Since childhood, award-winning author Kevin Grange has been fascinated with one of the most fearsome and misunderstood predators on the continent: grizzly bears. His passion has taken him to remote and colorful destinations, and he has spent many long, rugged days following in the pawprints of grizzlies — and occasionally having those pawprints charging back in his direction.

Now, Grange shares his wealth of bear knowledge and advice in a new book, “Grizzly Confidential: An Astounding Journey into the Secret Life of North America’s Most Fearsome Predator.” In this episode, host Jennifer Errick asks Grange about the enduring charisma of bears, the many stories he uncovered in his research, and whether people truly can live in harmony with these 600-pound mammals.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. 

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to National Parks magazine Editor-in-Chief Rona Marech and Associate Editor Katherine DeGroff.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer. 

Learn more about Kevin Grange and his new book, “Grizzly Confidential,” at kevingrange.com

Read an excerpt from Kevin Grange’s visit to Katmai National Park and Preserve at npca.org/magazine and learn how you can subscribe to National Parks magazine to get in-depth reporting and storytelling on national park issues for just $15 a year.

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. 

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Our pets are family, and when we travel, it only makes sense that we want to bring our dogs with us. Many national park sites are ideal places for our canine companions, with accessible trails and programs geared just for them — but not every site is a good choice for a dog, and many can present serious dangers to our pets.

A new system-wide map and guide to dog accessibility can take some of the mystery out of planning a park trip, and knowing the park regulations and best practices can make trips safer and easier for pet owners and their furry family members. In this episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Dr. Ryan Valdez, NPCA senior director for conservation science, and Dave Bieri, district supervisor at New River Gorge National Park, about the range of options for dogs in parks, the National Park Service’s BARK Ranger program, joys and fears of traveling with dogs, and tips for having a safe and enjoyable park trip.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to Charlie, Beans and Blu, canine companions of NPCA Special Events and Design Director Rachel Holmes and Video Production Manager Terrance Liggins, for providing the barking noises used in this story.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Valdez’s research project and view his interactive map at npca.org/dogs

Learn more about the National Park Service BARK Ranger program at nps.gov/subjects/pets/

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in America and a storied waterway where the Atlantic Ocean meets a series of rivers. It’s the place where Algonquian Chief Powhatan met with early English settlers in the 1600s; where the first enslaved people were brought to America; where Harriet Tubman was born and emancipated herself and many others; and where a Civil War fort became a destination of hope for enslaved people seeking freedom. It’s also a beautiful landscape with bountiful wildlife and ample recreational opportunities.

Over the summer, members of Congress introduced a bill that would create a new national recreation area that includes these sites and many others.

Advocates throughout the Mid-Atlantic are passionate about preserving Chesapeake history. This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse General Manager John Potvin, National Parks Conservation Association Senior Program Director Pam Goddard, and founding Chesapeake Conservancy Board Member John Reynolds about why the Chesapeake Bay is historically rich, nationally significant and special to so many people.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 24, The Beacon, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher and Bev Stanton.

Special thanks to Ed Stierli.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about the Chesapeake Conservancy at chesapeakeconservancy.org.

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org.

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America's national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation's only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

Learn more and join us at npca.org.

Barrier islands naturally undergo erosion. But in the tiny town of Rodanthe, North Carolina, near Cape Hatteras National Seashore, sea-level rise fueled by climate change has intensified this process, creating difficult and dangerous conditions for the community. Four homes have collapsed into the ocean since February 2022, and the park’s dunes and beaches are washing into the sea, making the boundary between public and private land harder to determine.

Journalist Melanie D.G. Kaplan covers this issue in her new story, “On the Brink,” in National Parks magazine. This episode, host Jennifer Errick asks Kaplan what she learned from her reporting and why the community is starkly divided on how to handle the ongoing crisis.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 23, A Reporter ‘On the Brink’ at Cape Hatteras, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, Linda Coutant and Vanessa Pius.

Special thanks to Rona Marech and Katherine DeGroff.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Read “On the Brink” by Melanie D.G. Kaplan at www.npca.org/onthebrink. Get a year’s subscription to National Parks magazine by visiting www.npca.org/subscribe.

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org.

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America's national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation's only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

Learn more and join us at npca.org.

Anacostia Park is a lesser-known gem of southeast Washington, D.C. Stretching for 8 miles along both sides of the Anacostia River, the park encompasses a distinctive aquatic garden with lilies and lotuses, a historic golf course from the segregation area, and the only roller-skating rink in the National Park System, among many other scenic vistas and recreational facilities just up the street from the neighborhood where Frederick Douglass spent the last years of his life.

This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with staff and volunteers from The Mission Continues; Richard Trent, executive director of the Friends of Anacostia Park; and Jimi Shaughnessy, Veterans Program manager at the National Parks Conservation Association, to learn more about this beloved park and why so many people are motivated to protect it. Featured guests from The Mission Continues include Navy veteran and Chief Strategy Officer Susan Thaxton, Army veteran and former Mission Continues troop leader James Fitzgerald, Marine Corps veteran Angel Carter, Army veteran Bernadette Plummer, and Army veteran and San Antonio troop leader Richard Diaz.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, Linda Coutant and Vanessa Pius. 

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Special thanks to Keith Thomas, David Alvarado and everyone on staff at The Mission Continues. Learn more at missioncontinues.org. 

Learn more about the Friends of Anacostia Park and get in on those monthly skate parties at friendsofanacostiapark.org. 

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org. 

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. 

Learn more and join us at npca.org.

The only baseball stadium in the National Park System and one of the last surviving stadiums with a rich Negro League history, Hinchliffe Stadium at Paterson Great Falls was nearly lost for good. This spring, a fully restored Hinchliffe reopened to much fanfare—and we take you out to the ballgame. 

Host Todd Christopher captures the sounds of opening day and speaks with Brian LoPinto, founder of The Friends of Hinchliffe Stadium, Andre Sayegh, mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, and Darren Boch, superintendent of Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. 

