene. Only faster. Mouse in front of Grand Canyon 300 Humpback Chub Translocated into Shinumo Creek In June 2010, fisheries biologists released 300 young humpback chub into Shinumo Creek in Grand Canyon National Park. This second translocation augmented the number of humpback chub in Shinumo Creek following the 2009 release. Biologists hope that Shinumo Creek will provide rearing habitat for humpback chub in a natural environment outside the Little Colorado River. A humpback chub being held out of water. Grand Canyon National Park takes steps to recover the endangered sentry milk-vetch. The park took significant actions in 2009 to recovery the endangered sentry milk-vetch, including constructing a passive solar greenhouse to house an ex situ population and conducting seed germination trials. Sentry milk-vetch next to a quarter to show scale. National Park Service Aviation Personnel Attend DOI National Pilot Ground School During the week of December 10, 2017, twenty-eight National Park Service (NPS) airplane and helicopter pilots, pilot trainees, national and regional aviation staff attended the 2017 DOI National Pilot Ground School (NPGS). The weeklong training brought together over 100 DOI pilots from the NPS, US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and DOI’s Office of Aviation Services (OAS). A group of 17 men stand in front of a room. Northern Arizona Land Managers Recognized for Leadership in Fire Management In June 2015, managers of both the Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona were recognized for the leadership role they’ve played in managing wildland fire across the landscape and jurisdictional boundaries for the purpose of improving forest health conditions. National Park Service Hosts First Class of Aviators for Unmanned Aircraft Systems In September 2016, the Department of the Interior certified the first nine unmanned aircraft systems pilots in the National Park Service. The new pilots will use their certification in support of search and rescue, wildland fire activities, and resource monitoring. A drone hovers near a tree on the edge of the Grand Canyon. Morale, Welfare and Recreation in WWII National Parks Wartime NPS Director Newton Drury wrote 'In wartime, the best function of these areas is to prove a place to which members of the armed forces and civilians may retire to restore shattered nerves and to recuperate physically and mentally for the war tasks still ahead of them.' During World War II, parks across the United States supported the morale of troops and sought to become places of healing for those returning from war. B&W; soldiers post in front of large tree Army Couple Visits 59 National Parks When you’re a dual-military couple, it can be a challenge to try to find things to do together, especially when you’re at separate duty stations or on deployment. For one Army couple, what started out as a simple idea to get out of the house turned into a five-year adventure. Couple standing in front of The Windows at Arches National Park. Desert Bighorn Sheep A close up of the head of a male Desert Bighorn sheep with 3/4 curl. American Cheetah Fossil Interactive 3D Model Pleistocene subfossil collected from a cave in the Grand Canyon during a 1936-1937 Civilian Conservation Corps expedition. model of fossil cheetah jaw on plain color background California Condor Fossil Interactive 3D Model Pleistocene subfossil collected from a cave in Grand Canyon National Park. 3d model of condor skull on plain color background PARKS...IN...SPAAAACE!!! NASA astronauts have quite literally an out-of-this-world view of national parks and take some pretty stellar pictures to share. Travel along with the space station on its journey west to east getting the extreme bird’s eye view of national parks across the country. And one more down-to-earth. View of Denali National Park & Preserve from space Crystal Clear: Implementing High-Flow Protocol for Nourishment of Beaches On November 18, 2012, the Department of the Interior began increasing the release of water in the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam for a high-flow experimental release (HFE) of approximately 42,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) for 24 hours. The goal of the high-flow experiment was to move sand a cumulated in the river channel and redeposit it to rebuild eroded sandbars and beaches in Grand Canyon National Park. 4 rafts floating down the river with grand canyon in background. Understanding extended day use of corridor trails A social scientist discusses the impact of use levels on visitor experience along Grand Canyon National Park’s most popular backcountry trails—those of the corridor—and summarizes visitor perceptions of various management interventions being considered to address them. Map of the Corridor Trail System at Grand Canyon National Park; NPS map Park Air Profiles - Grand Canyon National Park Air quality profile for Grand Canyon National Park. Gives park-specific information about air quality and air pollution impacts for Grand Canyon NP as well as the studies and monitoring conducted for Grand Canyon NP. Desert View Watchtower in Grand Canyon NP Alexander Pearson: An Early Pilot of Aviation History Lt. Alexander Pearson was a trailblazing pilot of early aviation. His groundbreaking flights, including the first aerial survey of the Grand Canyon and breaking the world speed record in 1923, made him one of the United States' most celebrated early aviators. Today, Pearson Field and Pearson Air Museum, a part of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, are named after him. Black and white photo of man in military uniform. Fire Communication and Education Grants Enhance Fire Interpretation and Outreach in the National Parks in 2015 and Beyond The 2015 National Park Service Fire Communication and Education Grant Program provided funding for projects, programs, or tasks in twelve parks around the country. A woman studies a small coniferous tree while a younger woman looks on. Preventive success! Grand Canyon’s response to search-and-rescue overload The rapid rise of search-and-rescue responses in Grand Canyon National Park leads to creation of the Preventive Search and Rescue team. Helicopter medivac rangers wheel a litter up the Bright Angel Trail; NPS/C. J. Malcolm Canyoneering at Grand Canyon National Park: Monitoring pockets of wilderness in the canyon corridor A backcountry ranger discusses the rise in popularity of canyoneering at the park and the management challenges resulting from this recreational activity. Phantom Creek; NPS/Matt Jenkins Grand Canyon’s corridor trail system: Linking the past, present, and future Grand Canyon National Park’s corridor trail system tells the story of how human use and recreation have evolved amidst the park’s vast backcountry. A view of upper Bright Angel Trail from Hermit Road, South Rim, Grand Canyon; NPS/Michael Quinn SW CA Condor Update - 2013-01 (January) From January 2013: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. Grand Canyon Black Tarantula Tarantulas are not dangerous, but their bite is painful. While these spiders are large, they can be easily harmed if dropped or stepped on. Please observe these incredible arachnids from a distance. A Grand Canyon black tarantula climbing up a stone. SW Condor Update - 2008-05 (May) From May 2008: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flies wild and free. Tarantula Hawk Tarantula hawks are brilliantly colored, but are predators with an incredibly painful sting. NPS Photo/ Robb Hannawacker An black insect with bright orange wings and predominant feelers on sandy ground. Grand Canyon is the ‘Dark Sky Place’ to be at The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) presented Grand Canyon National Park the International Dark Sky Place of the Year Award in Tucson, Arizona, on Friday, November 8, 2019. “The real winners are the millions of visitors that have the opportunity to experience the park’s pristine night skies,” said Grand Canyon National Park Program Manager Vicky Stinson. 5 nicely dressed people posing for a group photo. Rader Lane and Rose Masters have won the 2019 National Freeman Tilden Award Congratulations to all the two 2019 recipients of the national Freeman Tilden Awards. Learn more about all their innovative interpretive programs. Three rangers at Manzanar NHS Stock’s Vampire Bat Interactive 3D Model Stock’s vampire bat fossils are often found in association with giant ground sloths, which suggests they might have been one of this bat’s preferred sources of food. 3d model of bat skull Harrington’s Mountain Goat Interactive 3D Model Harrington’s Goat (<em>Oreamnos harringtoni</em>) is an extinct species of caprine that was found in the Southwestern part of North America during the last ice age. Osteologically, the Harrington was smaller (by a 1/3) than the living mountain goat, O. americanus, to which it is related, but with relatively robust feet, a proportionally long but narrow skull, and smaller horns. 3d model of goat skull on plain color background Fossil Vertebrate Trackways Interactive 3D Model These tracks, located in a large fallen block of the Coconino Sandstone within Grand Canyon National Park are evidence of early tetrapods inhabiting deserts during the late Paleozoic (early Permian). model of fossil tracks on rock slab Phyllodont Fish Tooth Plate Interactive 3D Model This is mold of a Permian age fish plate. Fish plates are tooth-like structures found in early fish and are known from the Pennsylvanian to the Permian periods. 3d model of fossil on larger rock Seed Fern Fossil Interactive 3D Model Collected from the Hermit Shale in Grand Canyon National Park by Frank Richardson in 1938. 