Castle Clinton National Monument

05/08/2023

It’s ok if you fall apart sometimes. S’mores fall a part, and we still love them.

Please sir, can I have s’more? If the marshmallow holds it all together (we said it), it’s important to do it right. Here are some quick tips to achieve marshmallow perfection:

🔥 For the light golden-brown color and a perfectly cooked interior, you want to find the subtle flames at the base of the fire and be patient. OMG! The whole thing is on fire!

🔥 We’re okay. Take two. There is a season (turn, turn, turn)…Frequently turn the marshmallow as it hovers over the embers rather than the flames.

🔥 Putting a marshmallow over the flames will result in what appears to be a fast cooking method, but the quick exposure will simply char the outside, leaving the inside tough and cool. Some like the char. Go with what feels right.

🔥 Caution. You may be tempted to swing the roasting stick back and forth at a rapid pace causing the marshmallow to launch through the air making contact with the forehead of your friend. Former friend? We can all laugh about it, right? No? Avoid launching flaming marshmallows. Metaphor for life. You’re welcome.

P.S. There is s’more? Be sure to follow proper campfire procedures when tending to and putting out your fires. Always drown, stir, feel, and repeat until the area is cool to the touch.

What are some of your best s’mores tips or stories?

Find s’more recipes at: https://www.nps.gov/articles/smoresinendlessways.htm

Image: Screenshot of a National Park Service tweet that reads, “It’s ok if you fall apart sometimes. S’mores fall a part, and we still love them.”

05/07/2023

On this day in 1822, Congress authorized $20,000 to construct a lighthouse on Ocracoke Island. For a charge of fifty dollars, the federal government purchased two acres at the south end of the island from Jacob Gaskill on December 5, 1822, as the site for a new lighthouse.

The construction of the lighthouse, one-and-one-half-story keeper's dwelling, well, and privy was completed in 1823. This year marks the 200th Anniversary of the Ocracoke Light Station!

Join Park Rangers on the grounds to learn about this beautiful sentinel and the keepers that kept the light burning. 20 minutes, 11am, Monday-Thursday.

Check the calendar for other Ranger programs here: https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/calendar.htm

NPS photo/ A. Lapp
Alt Text: A white light house with an illuminated light at the top. A soft pink glow from the sunset covers the side with a blue dusk sky in the background and live oak trees in the foreground.

05/07/2023

Introverted but willing to discuss cats…

Well, bobcats. Alright, keep it short. Did you know bobcats are fairly introverted animals and generally don’t like being around anyone? The only time a bobcat isn't alone is when they have a family. Female bobcats raise cubs until the they are mature enough to be independent and find a nice studio or one-bedroom.

Call me Bob, Robert was my father’s name. Wait, Bob? Actually, the bobcat wasn't named after someone named Bob, but rather its 'bobbed' tail. Oh, cool. We all knew that. Unlike other bigger cats, it has a relatively short tail that ranges from 2 to 8 inches.

Are we done talking yet? Just a bit more. We’ll keep it quick. Speaking of quick, a bobcat can run up to 30 miles per hour! However, they also prefer walking. Yeah, umm, me too. Will a bobcat chase you? Technically, anything can chase you, especially if you’ve done something to warrant it. If you happen to cross paths with a bobcat, keep moving and give it space. Remember, these cats just want to be left alone. Don’t we all?

Image: A view through a zoom lens of a bobcat kitten with tall pointed ears sitting on a tree branch with eyes wide open Grand Canyon National Park. NPS/Eric Hope

05/06/2023

Alcatraz Island Peregrine Falcon Nest (4/14/23)

Alcatraz Island Peregrine Falcon Nest (4/14/23)

05/05/2023

My go-to outfit for every social situation…

Just trying to blend in. The short-horned lizard is often referred to as a “horned toad” or “horny toad” because its squat, flattened shape and short, blunt snout give it a toad-ish look. Their coloring can be yellowish, gray, or reddish-brown depending on the environment they inhabit, and, combined with their shape, affords them considerable camouflage.

Horned lizards have a wide range of predators within their habitat. One unusual defense involves the flooding of their ocular sinuses, tissues found below their eye, with blood. Neat. When they feel threatened, its final defense response is to shoot blood out its eye sockets. Okay. As a result, the predator is often frightened and flees. Umm, yeah. The lizard also uses this mechanism to remove foreign particles from the surface of its eyes. (Sorry! It was just a bit if dust. Come back!)

Camouflage? Projectile eye socket tricks? How do you like to get out of Friday night plans?

Image: Close-up view of short-horned lizard blending into the colorful ground surface at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, CO. NPS/Patrick Meyers

05/05/2023

Lei ʻo uka i ka ʻohu,
Lei ‘o loko i ke aloha.

“The mist wreaths the uplands,
love adorns the heart.”