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

The Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by: 

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host
Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host
Bev Stanton – Online Producer

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

Created by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 as "a new kind of national park," national heritage areas are large, regionally distinctive sites that celebrate human experience and achievement. Congress passed new legislation expanding and improving the heritage area system late last year--yet many people are unfamiliar with these hidden gems and the economic benefits they offer. 

Now, as national heritage areas could be entering a new era of improved visibility, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Sara Capen, chair of the Alliance for National Heritage Areas and executive director of the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area in New York State; Bernard Turner, writer, historian and executive director of the Bronzeville Black Metropolis National Heritage Area; and Dr. Tina Naremore Jones, vice president for Economic and Workforce Development and assistant provost at the University of West Alabama on why heritage areas are so important to the communities they serve.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, Linda Coutant and Vanessa Pius. 

Special thanks to Alan Spears, NPCA’s long-standing expert on national heritage areas. 

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about national heritage areas at nationalheritageareas.us.

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org. 

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. 

Learn more and join us at npca.org.

Christopher Benson, associate professor of journalism at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, has worked for years to preserve the story of Emmett Till. He coauthored two books with members of the Till family that counter widespread misinformation and emphasize the humanity of the child at the center one of America’s most heinous crimes.

Now, as anticipation builds around a potential new national park site honoring Emmett Till and his mother, civil rights icon Mamie Till-Mobley, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Benson on both of his groundbreaking books with the Till family, the enduring significance of this history, and the importance of uncovering and preserving the truth.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Vanessa Pius.

Special thanks to Alan Spears and Kyle Groetzinger.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Institute at thetillinstitute.org.

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

Learn more and join us at npca.org

The Cuyahoga River was once a burning symbol of pollution and neglect — then the public demanded action to protect it. Decades of work have transformed the river into a thriving recreational destination for millions of visitors.

Today, this dedication continues with major restoration projects that are revitalizing waterways, bringing back wildlife and improving the park and the Great Lakes region. Want a dose of optimism this Earth Day? We’ve got you covered.

In this episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Plant Ecologist Chris Davis at Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Great Lakes Senior Program Manager Kira Davis with the National Parks Conservation Association on how funding from a dedicated initiative has supported vital restoration work in the Cuyahoga River watershed as well as many other improvement projects in the Great Lakes region.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, Alison Heis, Linda Coutant and Vanessa Pius.

Special thanks to Terrance Liggins for capturing the sounds of Stanford Run and other special places at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org.

Learn more about Cuyahoga Valley National Park at nps.gov/cuva and see their calendar of upcoming volunteer events at nps.gov/cuva/getinvolved/volunteer.htm

Learn more about projects the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is making possible throughout the Great Lakes region.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. 

Learn more and join us at npca.org

What we experience in our national parks can sometimes leave us at a loss for words, but park-inspired poets prove that finding those words can be nothing short of extraordinary.

To honor the National Park Service centennial in 2016, the Academy of American Poets commissioned 50 poems to celebrate national parks in every state. Today, we’re taking a closer look at five of our favorites, including:

• Ada Limón | Notes on the Below
• Nathalie Handal | Accepting Heaven at Great Basin
• Arthur Sze | White Sands
• Meg Day | The Permanent Way
• Major Jackson | Song as Abridged Thesis of George Perkins Marsh’s Man and Nature

Episode 17, “A Collision of Breaths,” was produced by Todd Christopher.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

Audio clips courtesy of the American Academy of Poets. For the complete collection “Imagine Our Parks with Poems,” please visit: https://poets.org/imagine-our-parks-poems

The Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by:

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host 
Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host 
Bev Stanton – Online Producer 
Vaness Pius – Social Media Manager

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

Ben Goldfarb was looking forward to a sunny kayaking trip at Padre Island National Seashore in Texas, but unseasonable weather blew his plans apart, and he found himself instead falling face-first into the frigid waters of the Laguna Madre.

In this episode, the award-winning conservation writer speaks with host Jennifer Errick on his new feature in National Parks magazine — the trip he planned to have, the adventure he and his wife actually enjoyed, and how he wove elements of history, nature, wildlife and climate-driven conflict together into a lighthearted, informative story about the austere delights and disappointments of world’s largest undeveloped barrier island. He also shares how he built his career traveling to exciting places and writing about them, and the fascination with a particular rodent that led to his first book.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, Rona Marech, Linda Coutant and Vanessa Pius.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org.

Read Ben Goldfarb’s story about Padre Island, “Into the Wind,” in the Spring 2023 issue of National Parks Magazine at npca.org/intothewind. Read his Summer 2002 story, “Troubled Waters,” at npca.org/troubledwaters.

National Parks magazine is a beautiful award-winning quarterly publication and an exclusive benefit of membership in the National Parks Conservation Association. Start your subscription at npca.org/subscribe.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

Learn more and join us at npca.org.

Winter is often a time when we hunker down, shield ourselves from the cold, and sleep off the dark evenings. But it can also be an ideal time to visit parks, once we find a little motivation to turn off Netflix, put on a coat and venture outside.

In this episode, host Jennifer Errick turns to some of her favorite outdoor enthusiasts — her colleagues at the National Parks Conservation Association — for inspiration on where they love to travel in winter. She speaks with Michael Jamison, campaign director for NPCA's Northern Rockies Regional Office, on skating wild ice and finding meditative bliss on rigorous mountain climbs; Theresa Pierno, president and CEO, on the joys of toasting Yellowstone at negative-20 degrees; Miché Lozano, Arizona program manager, on the heritage area that changed their life and career; Cassidy Jones, senior outreach and engagement manager, on the romantic challenge that cleared up a misconception at Acadia National Park; and John Adornato on one of the most remote and idyllic stargazing excursions on the East Coast and how to plan a trip there.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, Vanessa Pius and Linda Coutant.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Special thanks to the staff who contributed their stories, including Southern Appalachian Director Jeff Hunter, whose story we ultimately did not include.