3d model of seed fern fossil on rock surface Trilobite Interactive 3D Model Collected from the Bright Angel Shale in Grand Canyon National Park. 3d model of trilobite fossil on rock slab Increasing temperature seasonality may overwhelm shifts in soil moisture to favor shrub over grass dominance in Colorado Plateau drylands Increasing variability of temperature favors a shift to shrublands over grasslands in arid southwestern landscapes. This effect is greater than the effect of increasing soil moisture, which favors a shift to grasslands over shrublands. Grassland with scattered junipers and hills in the background. A Chance Discovery Reveals a Rich Fossil Shark Record From the Carboniferous of the Grand Canyon In the early spring of 2012, an old shoebox belonging to former NAU geologist professor. It contained micropaleontology slides that held conodonts and micro-vertebrate fossils that were a mystery. But not for long! Thrinacodus gracia and teeth from the Surprise Canyon Formation; scale equals 200 µm. Historic Visibility Studies in National Parks Haze can negatively impact how well people can see and appreciate our national parks across the country. This article summarizes the visibility studies from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s aimed at identifying the sources of haze causing pollution at specific parks and improving visibility monitoring methods. Big bend national park river 2018 Freeman Tilden Award Recipients In 2018, six talented National Park Service employees were awarded the Freeman Tilden Award for their amazing and innovative interpretive programs. Ranger in a canyon with a typewriter on a table Survival of the Southern Paiute The Paiutes have overcome insurmountable challenges and devastation as a people. Their long struggle to preserve the Paiute way and flourish continues. But they will not give up. Instead, they celebrate their achievements, promising that while “[t]he struggle is long and difficult… the Paiute will survive.” Native American man in ceremonial dress with orange cliffs in the background. 1902 - Breaking A Trail Through Bright Angel Canyon The adventure of the first party to cross from one side of the Grand Canyon to the other by pack train in 1902 have never been told. Here follows a brief statement of the circumstances. by F. E. Matthes, U.S. Geological Survey. Black and white historic photo of a side canyon with a creek between towering cliffs. 1928 - A Bridge Worthy Construction of the suspension bridge across the Colorado river. Bridge attached to two rocky cliffs spanning a river, text reads 1914 Metz Car To the bottom of the Grand Canyon by automobile was probably the most strenuous undertaking ever carried out in the annals of American motoring. To make that trip and to return to the plateau thousands of feet above, all on the car's own power, negotiating deep sand arroyos, frightfully steep grades, great boulder filled gorges and slimy mud flats, is a feat extraordinary. Driver of a Metz peers into Grand Canyon. 1899 - An Adventure in Beaver Canyon I have had many a perilous adventure in my ten years of exploring in the canyons of the Colorado River, but none so peculiar as one I passed through this year (1899). Waterfall falling over dark rocks into clear blue pool. Alternative Spring Break Brings Enthusiastic Students to Grand Canyon National Park While many college students lounged on beaches for spring break, 82 students from eight colleges and universities spent their time supporting Grand Canyon National Park’s wildland fire crew as part of an Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program. group of spring break students pose for a group photo with fire managers World War II Plane Crashes in National Parks During WWII, more than 7,100 air crashes involved US Army Air Force (USAAF) aircraft occurred on American soil. Collectively these crashes resulted in the loss of more than 15,599 lives (Mireles 2006). Many of these military aircraft accidents occurred in remote, often mountainous, areas managed by the National Park Service. plane crash at base of grassy hill California Condor Reintroduction & Recovery A tagged California condor flies free. NPS Photo/ Don Sutherland A wing-tagged California condor flying in the blue sky. Successful North Rim Prescribed Fires at Grand Canyon In November 2012, interagency fire managers completed ignitions on two prescribed fires totaling about 4,600 acres. Initial post-treatment observations indicate that goals and objectives were met. The fires reduced buildup of dead and down vegetation, especially along the North Rim's primary exit route, created defensible space around sensitive cultural resources and along the park-forest boundary, and protected and enhanced Mexican spotted owl habitat. A collapsed smoke plume looms over a softly lit Grand Canyon. The Colorado Plateau The Colorado Plateau is centered on the four corners area of the Southwest, and includes much of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Hazy Fajada Butte, Chaco Culture National Monument Monitoring Upland Vegetation and Soils on the Southern Colorado Plateau Vegetation and soils are the foundation upon which all terrestrial ecosystems are built. Soils provide the medium for the storage and delivery of water and nutrients to plants, which in turn provide animal populations with both habitat and food. Sampling grassland vegetation at a long-term monitoring plot at Wupatki National Monument Monitoring Bird Communities on the Southern Colorado Plateau Bird communities can tell us a lot about changing environmental conditions. High on the food chain, and sensitive to climate and habitat changes, birds are monitored on the Southern Colorado Plateau as indicators of riparian and upland ecosystem health. Male Williamson’s sapsucker. Wildland Fire in Douglas Fir: Western United States Douglas fir is widely distributed throughout the western United States, as well as southern British Columbia and northern Mexico. Douglas fir is able to survive without fire, its abundantly-produced seeds are lightweight and winged, allowing the wind to carry them to new locations where seedlings can be established. Close-up of Douglas fir bark and needles. Managing Wildfires in a Fire-Adapted Ecosystem in Grand Canyon National Park Grand Canyon fire managers saw success in managing lightning-caused wildfires in summer 2014 to achieve resource benefits and burn a fire-adapted ecosystem. Firefighters stand in an open pine forest with small flames on the ground. Nearly 1000 Acres Successfully Treated with Prescribed Fire on Grand Canyon South Rim On June 9, 2016, National Park Service (NPS) fire managers successfully treated 994 acres with prescribed (Rx) fire on the South Rim of Grand Canyon. firefighter listens to handheld radio during a prescribed burn North Zone Readiness Review a Success: “We Train Together to Respond Together” Wildland firefighters from the Kaibab National Forest, Color Country Bureau of Land Management and Grand Canyon National Park trained together May 12,2016 at the North Kaibab Ranger District for their annual readiness review training. Incident Commander briefs firefighters during simulation exercise 2011 Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award Many rangers tend to specialize in specific ranger skills depending on their abilities, but Hendy is one that simply excel at every aspect of rangering. On any day ranger Hendy could be anywhere: rappelling over the rim of the Grand Canyon to stabilize a patient, working with the Grand Canyon Special Response Team to do a building sweep, responding with the structural fire engine to a burning RV, or simply answering visitor questions. Lisa Hendy 2012 Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award Throughout his 14-year career, Ranger Torres has dedicated his life to helping others and protecting visitors in the national parks as a federal law enforcement officer, paramedic, rescuer, firefighter, coach, guide, and teacher. Torres has earned the highest respect from his coworkers, mentored other rangers, and is known for his kindness, sound judgment, and sincerity. Brandon Torres 2014 Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award Vandergraff is a living legend among his peers. In his 25-year career, Vandergraff has hiked 10,000 miles of the Grand Canyon backcountry, spent 3,000 days helping visitors below the canyon's rim, and assisted with more than 2,000 search and rescue operations. A rangers' ranger, Vandergraff has dedicated his life to helping others. Bil Vandergraff Wildfire at Grand Canyon National Park: Visiting Our Past to Build Our Future Current and past fire managers at Grand Canyon NP toured the North Rim to develop a vision for the future of the wildland fire program there. Sixteen fire managers with a total of 152 years of GRCA fire experience attended the field trip to discuss success stories, lessons learned, future climate changes, and fire effects. The group toured past wildfire areas to assess postfire recovery and discussed future projects to ensure the perpetuation of wildland fires for the future. Module Conducts Wildland-Urban Interface Projects Throughout the Intermountain Region In 2013, the Saguaro Wildland Fire Module (WFM) managed multiple projects simultaneously in AZ, TX, and NM. WFMs are highly skilled and versatile fire crews that provide expertise in long-term planning, ignitions, holding, prescribed fire preparation and implementation support, hazardous fuels reduction, and fire effects monitoring. With their help, fire fulfills its natural or historic role to meet resource and management objectives and create fire-adapted communities. Wildland Fire: Previous Fuels Treatments Change Fire Behavior The June 2013 Halfway fire is an excellent example of how strategically planned prescribed fire treatments can be effective in limiting the spread of future wildfires. Despite a red flag warning and extreme fire danger, interagency fire personnel contained the fire at 250 acres after just one day. The quick, safe suppression was a direct result of interagency collaboration and a long history of hazardous fuel reduction through carefully planned and implemented prescribed fire Wildland Fire in Sagebrush Sagebrush will burn when the surrounding grasses are dry. With strong winds, fire spreads rapidly with flames sometimes reaching over 30 feet high. While fire easily kills sagebrush, the other plants resprout from protected roots producing lush forage for wildlife and livestock. Close-up of sagebrush leaves 2002 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2002 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards 2007 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2007 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards 2004 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2004 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Shasta Ground Sloth Interactive 3D Model Pleistocene giant ground sloth recovered from Rampart Cave. Collected in the 1930's during excavation work within the cave. In addition to bones, this cave also preserved pieces of sloth fur and large amounts of sloth manure. 3d model of sloth skull on plain color background Dragonfly Wing Fossil Interactive 3D Model This fossil, is the type specimen for T. whitei and is from the Hermit Shale of Lower Permian time (~280 million years old). This nearly complete fore-wing is from an early and much larger insect similar to a dragonfly. 