Love and good intentions woven into traditional lei is a vital component of the lei making process. It begins with the idea of giving a gift. Following, the intentional harvesting of nā mea kanu (plants), stringing or braiding the lei into existence, and then the final offering of this lei to the receiver. This practice is an act of aloha.

Significant to Kānaka ʻŌiwi (indigenous Hawaiians), lei making is rooted in tradition and is still widely practiced – however, adapted. Using non-vegetal materials for lei is common, considering displacement of people and plants following island-wide development. Several native plants traditionally used for lei are rare or threatened by disease and are no longer used - such as ʻōhiʻa lehua which is vulnerable to rapid ʻōhiʻa death (ROD). For others, its usage is reduced. Cultural competency is also a component to lei making, as specific plants are traditionally used for specific occasions.

What type of lei are you creating and gifting this Lei Day?

For more information on ROD and how you can help prevent its spread, visit https://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/help-stop-the-spread-of-rapid-ohia-death.htm
NPS Photo

05/05/2023

Photos from Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area's post

05/04/2023

Louisiana: Leona Tate Foundation for Change (U.S. National Park Service)

One year ago today, the Leona Tate Foundation for Change opened the Tate, Etienne, and Prevost (TEP) Interpretive Center in New Orleans in the same elementary school building that the foundation's founders desegregated in 1960.

The $11 million rehabilitation project received a combined $1.5 million in funding from the National Park Service's African American Civil Rights (AACR) and Save America’s Treasures (SAT) grant programs. The multi-use facility features: an interpretive exhibit centered around the New Orleans Public School Desegregation Experience; 25 subsidized, affordable apartments for area seniors; and the office headquarters for the Leona Tate Foundation, People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, and Beloved Community.

Leona Tate was only six years old when she became a civil rights activist and leader. On Nov. 14, 1960, Tate, alongside Gail Etienne and Tessie Prevost, desegregated the previously all-white McDonogh #19 Elementary School. These girls, escorted by federal marshals, were the first black students to a...

05/04/2023

“May the fourth be with you.” - Spock

Wait, we feel a disturbance coming. Oh, well. Come to the park side. We have fossils! Did you know Zion National Park is home to an impressive variety of fossils? No? You must be looking in Alderaan places. Fossilized fish scales, petrified wood, and dinosaur tracks are just a few of fossils that can be found in Zion's varied rock layers. Pictured here is the footprint of a large three-toed dinosaur, or theropod. Logically, this track may have belonged to Dilophosaurus. The name "dilophosaurus" means "double-crested lizard" for the pair of crests on the top of its skull.

To discover more about Zion’s fossils, visit https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/nature/another-kind-of-bigfoot.htm
⁣
Image: Human hand used during a survey showing size comparison of a large fossilized footprint at Zion National Park, Utah.⁣ If you come across a fossil in a park, please observe responsibly.

05/04/2023

Photos from Coronado National Memorial's post

05/03/2023

Discover stories and cultural heritage shared in national parks and communities across the country. Every May during Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and throughout the year, the National Park Service and our partners share those histories and the continuing culture thriving in parks and communities today.

Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/asian-american-pacific-islander-heritage-month.htm

Image: Dancers at National Park of American Samoa perpetuate Fa’asamoa by sharing the living and vibrant traditions, language, legends, oral history, and values.

05/03/2023

Photos from Dry Tortugas National Park's post

05/02/2023

The most popular porcupine hobby is quilting.

Who knew? A porcupine has approximately 30,000 quills on its body. Needle bit a love? Umm, not a hugger. We repeat. Not. A. Hugger. Did you know porcupines don’t throw quills? Don’t get us wrong, they may throw some sassy barbs, (Porcupines are vocal critters and create a wide array of verbal cues, including shrill screeches, coughs, groans, whines, passive aggressive insults, and teeth chatters) but alas, no quill launching. However, on occasion, loose quills will fall out before it strikes (awkward), creating the illusion that they're being shot out. We apologize that it took so long to get to the point.

Find more porcupine “tips” at: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/fast-facts-porcupines.htm

Image: A porcupine perched in a tree at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. NPS/ Patrick Meyers

05/01/2023

Photos from Mammoth Cave National Park's post

05/01/2023

When you just arrived at work and people start asking ewe questions.

Unbaaa-lieveable!

Actually, farm animals at George Washington Birthplace National Monument became part of the park landscape in the 1970's to showcase a living history farm. Today, the animals are representative of similar breeds that would have been familiar to the Washington, include Hog Island Sheep.

Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/gewa/learn/photosmultimedia/farm-animals.htm

Image: A group of Hog Island Sheep have some questions for you.

04/30/2023

It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see how it plays out for them. Bold indeed. So, you've decided to take a trip to a park either alone, or with friends, or maybe you somehow ended up as group leader. It could happen. Do you know what information or skills you need before heading out? If you answered yes, good luck. If you answered no, keep reading.