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

Learn more and join us at npca.org

Last month, several hundred people gathered in Greenwich Village to celebrate the opening of a new visitor center at Stonewall National Monument and to honor the movement Stonewall set in motion as the “birthplace for Pride.” Mark Segal is a longtime activist and journalist who participated in the momentous events that took place here in June 1969, and he curated the interpretive exhibit featured in the new visitor center.

In this episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Segal on the events of the uprising and how it shaped his lifetime of activism. We also feature NPCA Northeast Program Manager Timothy Leonard who has spent 10 years working with the coalition that helped create and support the monument, as well as clips from the grand opening event, featuring President Joe Biden and Pride Live CEO Diana Rodriguez, the driving force behind the new visitor center.

Special thanks to the staff of Pride Live, NPCA Communications Director Alison Zemanski Heis and NPCA Northeast Regional Director Kristen Sykes.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center and make a reservation to visit at StonewallVisitorCenter.org

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve Stonewall National Monument and all of our national park sites. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Rock Creek Park is one of the oldest national parks in the country. It stretches through the heart of Washington, D.C., and creates a dividing line between neighborhoods to the east and west. 

The Carter Barron Amphitheater, a performing arts venue in the park, once brought these communities together with a mix of big-name concerts and creative programs — but structural problems forced it to close in 2017. Can a new alliance of advocates restore this unique venue for the next generation?

In this episode, host Jennifer Errick interviews Rock Creek Park Superintendent Julia Washburn and Deputy Superintendent Brian Joyner and Rock Creek Conservancy Executive Director Jeanne Braha and Senior Manager of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Tony Richardson. They discuss why so many people describe the site as “magical,” some of their favorite performances, the progress that’s taking place to reopen the theater, and ambitious plans for a reopening.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Vanessa Pius.

Special thanks to Alan Spears and Ed Stierli for their invaluable assistance with this episode.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about the Carter Barron Alliance.

Learn more about this podcast at thesecretlivesofparks.org.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. 

Learn more and join us at npca.org.

Witness trees were present for pivotal moments in our history but the stories they would tell, if they could, don’t have to die with them―thanks to a fascinating partnership between national park sites and student artists and designers. Host Todd Christopher visits Antietam National Battlefield’s renowned witness tree ― the Burnside Sycamore ― with natural resources manager Joe Calzarette, explores The Witness Tree Project’s unique mashup of history and design with RISD faculty members and founders Dale Broholm and Dan Cavicchi, and learns about the project’s impact from RISD student and participant Esther Akintoye.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

Learn more about The Witness Tree Project and view galleries of the objects created by student artists at witnesstreeproject.org.

The Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by: 

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host
Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host
Bev Stanton – Online Producer

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

Channel Islands National Park and the marine habitat that surrounds it make up one of the most biodiverse coastal regions in the world, with a long and rich cultural history. It’s the traditional home of the Chumash people, and members of these seafaring Tribes have been working for decades to preserve their lands and waters from drilling, development and other threats. After a devastating explosion at an oil well in 1969 devastated birds and marine life along the coast, the Chumash and their allies have been seeking formal federal protections in the form of a national marine sanctuary. 

In this episode, host Jennifer Errick interviews guests Violet Sage Walker, Chairwoman of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council and nominator for the proposed sanctuary; Sarah Barmeyer, Deputy Vice President of Conservation Programs for the National Parks Conservation Association; and Paul Michel, Regional Policy Coordinator for the West Coast Office of National Marine Sanctuaries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They discuss some of the reasons this region is so special, what could be included in a proposed national marine sanctuary, and how Tribal members might remain involved in managing these lands and waters after the designation.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher and Bev Stanton.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about the proposed sanctuary at chumashsanctuary.org.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

This week marks 67 years since the trial of Emmett Till’s murderers, a miscarriage of justice that focused the attention of the world on the tiny town of Sumner, Mississippi, galvanized international outrage and grief, and sparked leaders of the Civil Rights Movement to act. Today, advocates want to see the courthouse where the trial took place preserved as a national park site and want to continue to use the story of the Till tragedy as a way to facilitate conversations around race and racism and further healing in the community and beyond.

Host Jennifer Errick features insights from Alan Spears, NPCA Senior Director of Cultural Resources; Benjamin Saulsberry, Public Engagement and Museum Education Director for the Emmett Till Interpretive Center; and Dr. Percy Washington, educator and pastor of the Sweet Canaan Church of God in Christ, on the history of this shocking hate crime, what the culture was like in Mississippi before and after the tragedy, and how advocates now are preserving Till’s story and using it to work toward truth and justice.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Kyle Groetzinger. Additional assets by Eric Barese and Jeff Taylor.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about the Emmett Till Interpretive Center at Emmett-Till.org.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

How far would you go to save a place you love? For Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, who was incensed by a proposal to pave his beloved C&O Canal into a parkway, the answer was all the way. Host Todd Christopher explores the media sensation that was the Douglas protest hike of 1954 and speaks with Mike Darzi and Carol Ivory, co-chairs of the epic One Day Hike where a new generation of park enthusiasts now goes the distance every April.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

“The Canal Song” was performed by Michael Clem

The Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by: 

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host
Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host
Bev Stanton – Online Producer

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

One of the most remarkable figures in American history was born into slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in March 1822. No one could have predicted the incredible life that this girl, Harriet Tubman, would go on to lead. On the eve of Tubman’s 200th birthday, host Jennifer Errick explores what this American legend was really like and what we can learn at some of the park sites that interpret her history. Guests include Alan Spears, senior director for cultural resources at the National Parks Conservation Association; Dana Paterra, park manager at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center; Kate Clifford Larson, American historian and Tubman biographer; and Diane Miller, program manager for the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom with the National Park Service.