3d model of dragonfly wing fossil on rock surface Fossil Tetrapod Foot Prints Interactive 3D Model Several sets of various size tracks from the ichnogenus Chelichnus in the Coconino Sandstone. Tracks are found along the Hermit trail in Grand Canyon National Park. 3d model of fossil tracks on larger rock slab Brachiopod Fossil Interactive 3D Model Collected from the Kaibab Limestone in Grand Canyon National Park. Specimen was formerly on display at the Yavapai Geology Museum. 3d model of fossil clam on larger rock Coiled Nautiloid Interactive 3D Model Collected from the Kaibab Limestone in Grand Canyon National Park. Holotype specimen. 3d model of fossil nautiloid on plain color background Crinoid Fossil Interactive 3D Model Collected from the Kaibab Limestone in Grand Canyon National Park. model of crinoid segments in rock slab Restoring a dammed river with experimental flooding One of the hot topics in environmental science is whether or not to remove dams to restore the natural flow of rivers. Over the centuries, thousands of dams have been constructed on rivers across the United States to store water or produce electricity. Some of these dams influence our national parks. A dam with water at it's base and red cliffs to the left and the right About The Southern Paiute “Paa” ute means water ute, and explains the Southern Paiute preference for living near water sources. The Spanish explorer Escalante kept detailed journals of his travels in the Southwest and made notes concerning Southern Paiute horticulture, writing in 1776, that there were “well dug irrigation ditches” being used to water small fields of corn, pumpkins, squash, and sunflowers. Southern Paiute boy by wickiup shelter. Modeling Past and Future Soil Moisture in Southern Colorado Plateau National Parks and Monuments In this project, USGS and NPS scientists used the range of variation in historical climate data to provide context for assessing the relative impact of projected future climate on soil water availability. This report provides the results of modeled SWP generated for 11 ecosystems in nine Southern Colorado Plateau Network parks. Extensive grassland at Wupatki National Monument Post-1935 Changes in Pinyon-Juniper Persistent Woodland on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park The discovery of datasheets from vegetation study plots established in 1935 in Grand Canyon National Park provided a unique opportunity to look at 76 years of change in pinyon-juniper woodlands on the South Rim and make inferences about their relation to climate, fire regimes, and resource management. Canyon rim covered in green trees beneath blue sky with a few clouds Telling Time at Grand Canyon National Park Understanding geologic time in the Grand Canyon (2004) visitors on overlook at grand canyon Wildland Fire in Chaparral: California and Southwestern United States Chaparral is a general term that applies to various types of brushland found in southern California and the southwestern U.S. This community contains the most flammable type of vegetation found in the United States. Chaparral on steep rocky slopes. Bat Projects in Parks: Grand Canyon National Park From monitoring to education, find out what Grand Canyon National Park learned about their bats! A view of the South Kiabab trail heading into the Grand Canyon Monitoring Night Skies and Natural Soundscapes on the Southern Colorado Plateau Many national parks in the Southern Colorado Plateau region contain large areas of wilderness, where dark night skies and natural soundscapes are important human values. Dark night skies, which depend upon the visibility of stars and other natural components, are diminishing resources in several park units because of anthropogenic activities. Natural soundscapes—that is, the natural sounds of wildlands—are degraded by sounds caused by humans or human technology. Clouds and sky turning red and orange over Navajo National Monument at sunset Recovering the Endangered Sentry Milk-Vetch, 2016 Update Additional sentry milk-vetch populations have been discovered on the South and North Rims since 2006, when the sentry milk-vetch recovery plan was published. Currently there are five wild populations on the North Rim, four wild populations on the South Rim, and three introduced populations on the South Rim. In 2016, sentry milk-vetch monitoring, propogation, site mapping, planting, and propagation protocol refinements were among the recovery milestones. Sentry milk-vetch plant SW CA Condor Update - 2017-01 (January) From January 2017: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2015-11 (November) From November 2015: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2015-02 (February) From February 2015: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2014-11 (November) From November 2014: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2015-07 (July) From July 2015: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2016-04 (April) From April 2016: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2014-07 (July) From July 2014 : An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2019-09 (September) An update on the Southwest California Condor Meta-Population for September 2019 from Grand Canyon National Park. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2017-04 (April) An update on the status of the Arizona/ Utah population of the California condor. A condor flying. West Rim Drive Cultural Landscape West Rim Drive starts at the intersection of the Village Loop Road and ends at the Hermits Rest Trail Head. The current road, trail, and overlooks were constructed in 1934-1935, and continue to be popular tourist attractions that receive high use throughout the year. Features visible from the road and West Rim Trail include the Colorado River, the North Rim, Grand Canyon Village, Bright Angel Trail, Indian Garden, and others. Fred Harvey Tour Busses at Hopi Point, circa 1935 (GRCA archives) Grand Canyon National Park Centennial Briefings: Cultural Resources During the summer of Grand Canyon National Park’s 2019 centennial, scientists and resource managers briefed fellow staff and the public about how they are helping to enable future generations to enjoy what is special about Grand Canyon. A man stands talking to a group of people near a structure made out of tree limbs. Dark Adaptation of the Human Eye and the Value of Red Flashlights Jim O'Connor of the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association describes the properties of night vision, and why it is important to use red flashlights at star parties, or other outdoor astronomy events. At night, several people are looking through a large telescope with the Milky Way in the sky above. SW CA Condor Update - 2012-10 (October) From October 2010: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. New Citizens Sworn in at Grand Canyon Thirteen new citizens took their oath of allegiance during a naturalization ceremony hosted by Grand Canyon National Park and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at the Grand Canyon’s Mather Point Amphitheater on Sept. 28, 2019. 15 people sit in a semicircle in a stone amphitheater; a colorful landscape beyond. What's in a name? Many names have been used to describe geologic features within Grand Canyon National Park. This article highlight some of that history and two popular geographic locations: Bright Angel Trail and Sinking Ship. John Muir standing on the rim of Grand Canyon Wildland Fire in Ponderosa Pine: Western United States This forest community generally exists in areas with annual rainfall of 25 inches or less. Extensive pure stands of this forest type are found in the southwestern U.S., central Washington and Oregon, southern Idaho and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Recently burned ponderosa pine forest. Zehra Osman Zehra Osman has been a Landscape Architect with the National Park Service since 2001. Through her work at a variety of parks around the country, Zehra explores how cultural landscape documentation and research contributes to historic preservation and planning projects. A smiling woman in a green NPS uniform with arms crossed Bison Conservation Initiative The 2008 BCI has been a touchstone for DOI bureaus for 12 years. The commitments made there have now resulted in meaningful technical products and organizational improvements that continue to advance the conservation of American bison. The Bison Working Group, established as a mechanism for implementing the 2008 BCI, quickly became a productive model of interagency collaboration. Federal professionals working in support of bison conservation note that today we enjoy an ... Bison Conservation Initiative Faces of Fire: Veterans Continue Their Service in Grand Canyon National Park’s Fire and Aviation Program Stephanie Cuz and Kacie Dodds in their military uniforms Stephanie Cuz and Kacie Dodds in their military uniforms World CA Condor Update - 2018 An update on the world California Condor population for 2018. A close-up of the pink bald head of a California condor with a ruffle of black feathers. World CA Condor Update - 2016 Population Status An update on the world California Condor population for 2016. A close up of the pink bald head of a California condor with a ruffle of black feathers. World CA Condor Update - 2017 An update on the world California Condor population for 2017. A close-up of the pink bald head of a California condor with a ruffle of black feathers. SW CA Condor Update - 2014-03 (March) From March 2014: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2013-10 (October) From October 2013: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW Ca Condor Update - 2013-04 (April) From April 2013: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2013-07 (July) From July 2013: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. North Zone Fire Management Hosts Their First Women in Wildfire Boot Camp The Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park joined together to facilitate a Women in Wildfire (WIW) boot camp. Experienced firefighters from the forest and park mentored, taught and challenged 16 women selected to participate in the training, the first one the North Zone has hosted. Firefighters use a hose from a fire engine to attack a simulated wildfire SW CA Condor Update - 2018-04 (April) Update on the AZ/UT population of California condors in April of 2018. A condor flying wild and free. World CA Condor Update – 2019 