First off, it’s always important to keep in mind the time of year you want to venture out, hence the salmon-scented body wash during bear bulk-up season is probably not a winning choice. Oh, it's trout? Same idea. Keep an eye out for the weather, road conditions, and environmental changes.

Next, think about the setting. Does the activity you want to do take place at the beach, on a trail, in a⁣ cave, on a mountain, future hospital room, or historical site?⁣ Know your limits and choose wisely.

How much longer? Yep, we’re not done. Think about the duration of a trip. Will it be a few hours or all day? Oh, it’s a little chillier than you thought? Guess it’s time to fashion your hat back into your pants.

Finally, (yeah, we’re at the end!) do you have a very particular set of skills? Skills that you’ve acquired over a very long career of hiking, climbing, boating, or walking into a spider web releasing your inner ninja? Yes? No? Maybe? If wanting to tackle a certain activity that you’re unfamiliar with, make sure and research or brush up before you arrive.

In conclusion, wait, you already said “finally?” We did, but we have to end on a positive, motivational note. Make good choices and have fun. The end. Sardines! It was sardine scented body wash. (Still not a great choice.) That explains the family of bobcats.

Image: Screenshot of a National Park Service tweet that reads, “Oh, you’re headed out to bear country? That salmon-scented body wash was a bold choice.”

04/30/2023

04/30/2023

What do love about national parks? What do you love to do when visiting? Whom do you love to share parks with?

On the last day of , share the love and share !

❤️

04/29/2023

Photos from Point Reyes National Seashore's post

04/29/2023

PARKS IN SPACE!!!!!

04/29/2023

The Junior Ranger program invites participants to join the ranger “family” by taking an oath to protect the land, resources, and history, continue to learn about national parks, and share their stories with friends and family. No matter what age you are, you’re invited to explore, learn, and protect on and everyday!

Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/national-junior-ranger-day.htm

P.S. Not all Junior Ranger programs are tied to a specific national park site. Explore the science and sounds of parks as a Junior Ranger Sounds Explorer, unearth the basics of archeology as a Junior Archeologist, gaze up at the stars as a Junior Ranger Night Explorer, dig for fossils as a Junior Paleontologist, or blast off out of this world as a Spaceflight Explorer Junior Ranger! Check them out at: https://www.nps.gov/kids/junior-rangers.htm

04/28/2023

What inspires you?

What inspires you?

04/28/2023

Trees throw the best shade.

Happy ! Towering or small, massive or delicate, living or fossilized, trees are found in in national parks across the country. Giant sequoias and redwoods huddle in western groves. Moss-covered bald cypress fill southeastern swamps. Spectacular cherry blossom trees line the Tidal Basin in our nation’s capital each spring. These trees are important natural features in our parks. They help clean the air, provide habitat for wildlife, cool our neighborhoods and provide solace for people to reconnect with nature. They also bear witness to days past.

Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/iconictrees/index.htm

Image: A large tree draped in moss at Cumberland Island National Seashore, GA.

04/28/2023

The National Park Service and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have a partnership that encourages both agencies to co-host naturalization ceremonies in the special places set aside for public enjoyment and historical commemoration. Earlier this week, NPS Director Chuck Sams, joined by USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou, welcomed new citizens at Boston's Faneuil Hall.

04/28/2023

Photos from Fort Vancouver National Historic Site's post

04/27/2023

04/27/2023

Storytime…

Unparalleled nature, powerful moments in history, families and friends making memories…

From national parks to local spaces in your community, the National Park Service protects places that connect us to our past, to ourselves, and to one another through preserving nature, history, and experiences. Each person has their own special connections with certain park places that are very meaningful to them. Now’s the chance to share ! Maybe you reached a mountain summit or found an artistic muse or were inspired by a truly breathtaking view. Share your story with a park place using .

Image: A ranger at Fort Point National Historic Site sitting on a bench reading a book about Fort Point NPS/Xotchitl Garibay

04/27/2023

Photos from Boston National Historical Park's post

04/27/2023

04/26/2023

"There is a park, a place, a job, and a skill for everyone. As long as you’re willing to explore a little and learn a lot, there are endless possibilities.” - U.S. Law Enforcement Park Ranger Hassell

When helping with search and rescue operations, investigations, patrol, and more at Grand Canyon National Park, Ranger Hassell understands the unpredictability of the job and having every day look different. “These teammates have transformed some of the hardest days into the most memorable. For every late-night event, there is someone to talk through the call and reflect on the moments. For every EMS call or possible fatality, there is someone to talk with on how to improve for next time and find a distraction so as not to dwell on the events of the day. Even on a quieter day, there is always someone willing to train with, explore, and go on patrol. To me, that is what is so special about the National Park Service."

Become a Law Enforcement Park Ranger! The next hiring period opens on May 8. Find more information at: https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/become-a-law-enforcement-ranger.htm

Image: A ranger looking out over a vast canyon landscape.