Back-to-back bear attacks in Yellowstone and Glacier, Grand Canyon officials recovered the body of missing 26-year-old, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is investigating 33 federally protected black vultures dumped along Foothills Parkway, Denali introduced this year's sled dog puppies on its puppy cam, state updates include Louisiana’s bill to relocate removed monuments to state parks and Maryland’s possible expansion of park entry reservations and online payments, and more.

00:00 Yellowstone and Glacier Bears 01:23 Grand Canyon Missing Hiker 02:12 Smokies Vulture Dumping 03:01 Alcatraz Coyote Mystery 05:08 Denali Sled Dog Puppies 06:57 Louisiana Monument Proposal 08:04 Maryland Park Reservations 10:02 Crater of Diamonds Find 11:05 Wrap Up

The Trump administration withdraws its National Park Service director nominee, leaving the agency under acting leadership, while a proposed 2027 budget would cut NPS operations by about $736 million (over 25%) alongside a new $10 billion DC construction/beautification program. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is turning “American Flag Blue,” and non-resident park fee revenue rose by about $2 million year over year, far below projections. Two recent fatal accidents at Zion National Park, Grand Teton’s robotic sage grouse decoys, a whistleblower complaint alleging widespread lead paint risks in Yellowstone employee housing, and more.

00:00 This Week 00:40 NPS Nominee Withdrawn 01:47 Proposed Budget Cuts 02:33 Lincoln Memorial Pool Turns Blue 03:55 Non-Resident Fee Revenue 04:51 Zion Trail Fatalities 05:35 Robotic Birds for Sage Grouse 07:25 Yellowstone Housing Lead Risks 08:21 Boundary Waters Mining Fight 09:54 California State Park Expansion 10:54 Wrap Up

Hidden beneath hundreds of inches of snow each winter, there’s a historic lodge sitting high on the slopes of Mount Rainier National Park that almost didn’t survive.

In this episode of Parkography, we’re exploring the incredible story of the Paradise Inn—a lodge built in 1917 that helped shape what America’s national parks would become. From its origins as a luxury resort in the wilderness to its near-demolition in the mid-20th century, Paradise Inn stands as a symbol of how our relationship with national parks has evolved over time.

Written by Lizzie Tesch

#MountRainier #NationalParks #USHistory

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