An update on the world California Condor population for 2019. A close-up of the pink bald head of a California condor with a ruffle of black feathers. SW CA Condor Update – 2020-02 An update on the Southwest California Condor Meta-Population for 2019 from Grand Canyon National Park (updated February 2020). A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2012-06 (June) From June 2016: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2012-04 (April) From April 2012: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2012-07 (July) From July 2012: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2011-03 (March) From March 2011: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. Read more A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2011-12 (December) From Decmeber 2011: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2010-12 (December) From December 2010: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2011-11 (November) From November 2011: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2011-07 (July) From July 2011: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. Read more A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2011-01 (January) From January 2011: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. Geoscientists-in-the-Parks: Paleontology Technician Read about the work Robyn Henderek did as a Paleontology Technician in Grand Canyon National Park as a GIP in 2016. Robyn Henderek Grand Canyon National Park Welcomes New Branch Chief of Fire and Aviation Grand Canyon National Park Welcomes New Branch Chief of Fire and Aviation man with mountains in background Population Viability Study This study confirms that management of DOI bison herds in isolation promotes the loss of genetic diversity within all herds. More importantly, this study demonstrates that increased herd size and targeted removal strategies can reduce rates of diversity loss, and that adopting a Departmental metapopulation strategy through facilitated periodic movement of modest numbers of bison among DOI herds (i.e., restoring effective gene flow) can substantially reduce the... Bison Population Viability Study SW CA Condor Update - 2009-11 (November) From November 2009: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2010-03 (March) From March 2010: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2010-05 (May) From May 2010: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2010-10 (October) From October 2010: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW CA Condor Update - 2009-07 (July) From July 2009: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW Condor Update - 2008-11 (November) From November 2008: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW Condor Update - 2009-03 (March) From March 2009: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW Condor Update - 2009-06 (June) From June 2009: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. A condor flying wild and free. SW Condor Update - 2008-12 (December) From December 2008: An update from Grand Canyon National Park on the California Condor recovery program for the Arizona/ Utah population. The Adverse Effects of Climate Change on Desert Bighorn Sheep Climate change has and will continue to have a negative impact on the population of desert bighorn sheep. For the remaining herds to survive, management may always be necessary. Protecting wild lands is key to the survival of these amazing animals. Desert bighorn sheep, NPS/Shawn Cigrand Southwest River Environments In the arid Southwest, water means life, and prehistorically, rivers were the lifelines of the people. The Colorado River flowing through a canyon Monitoring Water Quality on the Southern Colorado Plateau Water quality data are used to characterize waters, detect trends over time, and identify emerging problems. In Southern Colorado Plateau Network parks, water quality is monitored as an indicator of aquatic ecosystem integrity, as a component of watershed condition, and to document water quality conditions in relation to state and federal regulations. Collecting water quality data Steam into Grand Canyon Village Celebrating a Century of Rails to Parks A black and white photo of people on the rear platform of a railroad car. Reducing risk of train wheel sparks igniting a wildfire within Grand Canyon National Park Grand Canyon Railway, in consultation with the National Park Service (NPS), will apply herbicide along their railroad tracks including those within Grand Canyon National Park. The purpose of this application is to inhibit the growth of vegetation adjacent to the railroad tracks, lowering the risk of train wheel sparks igniting a fire. Once the treatment is completed, this area will also act as a fire break for any fires originating elsewhere in the park. Applying herbicide along railroad tracks within Grand Canyon National Park Sentry Milk-Vetch Standing guard over the rim of the Grand Canyon, the tiny, federally endangered "sentry" milk-vetch is a perennial herb that forms a one inch tall by eight inch wide mat in shallow pockets of soil on the Kaibab limestone. Sentry Milk-Vetch Climate Change on the Southern Colorado Plateau The combination of high. elevation and a semi-arid climate makes the Colorado Plateau particularly vulnerable to climate change. Climate models predict that over the next 100 years, the Southwest will become warmer and even more arid, with more extreme droughts than the region has experienced in the recent past. One result of climate change may be more, larger floods, like this flash flood in Glen Canyon NRA Pollinators - Bumble bee Get the buzz on bumblebees! There are approximately 46 species of bumble bees (genus Bombus) native to North America and 250 species worldwide—all dependent on flowering plants. A bumblebee lands on a white flower Post-1935 Changes in Forest Vegetation of Grand Canyon National Park The surprise discovery in Grand Canyon National Park of some early 1900s photographs awaiting disposal led to a rare opportunity to examine forest change in the park since 1935. The photographs and associated data sheets documented a park-wide vegetation study from 1935 that generated the first ever Grand Canyon vegetation map. Section of the 1935 vegetation map of Grand Canyon National Park Monitoring Spring Ecosystems on the Southern Colorado Plateau Springs are important water sources in arid landscapes, supporting unique plant associations and sustaining high levels of biotic diversity. Because springs rely on groundwater, they can serve as important indicators of change in local and regional aquifers. On the Colorado Plateau, spring ecosystems also provide vital habitat for both endemic and regionally rare species, including several types of orchids and declining populations of leopard frogs. A pool of water filled with vegetation and sheltered by large rocks Monitoring Aquatic Macroinvertebrates on the Southern Colorado Plateau Aquatic macroinvertebrates, such as insect larvae, snails, and worms, play a vital role in stream ecosystems, both as a food source and as consumers of algae and other organic matter. Because macroinvertebrates are sensitive to environmental change, monitoring them can help to detect chemical, physical, and biological impacts to aquatic ecosystems. Monitoring aquatic macroinvertebrates Prescribed burn provides educational opportunities and prepares crews for fire season On May 19, 2016, fire crews at Grand Canyon National Park conducted a prescribed burn and provided educational opportunities for park visitors as part of an annual readiness review designed to assist crews to prepare for and operate during wildfire season. Fire management officer briefs a group of 4th grade students Unlikely Siblings February 26th is a day for celebration in Acadia, marking the historic transition of Sieur de Monts National Monument into Lafayette National Park, which eventually became the Acadia we know today. While it is a special day for Acadia, it shares the festivities with a twin in the bonds of "parkhood." Grand Canyon and Acadia national parks in fog. Bryophyte Floristics and Ecology in Grand Canyon National Park Bryophytes are one of the largest group of land plants and includes mosses, liverworts and hornworts. They can be found almost anywhere in the world, but in the American Southwest, bryophytes are small in stature and so low in bio¬mass that they are easily overlooked. However, they play a critical role in arid ecosystems where they contribute to soil stabilization, seedling establishment, biogeochemical cycling, symbiotic relationships and habitat creation for invertebrates. Grimmia anodon and Grimmia alpestris (dry) on Kaibab Limestone Formation Bright Angel Trackway Interactive 3D Model of fossil trackways from Grand Canyon National Park. model of fossil tracks on rock slab National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map Mary Colter and Her Buildings at Grand Canyon Hopi House, Hermit's Rest, Lookout Studio and Desert View Watchtower are not only the best and least altered, but some of the only remaining works of architectural designer and interior decorator, Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter. A middle aged woman, leaning on one arm, sits in an elaborate, woven, wicker chair. The Story of Desert View Watchtower The view from the Desert View Watchtower provides a unique perspective of the eastern side of Grand Canyon. From here, looking to the northeast offers a distant glimpse of the Colorado River's transition from the relatively narrow Marble Canyon to the north into the much wider, broader expanse of Grand Canyon. Directly below is the Colorado River's "Big Bend", where it dramatically shifts its previously southward course by executing a sharp 90-degree turn to the west. On the edge of a canyon cliff, a circular stone tower four stories, 70 feet tall. Kolb Brothers: Conflict on the Canyon's Rim Kolb Studio proudly sits at the head of the Bright Angel Trial, just like it did in 1904. It is a monument to Emery Kolb's achievement and success over the Fred Harvey Company's never-ending effort to make him leave, and the National Park Service's yearning to obliterate the building. multi-story wood frame building on the edge of cliff with sunset light illuminating distant peaks. Soon Condors Will Soar Over Redwoods California condors may soon be released in Redwood National Park. Adult male condor incubates his egg in a redwood tree nest on the Big Sur coast. Rockfalls and Rain, Risk and Randomness Stand in one place and you can pick out hundreds of rocks that are ready to let go and fall into the Grand Canyon. Some are limestone, some are sandstone. Some are mere pebbles, some are the size of apartment buildings. Does one have YOUR name on it? There is a thunderstorm on the southwest horizon – does it have a lightning bolt meant for you? Will it spawn a flash flood, hidden from view, destined to carry you away in a mud-brown tsunami? Dust plume from a rockfall on the side of a canyon cliff Series: GIP Participants and Project Highlights [8 Articles] Participants selected for the GIP program have a unique opportunity to contribute to the conservation of America's national parks. Participants may assist with research, mapping, GIS analysis, resource monitoring, hazard mitigation, and education. GIP positions can last from 3 months to one-year. Robyn Henderek Series: Grand Canyon National Park Centennial Briefings During the summer of Grand Canyon National Park’s 2019 centennial, scientists and resource managers briefed fellow staff and the public about how they are helping to enable future generations to enjoy what is special about Grand Canyon. Black winged California Condor with a red head sits with its wings spread out. Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Cenozoic Era The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths. fossils on display at a visitor center Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Paleozoic Era During the Paleozoic Era (541 to 252 million years ago), fish diversified and marine organisms were very abundant. In North America, the Paleozoic is characterized by multiple advances and retreats of shallow seas and repeated continental collisions that formed the Appalachian Mountains. Common Paleozoic fossils include trilobites and cephalopods such as squid, as well as insects and ferns. The greatest mass extinction in Earth's history ended this era. fossil corals in a rock matrix Series: Wildlife in the Badlands Ever wonder what kind of wildlife could survive the harsh climate of the Badlands? Two small, grey young lambs walk down brown badlands slope. Series: Research in Badlands National Park Scientists often look to the Badlands as a research subject. Many studies have been conducted in the park on a variety of topics, including paleontology, geology, biology, and archaeology. Learn more about these research topics in this article series. two researchers converse over a sheet of paper while a woman to their right uses a microscope. Series: National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geoheritage-conservation.htm">geoheritage</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geodiversity.htm">geodiversity</a> resources and values all across the National Park System to support science-based management and education. The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1088/index.htm">NPS Geologic Resources Division</a> and many parks work with National and International <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/park-geology.htm">geoconservation</a> communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available. park scene mountains Series: NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Since 2002, the National Park Service (NPS) has awarded Environmental Achievement (EA) Awards to recognize staff and partners in the area of environmental preservation, protection and stewardship. A vehicle charges at an Electric Vehicle charging station at Thomas Edison National Historical Park Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 11, No. 2, Fall 2019 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> devils tower Series: Grand Canyon Collections—Paleontology The fossils found within Grand Canyon span over a billion years of Earth history, from stromatolites found in the Bass Limestone (1.2 billion years ago) to Pleistocene megafauna (15,000 years ago) exhumed from cave sediments. The park’s fossil resource have been known to scientists for over 100 years. Recently, NPS scientists used imaging techniques to create virtual 3D fossils.The examples below are just some of your park’s paleontological treasures. 3d model of cheetah jaw Series: Defining the Southwest The Southwest has a special place in the American imagination – one filled with canyon lands, cacti, roadrunners, perpetual desert heat, a glaring sun, and the unfolding of history in places like Tombstone and Santa Fe. In the American mind, the Southwest is a place without boundaries – a land with its own style and its own pace – a land that ultimately defies a single definition. Maize agriculture is one component of a general cultural definition of the Southwest. Series: Parks in Science History Parks in Science History is a series of articles and videos made in cooperation with graduate students from various universities. They highlight the roles that national parks have played in the history of science and, therefore, the world's intellectual heritage. A woman looking through binoculars Series: Crystal Clear: A Call to Action In 2016, the nation celebrates the centennial of the National Park Service (NPS) as the steward of special places that represent our natural and cultural heritage. Many national parks were founded on the beauty and value of water. Since the preservation of the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park in 1872, the National Park System has grown to include significant examples within majestic rivers, the Great Lakes, oceans and coasts, and other spectacular water resources. bright blue lake green islands in between Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 11, No. 1, Spring 2019 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> Tule Springs Fossil Beds Series: Park Air Profiles Clean air matters for national parks around the country. Photo of clouds above the Grand Canyon, AZ Series: Recovering the Endangered Sentry Milk-Vetch in Grand Canyon National Park The tiny, federally endangered sentry milk-vetch (Astragalus cremnophylax var. cremnophylax) is a perennial herb that forms a one inch tall by eight inch wide mat in shallow pockets of soil on the Kaibab limestone. It is endemic to the Grand Canyon, and only grows within 25 feet of the canyon rim. Since 2006, when the Sentry Milk-Vetch Recovery Plan was completed, Grand Canyon National Park has partnered with other groups to help reverse the decline of this species. Small mat of flowering sentry milk-vetch Series: SCPN-NAU School of Communication Collaboration The Southern Colorado Plateau Network (SCPN) of the National Park Service has been partnering with the Northern Arizona University (NAU) School of Communication since 2011 to develop student multimedia projects that highlight resources and activities in network parks. This collaboration gives NAU students hands-on experience in creating multimedia projects and provides network parks with products that can help to promote their unique resources and scientific or educational project work. SCPN-NAU student projects Series: Grand Canyon Centennial Stories Learn about Grand Canyon's history, including events such as the first flight over Grand Canyon and the construction of the iconic Bright Angel Trail, in preparation for the park's 100th birthday. Yellowed photo of an old fashioned airplane flying over Grand Canyon. Permian Period—298.9 to 251.9 MYA The massive cliffs of El Capitan in Guadalupe Mountains National Park represent a Permian-age reef along the supercontinent Pangaea. The uppermost rocks of Grand Canyon National Park are also Permian. flat-top mountain Pennsylvanian Period—323.2 to 298.9 MYA Rocks in Cumberland Gap National Historical Park represent vast Pennsylvanian-age swamps. Plant life in those swamps later became coal found in the eastern United States. fossil tracks on sandstone slab Mississippian Period—358.9 to 323.2 MYA The extensive caves of Mammoth Cave and Wind Cave national parks developed in limestone deposited during the Mississippian. Warm, shallow seas covered much of North America, which was close to the equator. fossil crinoid Cambrian Period—541 to 485.4 MYA The flat layers of rock exposed in Grand Canyon National Park encompass much of the Paleozoic, beginning in the Cambrian where they record an ancient shoreline. rock with fossil burrow tracks The Precambrian The Precambrian was the "Age of Early Life." During the Precambrian, continents formed and our modern atmosphere developed, while early life evolved and flourished. Soft-bodied creatures like worms and jellyfish lived in the world's oceans, but the land remained barren. Common Precambrian fossils include stromatolites and similar structures, which are traces of mats of algae-like microorganisms, and microfossils of other microorganisms. fossil stromatolites in a cliff face Proterozoic Eon—2.5 Billion to 541 MYA The Proterozoic Eon is the most recent division of the Precambrian. It is also the longest geologic eon, beginning 2.5 billion years ago and ending 541 million years ago fossil stromatolites in a cliff face Paleozoic Era During the Paleozoic Era (541 to 252 million years ago), fish diversified and marine organisms were very abundant. In North America, the Paleozoic is characterized by multiple advances and retreats of shallow seas and repeated continental collisions that formed the Appalachian Mountains. Common Paleozoic fossils include trilobites and cephalopods such as squid, as well as insects and ferns. The greatest mass extinction in Earth's history ended this era. fossil corals in a rock matrix Quaternary Period—2.58 MYA to Today Massive ice sheets advanced and retreated across North America during much of the Quaternary, carving landscapes in many parks. