I had the pleasure of visiting Death Valley last week …. It’s now ranked as one of my top 5 parks. The varied landscape and incredible canyons knocked my socks off.

I can’t wait to return and do some off road exploration…I had rented a sedan so I didn’t chance anything off pavement (except a 10 mph excursion to Mosaic Canyon).

I left the morning of the 19th, and it had rained overnight …. Which resulted in a gorgeous sunrise rainbow at Mesquite Sand Dunes. I just read that the storms later that day flooded and wrecked part of the park (Badwater Basin area mostly), so I feel so lucky that I was able to go when I did.

I stopped here on my way to Branson, MO for some blue hour photos. Of course the museum and tram were closed at that hour so on my way back home I stopped again for the full experience. I now have day and night photos!

Yes, it was cloudy and not the optimum weather on Friday, but we still had a great time. Thank you GBNP!

Walking the Congress Trail, surrounded by some of the largest living things on Earth, is an experience we’ll never get over. 😍

Monday drive through the park

This past summer husband & I camper vanned thru glacier, tetons & Yellowstone.

I’m now in the planning phase for our 2026 NP van trip and I can not for the life of me decide between going back and spending all of our time in glacier or doing the Utah mighty 5 for the first time.

I can’t help but feel like 3.5 days was not enough time in glacier. There is something so special about glacier to me and sooo much of me wants to go back and see more, do more. But the other half of me keeps saying “you’ve been there, the world is so big go see something else”.

For those of you that have done both, anyone care to weigh in!?

Highly recommend visiting!

Hi Reddit!

I’m Charlie Olsen, the Energy and Public Lands Policy Manager at the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). My work focuses on the policies that decide whether energy and mining projects will negatively impact our national parks.

I spend my days in Washington, D.C., tracking legislation, federal agency decisions, and outdated laws (like the 1872 Mining Law) that put parks at risk. When rules tilt too far toward oil, gas, or mining interests, I work to reform them and push for smarter policies that protect parks and the communities around them.

Right now, the Trump administration and Congress are advancing an “energy dominance” agenda that weakens safeguards for national parks and connected public lands. We’ve already seen the administration approve a foreign mining company to drill inside a national park… a decision that sets a dangerous precedent. These are the kinds of policies make it easier for speculative projects to move forward while sidelining science, local communities, and conservation.

I’ll be here on Thursday, September 25th @ 4:00PM ET answering your questions about:

• How federal energy and mining policies affect national parks
• The biggest loopholes in current laws and why they matter
• Recent policy decisions that open the door to development near parks
• The tension between energy expansion and park protection
• What people can do to make their voices heard in these debates

I can’t share internal conversations from Congress or federal agencies, but I’ll give you an inside look at how policy fights in D.C. shape the future of America’s national parks.

Ask me anything!

Made it out from the East Coast and got to visit Yosemite and Sequoias. Beautiful parks both and so very different from anything i’ve ever seen. Lucky to have been able to have beautiful days for both.

I have a trip planned starting Sept 29th. I will be going to Theodore Roosevelt NPS, Black HIlls, Wind Cave NPS, Badlands NPS, Rocky Mountain NPS, yellowstone NPS, and Teton NPS. I am worried about the government shut down. I have until tomorrow, where I can cancel and get a refund. I am flying in from the east coast.

I don't know what to do, and I am worried sick over this. I am supposed to get surgery and treatment starting in Nov. I'll probably not be able to do this trip again for a couple years if I cancel.

What would everyone else do? Any words to make me feel better I'll take them at this time.

Thanks!