Learn more about Harriet Tubman’s early history and download audio tour information on the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway website at https://harriettubmanbyway.org/; learn about Tubman’s namesake park on Maryland’s Eastern Shore at https://www.nps.gov/hatu/index.htm; and learn about the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program at https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1205/index.htm. Original theme music by [Chad Fischer](https://www.chadfischermusic.com/).

Sound effects by Ismael Gama Jr.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with moral and technical support from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Vanessa Pius.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org.

At least 41 million people in the United States, more than one in eight, live with some kind of disability, and some estimates put this figure even higher. For those who may be grappling with anxiety, fatigue, pain and other chronic conditions, the idea of encountering physical hurdles on a trip can be enough to avoid a park altogether, causing people to lose out on the kinds of life-changing experiences that so many of us take for granted. Host Jennifer Errick explores some of the factors that go into accessibility planning and how to be welcoming to people of different ability levels with guests Syren Nagakyrie, activist and founder of Disabled Hikers; Jeff Doryland, deputy facility manager and accessibility coordinator at Olympic National Park; and Jeremy Buzzell, manager of accessibility for the National Park Service. Visit the Disabled Hikers website at https://disabledhikers.com. Learn about accessibility at Olympic National Park and get detailed descriptions of the park's front-country trails at https://parkb.it/olympicaccess. Explore accessibility features across the National Park System at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/accessibility/. Learn about Syren Nagakyrie's upcoming book, "The Disabled Hikers Guide to Western Washington and Oregon.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Sound effects by Jeff Rice.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with moral and technical support from Todd Christopher and Bev Stanton.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org.

Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park is the only ballpark in the National Park System — and one of the very few surviving ballparks once used by Negro League baseball teams. But this field of dreams and its rich history were nearly lost to the ages before getting a chance at extra innings. Dr. Ray Doswell, curator of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, and Dr. Larry Hogan, author of two books on Negro League history and executive producer of the documentary “Before You Can Say Jackie Robinson,” join host Todd Christopher to discuss the significance of Hinchliffe’s past and the promise its restoration holds for the future.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

Paterson Great Falls audio clip courtesy of the National Park Service

The Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by: 

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host
Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host
Bev Stanton – Online Producer

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

Host Jennifer Errick explores the Tribal-led fight to protect Bears Ears National Monument and what the future of collaboration between Native nations and the U.S. government could mean for public lands with guests Ernie Atencio, Southwest regional director for the National Park Conservation Association; Davina Smith, organizer and consultant for the National Parks Conservation Association, cofounder of Women of Bears Ears, and board member of Grand Staircase-Escalante Partners; and Pat Gonzales-Rogers, executive director for the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition.

Watch Davina Smith and other survivors speak about the dark history of Native American boarding schools in the PBS documentary “Unspoken” at https://parkb.it/pbsunspoken. Learn more and find resources for healing from boarding schools and other forms of violence against Native Americans at https://boardingschoolhealing.org/ and https://restoringawcoalition.org/. Read reporting on attempts to open Bears Ears to uranium mining at https://parkb.it/bearsearsreporting. Learn more about the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition at https://bearsearscoalition.org/.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with moral and technical support from Todd Christopher and Bev Stanton.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

On the remote Sea Islands of South Carolina, golf courses and gated developments are changing the rural character of some of the first African American-owned lands in the country.

The Gullah/Geechee are the direct descendants of the enslaved people who once worked on the area's rice, cotton and indigo plantations; now, the island that serves as the epicenter of their culture is at risk from a new development threat. The Gullah/Geechee and their lands played a critical role at a turning point in the Civil War and are a central part of the history of the Reconstruction Era National Historical Site.

In this episode, host Jennifer Errick travels with her colleague, NPCA Field Representative Joshua Jenkins, a South Carolina native, to speak with Queen Quet, chieftess and head of state of the Gullah/Geechee Nation; Ranger Katherine Freeman and Chief of Interpretation Chris Barr of the Reconstruction Era National Historical Site; and Grant McClure, south coast project manager for the Coastal Conservation League.

Correction: Queen Quet was elected to her position as chieftess and head of state of the Gullah/Geechee Nation in 2000, not 2002 as reported in the story. NPCA regrets the error.

Learn more about the coalition to protect Saint Helena Island at protectsthelena.com

Learn more about the Gullah/Geechee Nation at gullahgeecheenation.com. Follow Queen Quet on Facebook at facebook.com/GullahGeecheeWeBe/ and on TikTok at tiktok.com/@gullahgeecheenation

In this episode, we discuss the Penn School on St. Helena Island, one of the first schools in the country where formerly enslaved people could receive an education. The Penn Center is the nonprofit organization that owns and manages the historic campus today. The National Park Service has an agreement with the Penn Center to use a portion of the property. Learn more about the historic school at penncenter.com

Read a 2023 NPR story on this issue at npr.org

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

This year’s historic fledging of a peregrine falcon at Harpers Ferry ― the first in more than 70 years ― is just the latest chapter in the once-endangered species’ recovery. Host Todd Christopher takes a closer look at how raptor monitoring and reintroduction programs in the parks are making a difference for birds of prey including peregrines and critically endangered California condors. Guests include Mia Parsons, Chief of Resources Management at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Rolf Gubler, Biologist at Shenandoah National Park, and Wildlife Biologist Gavin Emmons & Condor Program Manager Alacia Welch at Pinnacles National Park. 

Learn more about the Endangered Species Act and the endangered plants and animals that call national parks home at esa.npca.org. 

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

Audio clips courtesy of the National Park Service and Harpers Ferry Park Association 

The Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by: 

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host
Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host
Bev Stanton – Online Producer
Ismael Gama, Jr. – Creative Content Specialist 

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

At Grand Canyon National Park, explorers discovered a trove of lifelike bat fossils that provide a genetic record spanning 30,000 years. Experts reflect on why these particular remains are so rare and special, and how the National Park Service has spent years documenting and learning from the ancient life that surrounds us in our parks. Host Jennifer Errick explores the issue with guests Shawn Thomas, volunteer caver and Subterranean Team Manager at Bat Conservation International; Vincent Santucci, Senior Paleontologist and Paleontology Program Coordinator for the National Park Service; and Dr. Carol Chambers, Professor of Wildlife Ecology at Northern Arizona University.