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve contains geologic evidence of lower sea level during glacial periods, facilitating the prehistoric peopling of the Americas. The youngest rocks in the NPS include the lava of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the travertine at Yellowstone National Park, which can be just a few hours old. fossil bone bed and murals of mammoths Cenozoic Era The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths. fossils on display in a visitor center NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. [Site Under Development] visitors on overlook of grand canyon Connie Rudd: Defining a Career Path Connie Rudd's career with the National Park Service began as a seasonal ranger in 1979. Her continual desire to learn propelled her to various sites and positions in interpretation, planning, and management until 2014, when she retired as Park Superintendent. In this Spotlight article, Rudd reflects on her career path, changes in interpretation, and being in upper management as a woman. Part of "Women’s Voices: Women in the National Park Service Oral History Project." Connie Rudd smiles for a portrait in an outdoor setting, wearing a NPS uniform and flathat Grand Canyon National Park Features Trans-Canyon Waterline to Celebrate Engineers Week 2021 How does Grand Canyon National Park provide water to its millions of visitors and residents? The answer: an amazing amount of engineering. Learn more about efforts to replace the park's 1960s-era pipeline with a modern water treatment system. An Engineer suspended above the Colorado River works on construction of the Trans-canyon Waterline More Than “Just” A Secretary If you’re only familiar with modern office practices, you may not recognize many of jobs necessary to run an office or national park over much of the past hundred years. Today, typewriters have given way to computers, photocopy machines have replaced typing pools, stenographers are rarely seen outside of courtrooms, and callers are largely expected to pick extensions from digital directories. Women skiing Two for the Price of One Companion, assistant, confidant, ambassador, host, nurse, cook, secretary, editor, field technician, wildlife wrangler, diplomat, and social director are some of the many roles that people who marry into the NPS perform in support of their spouses and the NPS mission. Although the wives and daughters of park rangers were some of the earliest women rangers in the NPS, many more women served as “park wives” in the 1920s–1940s. Three members of a family Blanket Cave National Youth Park—Activity Enjoy a fun activity and learn about caves even when you can't get out to a park. In this activity you will build your own cave and learn how to make it like a "real" natural cave. Find out about cave formations and wildlife, and how to be safe and care for caves. New "Blanket Cave National Youth Parks" are springing up all across America! Join the fun! cartoon drawing of a childs and a park ranger exploring a cave The Women Naturalists Only two early women park rangers made the transition to park naturalists. Having resigned her permanent ranger position after her marriage, Marguerite Lindsley Arnold returned to Yellowstone National Park under the temporary park ranger (naturalist) title from 1929 to 1931. Yosemite rehired Ranger Enid Michael as temporary naturalist each summer from 1928 to 1942. A handful of other parks hired a few new women under the newly created ranger-naturalist designation. Polly Mead, a woman park ranger-naturalist is giving a talk outdoors to a group of visitors. 1931 The Job is His, Not Yours In the early 1950s, park wives continued to function as they had from the 1920s to the 1940s. The NPS still got Two For the Price of One, relying on women to keep monuments in the Southwest running, to give freely of their time and talents, to build and maintain park communities, and to boost morale among park staffs. With the creation of the Mission 66 Program to improve park facilities, the NPS found new ways to put some park wives to (unpaid) work. Man and woman with telescope Substitute Rangers As the 1940s dawned, the United States was still dealing with the economic woes of the Great Depression and trying not to get drawn in WWII. Even as it continued to manage New Deal Program work in national and state parks, the NPS remained understaffed as a government bureau. The emergency relief workers and about 15 percent of NPS staff enlisted or were drafted during the first couple of years of WWII. Winifred Tada, 1940. (Courtesy of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin) World CA Condor Update – 2020 An update on the world California Condor population for 2020, compiled by our partners at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as of December 31, 2020. A close-up of the pink bald head of a California condor with a ruffle of black feathers. Pleistocene Life and Landscapes—Grand Canyon Well known for its geologic significance, the Grand Canyon is one of the most studied geologic landscapes in the world. The park also has numerous caves and a rich and diverse fossil record. Rampart Cave fossils include not only bones, but also hair, skin, sinew, and other soft parts, mostly of sloths. Plant fossils in the sloth dung and packrat middens provide important information about the ecosystem and climate of the Rampart Cave area over thousands of years illustration of a ground sloth Top 10 Tips for Visiting Grand Canyon Plan Like a Park Ranger in Grand Canyon National Park. Here's our top ten suggestions for visiting the busy South Rim of the Park during Summer 2021. a large group of sightseers behind railings at a scenic overlook. In the background Archaeogeophysical Survey through the Grand Canyon The terraces and deltas along the Colorado River contain hundreds of archeological sites, but is one of the most demanding environments in the U.S. for conducting fieldwork. A study designed to evaluate the usefulness of geophysical survey in this rugged terrain demonstrates that, with some modifications to standard methodologies, geophysical techniques are an effective tool for managing archeological resources along the river. Mindfulness Practice: At Our National Parks and In Life Incorporating a mindfulness practice, whether on a trail, a drive, or on your own personal ride through life, can help us to reconnect with greater presence and more compassion, for both our inner experience of life as well as our outer experience of the world. A small group of hikers ascend Bright Angel trail with a vast and colorful canyon as their backdrop. The Grand Canyon and the Antiquities Act Arizona's Grand Canyon ranks among the most famous of America's national parks. Archeological sites here show that ancient people inhabited the Grand Canyon area some 11,000 years ago. Protection of these sites and natural resources led President Theodore Roosevelt to declare the site a national monument in 1908 by authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906 as “an object of unusual scientific interest, being the greatest eroded canyon within the United States.” Horse figurines made from split willow twigs. Fossil Footprints Across Our Parks / Huellas Fósiles a Través de Nuestros Parques Join us on a virtual hike to see fossil footprints across our national parks! As we travel back in time, we’ll discover stories of fantastic pasts and learn that fossil footprints are worthy of protection for the future. <br><br> ¡Únase a nosotros en una caminata para ver huellas fósiles en nuestros parques nacionales! Mientras viajamos a través del tiempo, descubriremos historias de pasados fantásticos y aprenderemos que las huellas fósiles merecen ser conservadas para el futuro. Two primitive tetrapods, looking something like giant lizards walking through desert sand dunes. Volcanic Craters Craters are present at many volcanic vents. The size and shape of volcanic craters vary a great deal from volcano to volcano, and they even change during the lifespan of an active volcano. Craters can become filled by lava domes or lava flows, and new craters may form during subsequent eruptions. cinder cone crater Find Your Park on Route 66 Route 66 and the National Park Service have always had an important historical connection. Route 66 was known as the great road west and after World War II families on vacation took to the road in great numbers to visit the many National Park Service sites in the Southwest and beyond. That connection remains very alive and present today. Take a trip down Route 66 and Find Your Park today! A paved road with fields in the distance. On the road is a white Oklahoma Route 66 emblem. Theodore Roosevelt: A Complicated Legacy — Behind the Scenery Podcast President Theodore Roosevelt left a complex legacy. He shaped the protection of public lands and the formation of the National Park Service, while at the same time excluding the voices of native peoples. In this episode, park visitors share how they respond to a complex human and a complex legacy in order to meet a new day. historic photo of 5 formally dressed men standing on the rim of a vast canyon. Fuels Management Completed in Grand Canyon North Rim Developed Area In 2021, with the assistance of rangers from Grand Canyon, North Rim Fire Department, NPS firefighters, U.S. Forest Service firefighters, Arizona Conservation Corps crew, and outside of area fire resources, Grand Canyon National Park prepared and conducted mechanical hand cutting and broadcast burning operations around the North Rim developed area. Heavy fuels burning in the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Magmatic Eruptions Magmatic eruptions include fresh lava or tephra from a magma source. Magmatic eruptions range from quiet effusions of lava to extremely explosive eruptions that can blow apart mountains and send ash clouds around the globe. volcanic eruption with glowing lava seen at night Behind the Scenery Podcast #21 - Favorite Layers of Grand Canyon Never take this place for "granite" again! Geology impacts every part of the human experience of Grand Canyon. People as diverse as the colorful cliffs have discovered secrets in stone. Come listen to their discoveries within layers of Grand Canyon. Are you open to being rocked by the canyon? Looking up at thousands of feet of colorful rock layers forming an imposing wall. Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Grand Canyon's Women of Science Wildlife Biologists, Miranda Terwilliger, monitors the park's threatened and endangered species. I get to learn about all of the creatures in our park and use that knowledge to help protect them and the places they need to thrive. a woman wearing a blue jacket, a olive green NPS ballcap and glasses, is smiling. Challenging The Ranger Image In spite of programs to encourage hiring of individuals with disabilities, it was often others’ misconceptions or discomfort that prevented women with disabilities from getting National Park Service (NPS) jobs. Those hired in the 1970s and early 1980s brought diverse skillsets and new perspectives to the workforce. Like the earliest women rangers in the 1910s and 1920s, they often only had short-term positions. They all challenged ideas of what it takes to be a park ranger. Ranger Vicky White in a wheelchair with a visitor and man in military dress. Company 818 and Segregation in the Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps did important work at Grand Canyon National Park. The story of company 818 and John B. Scott demonstrates the affects that segregation orders had on Black American's in the CCC and Grand Canyon. Three Black men stand in between tents. Lumber, The Green Book, and Grand Canyon From lumber workers in Northern Arizona to listings in the Green Book, Black Americans have long contributed to Grand Canyon History. African American Group visiting the Bright Angel Lodge in the Grand Canyon in 1956. Japanese Americans at Grand Canyon - Bellboys and WWII Heroes From bellboys at El Tovar Hotel to highly decorated war heroes in 442nd Regimental Combat Team, stories like George Murakami's provide a window into the Japanese American experience at Grand Canyon. Technical Sergeant George Murakami, circa 1945. Women in Science at Grand Canyon Women in science have made history studying and learning amongst the canyon walls. With their tenacity, they blazed a trail for other women to follow in their footsteps. Elzada Clover in a boat on the River Valentine's Day: A Grand Canyon Romance —BTS Podcast 9 At age 17, future park ranger Doug’s parents dropped him off at the South Rim of Grand Canyon. He got a job with Fred Harvey working as a bus boy at El Tovar Hotel. How did this experience shape his life, and what are his three distinctive canyon-influenced loves and romances? A blond young man of 17 posing for a photo in a white, restaurant bus person uniform. Grand Canyon National Park: Collaborating with the Community to Improve Visitor Experiences After hosting more than six million visitors in 2017, Grand Canyon National Park staff and the community of Tusayan, Arizona, realized they needed to find a solution to the growing entrance lines that would sometimes back up for more than an hour. Working with the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, the park implemented an ambassadors program to direct guests as well as extended the time the shuttles run. Traffic congestion at Grand Canyon National Park. The Harvey Girls – Increasing Opportunity Becoming a Harvey Girl allowed women upward social mobility and financial independence, often for the first time. These opportunities were not always present to all women since women of color were not often hired as front of house Harvey Girls until the start of WWII. 20 El Tovar Harvey Girls in evening uniform Circa 1926. “Little Mexico” and Creating Community Between 1919-1929 a community called "Little Mexico" formed on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon when contractors refused to provide housing and food for laborers. The story of "Little Mexico" demonstrates resilience and resourcefulness. Bright Angel Lodge between 1920s and 1930s Fighting for Voting Rights at Grand Canyon and Across Arizona The fight for voting rights sprawls across the nation and Grand Canyon and Arizona play a part in the still evolving story. A map of the United States shows the tour route with a picture of Alice Paul in the corner. Revolutionizing the River - Down the Colorado River Through Grand Canyon Travel down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon demonstrates the diversity of people's experiences and showcases the need for even more representation in the future. Georgie’s triple rig in the Inner Gorge, April 1964 Native Art and Activism of the Grand Canyon The area known today as the Grand Canyon has been home to people for over 13,000 years, with 11 contemporary tribes having links to the area. Many individuals in these tribes have inspired their own communities, and the country, with their traditional art. Some tribal members have bestowed historic structures around the canyon with their artwork, while others have utilized art as one of many tools towards activism and uplifting their communities. Nampeyo working on pottery inside Robin White Robin White experienced profound loss and the injustices of discrimination as a child. Surrounded by women, she grew up understanding the importance of nature, family, cultural heritage, and her own worth. During more than 40 years in the National Park Service (NPS) White valued community engagement and diversity, first as an interpretative ranger and later as a superintendent. Robin White in her NPS uniform and ranger flat hat stands in front of a brown sign. Cinder Cones Cinder cones are typically simple volcanoes that consist of accumulations of ash and cinders around a vent. Sunset Crater Volcano and Capulin Volcano are cinder cones. photo of a dry grassy field with a cinder cone in the distance Polly Mead, Grand Canyon's First Woman Ranger/Naturalist Grand Canyon National Park hired its first woman park ranger/naturalist in 1930, Polly Mead. What has changed 90 years later? Present day interpretive ranger, Becca, compares her experiences working at Grand Canyon to the stories told by Polly Mead, in a 1995 oral history interview. Historic photo of a woman ranger-naturalist in uniform, showing a plant to a visitor. Series: Volcanic Features Volcanoes vary greatly in size and shape. Volcanoes also may have a variety of other features, which in turn, have a great range in diversity of form, size, shape, and permanence. Many volcanoes have craters at their summits and/or at the location of other vents. Some craters contain water lakes. Lakes of molten or solidified lava may exist on some volcanoes. Fumaroles and other geothermal features are a product of heat from magma reservoirs and volcanic gases. photo of a lava lake in a summit crater Water Resources on the Colorado Plateau Describes the origin, uses, threats to, and conservation of water on the Colorado Plateau. Dark green body of water winding through red rock formations with brilliant sun overhead. World CA Condor Update – 2021 Population Status An update on the world California Condor population for 2021. The pink bald head of a California condor with a ruffle of black feathers by Don Sutherland Pauline Mead Pauline "Polly" Mead fell in love with the Grand Canyon as a botany student. Her knowledge of the plants at the canyon, together with a connection to National Park Service (NPS) Director Stephen T. Mather, got her a job as the first woman ranger-naturalist at Grand Canyon National Park in 1930. Mead's formal NPS career was short because she married the park's assistant superintendent in 1931. As a "park wife" she continued to live and research in parks for another 25 years. Polly Mead in her NPS uniform examining a plant. Battle of the Bark Trees shade us from the sun, provide homes for wildlife, stabilize Earth’s surface, and produce food for humans and animals alike. Some are massive, and others are miniscule by comparison, but what makes one better than the other—we’ll let you decide! Check out our iconic trees below and find your favorite! Five thick barked red-brown trees are backlit by the sunlight. Volcanic Inverted Topography Inverted topography arises when lava flows that filled valleys at the time of their eruption later hold up mesas because their resistance to erosion is greater than most other rock types. photo of volcanic rock with petroglyphs and a distant mesa Series: Volcano Types Volcanoes vary in size from small cinder cones that stand only a few hundred feet tall to the most massive mountains on earth. photo of a volcanic mountain with snow and ice Monogenetic Volcanic Fields Monogenetic volcanic fields are areas covered by volcanic rocks where each of the volcanic vents typically only erupt once. Monogenetic volcanic fields typically contain cinder cones, fissure volcanoes, and/or maars and tuff rings. They also usually encompass large areas covered by basaltic lava flows. oblique aerial photo of a lava flow that extended into a body of water Native Conservation Corps Learn about a program for Native American youth to engage in conservation work in national parks and extend their experiences into their communities. Native Conservation Corps members become dual ambassadors between the National Park Service and Native American tribes. Thaddeus Bell and James Etheredge: Changing Expectations In the 1960s, James Etheredge and Thaddeus Bell were part of a pioneering group of African American college students who helped diversity the National Park Service by serving as seasonal rangers in park in the West. Neither made a career in the NPS, but their summer jobs at Yosemite and the Grand Canyon left lasting impressions. A young African American man in NPS uniform poses beside a building, with hat on his raised knee Volcanic Necks and Plugs Volcanic necks are the remnants of a volcano’s conduit and plumbing system that remain after most of the rest of the volcano has been eroded away. photo of a riverside rocky spire with mountains in the distance Ranger Roll Call, 1930-1939 Few women worked in uniformed positions in the 1930s but those who did weren't only ranger-checkers or ranger-naturalists. Jobs as guides, historians, archeologists, and in museums opened to more women. Seven women in Park Service uniforms stand in line inside a cave. Ranger Roll Call, 1940-1949 Only a small number of women held temporary ranger positions in national parks during World War II. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, national monuments in the Southwest, and historical sites in the East continued to employ more women. Although a few women veterans benefitted from post-war veteran hiring programs, most veterans were men and permanent positions became even more difficult for women to get. Catherine Byrnes and Barbara Dickinson stand outside modeling the NPS uniform. Ranger Roll Call, 1950-1959 In the 1950s, women in uniform continue to work as guides, historians, and archeologists. Few women had permanent positions. A handful of women began to get seasonal ranger-naturalists positions at large national parks for the first time in two decades. Ann Livesay in her NPS uniform standing in front of a low wall at the edge of the Grand Canyon. Pillow Basalts Pillow basalts are named for the rounded shapes that form when lava cools rapidly underwater. photo of golden gate bridge Parks Look for Ways to Alleviate Glen Canyon Dam’s Downstream Impacts Vegetation experiments are helping restore Colorado River sites in Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon. A meandering turquoise river surrounded by vegetation, sand, and high red rock cliffs Eileen Szychowski: Expanding Access at Grand Canyon Eileen Szychowski understood her rights when she was prohibited from participating in a mule ride in the Grand Canyon during a 1981 visit. Although she was a skilled horseback rider, there were few accommodations or considerations for individuals with disabilities at that time. She insisted on speaking with park managers and returned as a seasonal park ranger committed to access and disability rights. She described these experiences in a 2022 oral history interview. Eileen Szychowski in NPS uniform, with crutches, sits on a wall with the Grand Canyon beyond. A Brief Word on Night Skies On June 9, 2022, members of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) SpaceX Crew-2 mission visited National Park Service Headquarters in Washington D.C. for a celebration of science, astronomy, art and exploration. The following is the brief introductory speech given by Grand Canyon National Park ranger Rader Lane to SpaceX Crew-2, National Park Service leadership, and Department employees in the North Penthouse of the Department of the Interior building. The stars rotate around a cylindrical stone building Cruzando el Cañón (Crossing the Canyon) Podcast How does it feel to cross the canyon? In our first episode of the Behind the Scenery Podcast in Spanish, listen to the experience of a ranger who hikes across Grand Canyon from rim to rim. When have you fulfilled your dream? ¿Qué se siente al cruzar el cañón? En nuestro primer episodio de este podcast en español, escuche la experiencia de una guardaparques que recorre el Gran Cañón del Colorado de lado a lado. ¿Cuándo has alcanzado tu sueño? a person backpacking with trekking poles on a backcountry trail, built into the side of a cliff. 2021 Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award Congratulations to Ranger Della Yurcik for her outstanding service to the National Park Service and Grand Canyon National Park! In the tradition of Harry Yount, the National Park Service honors rangers who have the skills to perform a wide scope of ranger duties protecting resources and serving visitors. Ranger Delia Yurcik at the end of a canyon Fossil Inventories Uncover Permian Sharks in Western National Parks A recent survey of the National Park Service shows records of shark fossils from at least 46 units across the United States. Recent field work in Permian rocks at Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Yellowstone National Park shows a much greater diversity of sharks than previously known, and also illustrates connections. Photo of two people examining a rock surface on top of an exposed outcrop. Studying the Past and Predicting the Future Using Rat Nests In the western United States, packrat middens are one of the best tools for reconstructing recent environments and climates. These accumulations of plant fragments, small vertebrate remains, rodent droppings, and other fossils can be preserved for more than 50,000 years. Packrat middens have been found in at least 41 National Park Service units. Photo of a wood rat. Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 14, No. 2, Fall 2022 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> Photo of a person sitting while using a laboratory microscope. Designing a Water System for the Future The TCWL program is the modernization of the more than 50-year-old waterline as well as the complex water delivery system to the South Rim and inner canyon. The project will provide an upgraded water delivery system and meet the water service needs at the South Rim and Cross Canyon Corridor for the next 50 plus years. A steel suspension foot bridge across a river. Resting Canyon Face (RCF) Have you ever been hiking and felt irritable, tired, dehydrated? Are the trails, wildlife, and plants not as pretty as they seemed on the way down into the canyon? Do your friends want to hike 20 feet (6.1 m) in front of you and not by your side? You may be experiencing symptoms of Resting Canyon Face (RCF). Holding hiking poles on a backcountry trail, a woman is looking at the camera and grimacing. Series: Volcanic Eruption Types The most fundamental way to characterize a volcanic eruption is whether it is magmatic, phreatic, or phreatomagmatic. volcanic eruption seen at a distance Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian. photo of desert landscape with a petrified wood log on the surface Series: Whose Story is History? The Diverse History of Grand Canyon Why are some legacies preserved and others ignored? How can we give due value to all the voices and perspectives at Grand Canyon? historic photo collage of 4 historic portraits above photo of Grand Canyon Guide to the Henry G. Peabody Photograph Collection Finding aid for the Henry G. Peabody Collection 50 Nifty Finds #4: Getting In the Zone For more than a century the National Park Service (NPS) has won awards and honors for its work preserving cultural and natural resources and sharing the diverse stories of American history. One of its earliest honors came from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco, California, in 1915. But wait…The NPS was created in 1916, right? How could it win an award before it existed? Round bronze medal featuring nude man and woman Guide to the Thomas J. Allen Photograph Collection Finding aid for the Thomas J. Allen Photographs in the NPS History Collection. 50 Nifty Finds #6: Something Fishy How do fish get up the mountain? By horse, of course! When is a plant not a plant? When you plant a fish! What? No, those aren’t nonsensical kids’ jokes. Photographs from the NPS Historic Photograph Collection will help explain. A string of mules being led along a trail carrying milk cans For the Love of Monarchs: How We Joined the Push to Save a Beloved Butterfly We spent the summer of 2022 learning to be good stewards of monarch butterflies. It was an unforgettable experience. A woman and a man hold a monarch butterfly flag against a backdrop of grass, trees and blue sky 50 Nifty Finds #9: Green Stamps Described by some as "the greatest propaganda campaign ever launched by the federal government to exploit the scenic wonders of the United States," the national park stamps issued by the U.S. Post Office Department in 1934 became one of the most recognized series of U.S. stamps. Despite being in the middle of the Great Depression, over one billion of the 10 national park stamps were printed in under two years. College of ten colorful national park stamps 50 Nifty Finds #11: Carving a Place in NPS History Few employees have left as visible a mark on National Park Service (NPS) exhibits as John A. Segeren. His work has been enjoyed by generations of park visitors who never knew his name but appreciated his intricate wood carvings and playful animal figures displayed in parks throughout the system. A master woodcarver described by former President Lyndon B. Johnson as "a legacy to this country," Segeren carved out his own place in NPS history. Round wooden plaque with bison, globe, and waterfall Outside Science (inside parks): Sounds of Biodiversity in Grand Canyon National Park Did you know that biodiversity has a sound? In this episode of Outside Science (inside parks) we tune in to the natural sounds of Grand Canyon National Park to listen to the effects of prescribed fire on biodiversity. title slide for outside science inside parks with photo of the grand canyon Keeping Up With the Johnsons Hitch a historical ride on a 1923 national park road trip! Travel with Pete and Flo Johnson in their 1920 Buick as they travel across the country and experience the national parks of a century ago. A woman cooks on a stove in front of a 1920s car with a tent attached to the side 50 Nifty Finds #17: Common Threads Each National Park Service (NPS) employee has a unique story. We can't tell them all, but sometimes there's a personal account—like that of Sallie Pierce Brewer Van Valkenburg Harris—that speaks to common experiences. Although her NPS connections ran from 1933 to 1971, many of her joys, challenges, and frustrations can still be recognized in the NPS today. Sallie's story resonates regardless of era, gender, or position. How will it speak to you? Sallie Brewer in her NPS uniform standing at a gate Outside Science (inside parks): Outdoor Leadership Academy In this episode, six students spend their days learning about vegetation monitoring and managing invasive plant species. students walk along a dirt trail 50 Nifty Finds #18: Portable Posters Many visitors to national parks today collect passport stamps, magnets, or other items to recall their trip and to show others where they’ve been. In the 1920s and 1930s the “must have” souvenirs weren’t created to be collected. National Park Service (NPS) windshield stickers served a practical administrative purpose; they were evidence that the automobile license fee drivers paid at some parks had been paid. Even so, Americans embraced their colorful, artistic designs. Four colorful Rocky Mountain National Park windshield stickers. Enjoy the View Like Mark Meyer Multiple layers of the canyon showing the variety of colors and landforms...Mark Meyer shares his favorite view at Grand Canyon National Park. a desert canyon Notes from the Deep - Hiker Reflections from Havasupai Gardens — BTS Podcast 28 In 2018 a journal was hiked to Havasupai Gardens. A prompt asked hikers to take a moment to reflect. People filled the journal with drawings, poems, and stories. In this episode of Behind the Scenery, listen as visitors reflect on their experiences, what brought them to the Canyon, and what they will take away. This episode was recorded before the Havasupai Gardens name change became official. looking down from a sheer cliff onto a desert plateau bisected by a drainage filled with trees World CA Condor Update – 2022 Population Status An update on the world California Condor population for 2022. A close-up of the pink bald head of a California condor with a ruffle of black feathers. Enjoy the View Like Paul Burger From this view you can see a wide bend of the Colorado River, etched into the limestone of the Redwall Formation... This is how Paul Burger describes one of his favorite views at Grand Canyon National Park. rock formations with a small portion of a river visible at the bottom of the canyon Hiking Misadventures with Nalini Ravindranath - BTS Podcast 29 "The outdoor narrative has for a long time been the idea of rugged, strong, men conquering nature, and really it doesn't have to be that way. You can define what your outdoor space is and how you're going to interact with that space." Nalini Ravindranath is an avid explorer and author of the blog hikingmisadventures.com. backpackers descend sharp and steep switchback corners on a backcountry trail