Parkography

America's Forgotten National Parks

In Michigan, the country’s second National Park would be established in 1875, only to be redesignated just twenty years later as the state’s first State Park. Likewise, a cave named for its position overlooking the trail of Lewis and Clark would begin its protected life as an early National Monument before later joining a growing number of State Parks in the United States. And in Oklahoma, a former National Park remains preserved under the jurisdiction of the Park Service, providing key insight into the conversation of how and why we protect the places that we do for generations to come. 
Join us as we explore three parks you won’t find in your National Park Service  Passport: Mackinac National Park, Lewis and Clark Cavern National Monument, and Platt National Park. 
Written by Lizzie TeschHosted by Jason Epperson
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The Incredible History of Mammoth Cave Guides

Deep within Kentucky's Mammoth Cave National Park, one can find so much more than rock formations. The shale-capped mass of 400 known miles of caverns holds the history of America, told by the Black enslaved cave guides that made it one of the country's top tourist attractions, then and now. 
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News: Nat'l Forests Opened to Logging, "Alligator Alcatraz" Built in National Preserve, More

In this week's episode, a controversial provision to sell off over a million acres of public land has been blocked, but significant cuts to National Park funding are still proceeding. We cover the construction of a massive migrant detention center inside a national preserve, sparking legal actions and protests. Yellowstone's iconic hot spring tragically claims the life of a bison, and new signs asking visitors to report negative information about Americans are causing quite a stir. We also bring you critical safety updates from Rocky Mountain National Park, the transition to cashless payment systems at two parks, and more.
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00:00 Introduction01:31 Controversial Public Land Sales Blocked02:27 Rescinding the Roadless Rule03:28 New National Park Signage Sparks Protests04:45 Migrant Detention Center in National Preserve06:15 National Parks Move to Cashless Payments07:36 Tragic Bison Incident at Yellowstone09:41 Safety Updates from Rocky Mountain National Park10:28 White Nose Syndrome in Bats11:28 Ken Burns' American Revolution Series12:59 Conclusion

The House That Shaped a Nation—and Vanished: The President's House of Philadelphia

Just steps from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall lies the barely visible foundation of a house that once held the weight of a revolution, a presidency—and a deep contradiction.
This week on Parkography, we uncover the story of the President’s House in Philadelphia, a mansion that passed through the hands of a British general, a colonial governor, a wealthy financier, a traitorous American officer, and two U.S. presidents. But beneath its grand halls and bowed windows lived another story—one of enslaved people fighting silently for their own freedom in the shadow of a nation proclaiming liberty for all.
Join Jason Epperson as he walks through the rubble and history of the forgotten home at Sixth and Market, where the founding of the United States unfolded brick by brick—and where the legacy of freedom remains unfinished.
Written by Lizzie Tesch
Hosted by Jason Epperson
Find the  Slinky Stove that's right for your next adventure at: https://www.slinkystove.com/?ref=PARKography
Join the PARKography Facebook group to discuss this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/parkography
Check out our other channels focused on RV travel:  @RVMiles   @RVMilesPodcast ​

37 Days in Yellowstone

In 1870, Truman Everts set out as part of an exploration of the Yellowstone wilderness. What followed was a harrowing 37-day survival story filled with fire, frostbite, mountain lions, and near starvation. Lost, alone, and presumed dead, Everts defied all odds to become one of Yellowstone’s most legendary figures.
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Gov't Wants You to Report "Negative" National Park Signs, Yellowstone Explosion Update, and More

In this episode, an update on the dramatic hydrothermal explosion at Yellowstone's Biscuit Basin, the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal for the National Park Service, and the opening of Voyager's National Park's Crane Lake Visitor Center. Also, Denali National Park's live puppy cam is back, and Disney announces a new Piston Peak National Park-themed expansion at Magic Kingdom. 
Find the  Slinky Stove that's right for your next adventure at: https://www.slinkystove.com/?ref=PARKography
00:00 Introduction00:07 Yellowstone's Hydrothermal Explosion03:08 Sponsor Message: Slinky Stove03:47 Trump Administration's Budget Proposal05:53 Controversial Directives on Public Lands07:50 Voyager's National Park New Visitor Center08:24 Denali National Park Puppy Cam09:12 Disney's New National Park Themed Land10:17 Conclusion

The Wild True Story of the Man Trapped on Devils Tower

A $50 bet turned into a six-day national spectacle atop Devils Tower: The bizarre true story of George Hopkins—the daredevil parachutist who leapt onto the summit of America’s first national monument... and couldn’t get down.
Stranded on the iconic rock formation for nearly a week, Hopkins sparked a media frenzy, drew thousands of spectators, and prompted wild rescue offers from blimps to military helicopters—all thanks to a friendly wager.
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NPS Layoffs Paused, Bear That Flips Dumpsters Killed, Endangered Species Change Threatens Rivers

Massive job cuts at the National Park Service are paused while contract approval at the US Forest Service is slowing cleaning and maintenance. A bear that can flip 800lb dumpsters is euthanized, hunting and fishing are expanded in wildlife refuges, and a hiker tells her harrowing tale of being lost for 24 days, surviving on wild leeks and boiled snow.
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Comment on federal regulations here: https://www.regulations.gov/