Learn more about National Fossil Day at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/ and read about other recent significant findings in our national parks at https://www.npca.org/prehistoricsharks and https://www.npca.org/fossiltales.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

Night sounds at the Grand Canyon by Jeremy Tregler

The Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by:

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host
Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host
Bev Stanton – Online Producer
Ismael Gama, Jr. – Creative Content Specialist

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

Host Todd Christopher explores the past and future of art in the national parks with Tanya Ortega, founder of the National Parks Arts Foundation, and shares works by former national park artists-in-residence including Matt Venuti, Rachel Panitch, Ben Cosgrove and Kurt Wheeler. 

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

Audio clips courtesy of the National Park Service 

Season One of The Secret Lives of Parks was brought to you by: 

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host
Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host
Ismael Gama, Jr. – Creative Content Specialist
Beverley Stanton – Online Producer 

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

At Big Cypress National Preserve, a critical source of water for the greater Everglades ecosystem, the National Park Service has had to contend with a serious recurring threat ever since Congress established it in 1974 — private oil and gas drilling within the park's borders. Host Jennifer Errick explores the issue with guests Dr. Melissa Abdo, Fred Fagergren and John Donahue.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

Season One of The Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by:

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host
Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host
Beverley Stanton – Online Producer
Ismael Gama, Jr. – Creative Content Specialist

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

Noted entomologist Michael J. Raupp joins host Todd Christopher to discuss the noisy return of periodical cicadas to Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts — and the life lessons these incredible insects can teach us. 

You can read more about Brood X cicadas in the national parks in the Spring 2021 issue of National Parks magazine.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

They say the stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas... but what about the middle of the day? Not just any day—in this episode, we experience the recent total solar eclipse at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and discover how the history of this Hill Country ranch connects it to the night sky and the heyday of the U.S. space program.

Host Todd Christopher captures the sounds of the awe-inspiring celestial event from the LBJ Ranch as ranger Kevin Goodwin shares LBJ’s space cowboy roots and NASA’s Molly Wasser breaks down the science behind solar eclipses. Original theme music by Chad Fischer

The Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by: 

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host 

Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host 

Bev Stanton – Online Producer

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

At first glance, American Samoa feels like an idyllic, tropical South Pacific paradise where life has changed very little in the past century. But residents have been struggling with the pronounced effects of climate change and other serious challenges. Samoan beaches are visibly eroding, heat and salt water are affecting residents’ ability to grow food and to fish, and the resulting changes in diets are creating more medical problems for the people who live on these remote islands. Yet, Samoans are determined to preserve their lands and keep their culture and traditions alive for their children.

Reporter Dennis Arguelles shares stories from the tiny island of Aunu’u and neighboring islands of Ofu and Olosega in American Samoa with host Jennifer Errick, featuring village chief and tour guide Pika Taliva’a; elementary school teacher Celesty Tuiolosega-Morse; and lodge owner Deborah Malae.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. 

Episode 29, Holding Back the Sea, was reported by Dennis Arguelles and produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer. 

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. 

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

The Colorado River flows through some of the most spectacular landscapes in the Southwest, provides drinking water to more than 40 million people, and is one of the most important sources of water for U.S. agriculture. But access to the river has never been fair, and now, water levels are at historic lows after decades of extreme drought.

Photojournalist and visual storyteller Pete McBride has photographed every mile of the river over nearly 20 years of reporting and exploration. This episode, McBride speaks with host Jennifer Errick about his new book, “The Colorado River: Chasing Water,” and how he sought to capture not just the magnificence of the river but its “lost, dead beauty.” Despite the complexity of the crisis, he shares ideas for solutions — and reasons for hope.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 28, The Beauty of Loss, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to National Parks magazine Editor-in-Chief Rona Marech, NPCA Southwest Regional Director Ernie Atencio and NPCA Southwest Associate Director Erika Pollard.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about Pete McBride’s book, “The Colorado River: Chasing Water,” at rizzoliusa.com/book/9780847899746

See a selection of McBride’s photos in the new Spring issue of National Parks magazine at npca.org/magazine. Subscribe to our award-winning magazine at npca.org/subscribe

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

In the late 1970s, only three national park sites out of 300 had specifically been created to interpret women’s history. Judy Hart, then a chief ranger for legislation in the National Park Service’s Boston office, knew she wanted to improve that number, but she wasn’t sure how.

Hart’s determination took her to Seneca Falls, New York, as well as Capitol Hill as she won people over with the power of her idea. She used every tactic at her disposal to honor notable leaders in the movement for women’s rights, even though the run-down buildings where they had once made history didn’t meet the standard of the time for what a national park was supposed to look like.

This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Judy Hart about her quest to preserve nine buildings in Seneca Falls and Waterloo, New York; her new new book, “A National Park for Women’s History”; and why the concept of an “idea park” marked an important shift in thinking for the Park Service that allowed the agency to be more inclusive.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 27, Creating the Country’s First ‘Idea Park,’ was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher and Bev Stanton.

Special thanks to NPCA Mid-Atlantic Senior Program Director Pam Goddard.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about Judy Hart’s new book, “A National Park for Women’s Rights,” at https://parkb.it/3SWYoaT

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America's national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation's only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

Learn more and join us at npca.org

In the 1950s and ’60s, Alabama was a battleground for voting equality. White elected officials had long denied Black citizens their constitutional right to vote, and thousands of activists faced violent opposition from white residents and officials. In 1965, the Selma to Montgomery march made history, galvanizing the nation and leading to the passage of the Voting Rights Act, which finally allowed millions of disenfranchised Black citizens to cast ballots.

The march route is preserved in the National Park System. But event wouldn’t have been possible without private landowners along the route who risked their lives and jobs to allow hundreds of participants to camp on their properties. Now these campsites are falling into disrepair — and conservationists are carefully considering how to save this history before it’s lost.

This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with preservationist and film producer Phillip Howard of the Conservation Fund; DaVine Hall McGuire, granddaughter of David Hall, owner of the first campsite along the march route; and Cheryl Gardner Davis, daughter of Robert and Mary Gardner, owners of the third campsite along the march route.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 26, Stamped in the Soil, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to Eboni Preston, acting director of NPCA’s Southeast Region.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer. Learn more about the film “54 Miles to Home” at vimeo.com/591288364 and southernexposurefilms.org

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America's national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation's only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

Learn more and join us at npca.org

Paleontologists have long explored Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on the border of Arizona and Utah for its fossils, notably its prolific dinosaur tracks — but few bones have ever been found there. But last March, after watching the waters at Lake Powell drop, scientists made a calculated hunch to investigate areas of the lakebed that hadn’t been exposed in 60 years. Their hunch paid off — and then some — with an unprecedented trove of remains that could provide scientists with new insights into one of the early Jurassic’s quirkiest hybrid creatures.

This episode, meet the tritylodont, the 190-million-year-old mammal-like reptile that walked among some of the earliest dinosaurs and might be able to teach us about adapting to climate change.

This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with the distinguished team responsible for the discovery: Andrew R.C. Milner, site paleontologist and curator at the Saint George Dinosaur Discovery site in Saint George, Utah; Vincent Santucci, senior paleontologist and Paleontology Program coordinator for the National Park Service; Dr. Hans Sues, senior research geologist and curator of paleontology at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History; and Dr. Adam Marsh, lead paleontologist and research coordinator at Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 25, The Skeleton Crew, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn about the 286 sites across the National Park System that have known fossils at nps.gov/subjects/fossils

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America's national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation's only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

Learn more and join us at npca.org

If you enjoy having time off on the weekend, you can thank the woman who standardized the 40-hour workweek and made the concept possible. Frances Perkins also created Social Security and unemployment insurance, banned child labor, and put many safety measures and workplace protections in place that we simply take for granted. Yet, few people know much about the first female U.S. cabinet secretary and how she continues to shape our lives decades later.

Giovanna Gray Lockhart is executive director of the Frances Perkins Center and a key advocate for making Perkins’ homestead in Newcastle, Maine, our newest national park site; it would be just the thirteenth devoted to interpreting women’s history. In this episode, host Jennifer Errick talks with Lockhart about why Perkins was so important, why we don’t know more about her, and what visitors can see at her wooded 57-acre riverside farm.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to NPCA Communications Director Alison Heis and Government Affairs Senior Vice President Kristen Brengel.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about the Frances Perkins Center at francesperkinscenter.org

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

The Mojave Desert of Southern California is a place where creatures move and grow at a slow pace. In this vast, harsh landscape, the desert tortoise has served as a hard-working hero that has helped life flourish around it for centuries. But its population has been plummeting for decades, and activists have been working to preserve more than half a million acres that will help the tortoise, and many other species, survive.

In this episode, host Jennifer Errick travels to the Mojave Desert to speak with desert tortoise expert and NPCA California Program Manager Luke Basulto and Executive Director of the Desert Advocate Media Network and 90 Miles from Needles podcast host Chris Clarke. These two long-time desert residents and park advocates talk about how the desert tortoise is critical to the Mojave, why the proposed national monument is a special place for a variety of plants and animals, the special lure that blank spots have on the map, and some of the rare desert sights you can only see at Chuckwalla.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. 

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to NPCA Communications Manager Caitlyn Burford.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about the Protect California Deserts Coalition at protectchuckwalla.org

Learn more about the Desert Advocate Media Network and listen to Chris Clarke’s 90 Miles from Needles podcast at thedamn.org

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. 

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Have you ever dreamed of living on the road and exploring national parks for months at a time? One Minnesota couple uprooted their lives to go on a year-long adventure with their twin daughters, building a curriculum for their girls’ education at public lands around the country.

How did they do it? This episode, we explore some of the joys and challenges of “roadschooling.”

Host Jennifer Errick speaks with Jen Goepfert, Travis Pedersen, and their daughters Aela and Eva. From the seed of the idea to their first taste of living in a 42-foot trailer together, this adventurous and creative family shares why they spent years planning their trip and some of their hopes and concerns for their year on wheels.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to NPCA Upper Midwest Campaign Director Chris Goepfert, Jen Goepfert’s sister, for sharing this adventure with our team.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about the Goepfert-Pedersen family and follow their blog at thebigfunrv.com

Read the National Parks magazine story that first inspired Jen at npca.org/articles/1865-lessons-in-motion

Learn about the Every Kid Outdoors program at everykidoutdoors.gov

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

“Half the park is after dark.” This phrase was coined by the astronomer and artist Tyler Nordgren in 2010 as part of a series of posters he created of nightscapes at public lands. National parks are some of the best places in the country to see dark night skies. Still, many visitors head home after sunset, not even considering the sights they’re missing out on. 

This episode, photographer and night-sky enthusiast Jeff Pfaller speaks with host Jennifer Errick on some of the techniques he uses to take stunning images of stars, synchronous fireflies and other phenomena at national parks. He explains how he got started, the three essential capabilities you need your camera to have, why right now is an excellent time to see the northern lights, and reasons he recommends Yosemite as an ideal place for admiring dark skies.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. 

Episode 38, Photographing Parks After Dark, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher and Bev Stanton 

Original theme music by Chad Fischer. 

Learn more about Jeff Pfaller’s photography and preorder his upcoming book at jeffpfaller.com

Learn more about the National Park Service night sky program and look up astronomy programs in your area at nps.gov/subjects/nightskies/

Get information about certified dark-sky parks at darksky.org

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. 

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah is the original Jurassic Park, created 110 years ago to protect a trove of more than 1,500 fossils, including the Allosaurus, the Diplodocus, the Stegosaurus and many others. Visitors can even touch real dinosaur bones from 149 million years ago.

This area has long been a target for oil and gas development, but earlier this month, incoming Interior Secretary Doug Burgum raised the threat level when he issued a new secretarial order directing his assistant secretaries to review all public lands for potential new resource extraction, specifically targeting national monuments. NPCA released a list of 13 national monuments our organization believes are most vulnerable to new development threats, including Dinosaur National Monument.

This episode host Jennifer Errick speaks with Cody Perry, a longtime advocate for Dinosaur National Monument and assistant director of Living Rivers and Colorado Riverkeeper, and Kristen Brengel, senior vice president for Government Affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, on what makes Dinosaur so special, why it and other national monuments are under attack, and how public outrage isn’t just normal — it’s also useful.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 39, Save the Dinosaurs, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to Cory MacNulty, Daniel Hart, Beau Kiklis, Katelynn Shea, Michaela Pavlat, Caitlyn Burford, Michael Jamison, and Betsy Buffington.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

See NPCA’s list of 13 threatened national monuments at npca.org/13monuments

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

Podcast listeners can get a 10% discount at npca.org/store through March 31, 2025, by using code PARKSPOD at checkout. Check out our “I stand with park rangers” T-shirts and other gear, and make sure Dana knows we sent you!

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

The Clara Barton National Historic Site in Glen Echo, Maryland, was the first national park site created to honor a woman and one of just 13 such sites across the country. Barton lived and worked in this corner of Maryland thanks to a unique partnership with a local arts institution known as Glen Echo Park, whose founders built the stately building to honor her as a celebrity in residence. It served as a multipurpose homestead and the American Red Cross headquarters during the last 15 years of Barton’s life.

But now, the building is in serious disrepair and in need of numerous upgrades. Ironically, the fruitful partnership between Barton’s site and Glen Echo Park led to an inappropriate plan that would have minimized Barton’s legacy. A team of historians banded together to improve the process and share the importance of this American hero, who devoted her life to serving others while breaking barriers and revolutionizing disaster response in the process.

This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Liz Witherspoon, co-founder and CEO of the Clara Barton Fund and board member for the American Red Cross for Montgomery, Frederick and Howard Counties in Maryland; as well as Pam Goddard, senior program director for the Mid-Atlantic region at the National Parks Conservation Association. They discuss Clara Barton’s remarkable legacy, the state of her homestead and headquarters, the new group helping to preserve her history, and the puppet show concept that galvanized them to take action.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. 

Episode 40, The Angel of Glen Echo, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, Linda Coutant and Abbey Robertson. 

Original theme music by Chad Fischer. 

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org. Hear about another inspiring woman who broke all kinds of glass ceilings in episode 35, The Woman Behind the Weekend, on the incomparable Frances Perkins. And listen to more about Pam Goddard and her work to preserve the Chesapeake Bay watershed in episode 24, The Beacon.

Podcast listeners can get a 10% discount at npca.org/store for just a few more days, until March 31, by using code PARKSPOD at checkout. 

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

To celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service in 2016, journalist Conor Knighton visited all 59 capital-N, capital-P parks in one year — turning that experience into a series of "On the Trail" segments for CBS Sunday Morning and, later, into the New York Times best-selling memoir "Leave Only Footprints."

Host Todd Christopher interviews Conor about that year and how his year in the parks shaped his understanding of our public lands, and of himself as well.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer

The Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by: 

Todd Christopher – Producer & Host 

Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host 

Bev Stanton – Online Producer

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

On April 18, the National Parks Conservation Association will host a 10-day silent auction. As part of this fundraiser, The Secret Lives of Parks cohost Jennifer Errick is offering to produce a podcast-style audio story for one winning bidder or couple, modeled after the stories we create here. 

Today, we’re sharing what this kind of keepsake can sound like, with excerpts from Jennifer’s recent conversation with NPCA Senior Vice President of Communications Amy Hagovsky. If you'd like to be the star of your own audio story, check out npca.org/auction. There are plenty of other great items you can bid on, too, from a fly-fishing trip to a set of beautiful T-shirts to a giant box of cheese. All the proceeds will benefit NPCA’s mission to protect national parks. 

On the Trail with Amy is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. Today's special episode was produced by me, Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher and Bev Stanton. Special thanks to Molly Green.

Music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Over a decade ago, an explorer conducting surveys at Grand Canyon National Park noticed what appeared to be an opening in a red rock cliff face high above him in the park’s remote backcountry. His team discovered a cave that appeared, by all accounts, to have been completely untouched by people. Researchers found a series of passageways with gypsum formations and a variety of wildlife, including thousands and thousands of mummified bats.

In episode 4 of the podcast, we talked with several experts about this remarkable cave and its ancient remains. Since then, researchers have returned and ventured into a second cave, even more difficult to explore than the first, and made more exciting discoveries. 

This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks Carol Chambers, professor of wildlife ecology at Northern Arizona University; Shawn Thomas, volunteer caver and bat expert; and Stephen Eginoire, photojournalist. We learn about the implications for science, the extreme lengths the team takes to preserve the cave, and profound feeling of being the first person to set foot in an unmapped place.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. 

Episode 43, Return to the Bat Cave, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to Vincent Santucci.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer. 

Read the Grand Canyon research team’s most recent paper at: parks.berkeley.edu/psf/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/psf_401_chambers_web.pdf

Read Stephen Eginoire’s story for the Grand Canyon Trust at: www.grandcanyontrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AdvocateMagFall2024Digital.pdf

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. 

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Multiple staffing crises are harming the National Park Service, including mass layoffs, a hiring freeze, forced retirements and delays in onboarding seasonal employees — and a new reduction in force could be imminent. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced plans late last Friday to drastically consolidate land management agencies across the country, and a new round of terminations could affect every level of park management.

These reckless, wide-ranging job cuts come at a time when national parks are more popular than ever. How are parks — and people — coping under these ongoing employee upheavals?

This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with John Garder, senior director of budget and appropriation at the National Parks Conservation Association, and Cassidy Jones, former park ranger and visitation program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, on how job cuts and insecurity are harming parks and morale, some of the long-term consequences for resource protection, and what people can do to support park staff.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 42, Squeezed Thin: Park Staff in Upheaval, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to Angela Gonzalez, Cory MacNulty and Abbey Robertson.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Read Cassidy Jones’ recent blog story on how to prepare to visit understaffed parks at npca.org/prepare

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org, including one of Cassidy’s favorite winter adventures in episode 15, The Little Jewel Box.

Remember, NPCA’s silent auction is live until April 28, and you can bid on your own podcast-style audio story, for you and about you, as well as many other cool experiences and keepsakes, at npca.org/auction

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org.

In late June, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that the state was moving forward on plans — negotiated without public or Tribal input — to build a tent-based immigration enforcement facility in the Western Everglades. This facility is designed to hold between 3,000 and 5,000 detainees on an isolated airstrip on the border of Big Cypress National Preserve at an estimated cost of $450 million a year. By July 2, just days after the public first learned about these plans, the facility was already open and holding several hundred people.

Ironically, the isolated jetport is the exact site where the National Parks Conservation Association once stood side by side with Marjory Stoneman Douglas and many others to defeat the development of a massive airport in 1968. This effort led directly to the creation of Big Cypress National Preserve. Two key stakeholders were part of that effort and have lived in and protected this landscape for millennia — the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes who continue to speak out against the misuse of their homelands.

This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Curtis Osceola, senior executive policy advisor to the chairman of the Miccosukee Business Council; William “Popeye” Osceola, secretary of the Miccosukee Business Council; Dr. Melissa Abdo, NPCA Sun Coast regional director; and Marisa Carrozzo, NPCA senior coastal and wildlife program manager.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 45, Florida’s Untenable Alcatraz, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to Edward Ornstein, Deputy General Counsel and Tallahassee Embassy Director for the Miccosukee Tribe. Special thanks also to John Adornado, Cara Capp, Kristin Gladd and Kyle Groetzinger.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about NPCA’s opposition to Alligator Alcatraz and speak out at npca.org/alligatoralcatraz

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Earlier this month, the National Park Service had a major victory in a place you’ve probably never heard of and didn’t know was in danger. The focus of this good news is a humble warehouse on the outskirts of Charles Town, West Virginia, that houses millions of rare artifacts and employs a dream team of specialized staff devoted to restoring and conserving America’s history.

In March, the Department of Government Efficiency made plans to cancel the lease on this Park Service facility, throwing the future of these rare objects into question. Though the collections can stay in their specialized facility, for now, we investigate the highly skilled conservators, archivists and technicians who keep the country’s most precious papers and keepsakes from falling apart, and we delve into why “we need to be able to treat our history with the respect that it deserves, because that's how you honor the people who lived it.”

This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Director Brendan Bray, Supervisory Conservator and Manager Theresa Voellinger, Textile Conservator Anne Ennes, Book and Paper Conservator Allison Holcomb, Inorganics Conservator Nicole Peters, Taxidermist and Organics Conservator Fran Ritchie, Archivist Nancy Russell, Collections Manager and Museum Specialist Kyle Bryner, and NPCA Senior Director for Cultural Resources Alan Spears.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 44, The Sum of Its Parts, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Special thanks to all the National Park Service staff in Charles Town and Harpers Ferry who took time to talk with me and answer questions about their work.

Learn more about the National Park Service’s museum collections and read their Conserve O Grams at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/museums/conserve-o-grams.htm

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Neotropical migratory songbirds spend the winter in Central and South America and travel each spring to their breeding grounds in the U.S. and Canada. These species are teeny creatures on average, often weighing under two ounces each, yet their travel plans are bold — some make roundtrips of more than 10,000 miles in a single year. But this colorful cohort of birds, from warblers to thrushes to tanagers, face habitat loss from climate change and development at both ends of their range.

But the Big Ivy region of the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina is a rare intact forest that provides a welcoming breeding ground for many of these birds, including species whose outlook has been especially bleak. This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with NPCA Southern Appalachian Director Jeff Hunter and Wildlife Research Program Coordinator Steve Goodman on the 415,000 birdsongs they’ve captured in the Big Ivy and how they’re using the beautiful recordings to protect this rare and beautiful Appalachian forest.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 46, The Bird Nerds of Big Ivy, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Learn more about the campaign to create a Craggy National Scenic Area at IHeartPisgah.org.

Learn more about NPCA’s Day of Action at npca.org/everypark

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Study after study has shown that time in nature enriches us mentally and physically. Just a couple of hours outdoors each week can improve our mood, reduce our stress, boost our immune systems and deepen our sleep, among many other benefits. But life has a way of distracting us from simple pleasures like hiking and camping. The demands of work, school and family can overtake our best intentions and our waking hours.

Award-winning journalist Nicolas Brulliard devised a plan to get himself into nature on four camping trips on the same trail, all taken on work nights over the course of a year — one in each season. He wrote about his experiences in a National Parks magazine article, then returned to the trail and reflected on his adventures with host Jennifer Errick. He shares some of his main takeaways, including the value of attention, the significance of sitting instead of walking, and how to hike like a kid instead of an adult.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. 

Episode 47, Parks and the Art of Paying Attention, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer. Sound effects from Rocky Mountain National Park by Nicolas Brulliard.

Read Nicolas’ award-winning National Parks magazine story, “Four Walks in the Park,” at npca.org/fourwalks

Learn about the book that inspired the journey, “A Year in the Woods: Twelve Small Journeys into Nature” by Torbjørn Ekelund, at goodreads.com/book/show/57731687-a-year-in-the-woods

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org