In this episode, how three young boys petitioned the Department of the Interior to open the gates to Yellowstone National Park each Christmas Eve, in anticipation of Santa's annual visit.

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In this episode: National park entrance is about to get much more expensive for foreign visitors, plus digital passes are here, and more.

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The video on explaining passes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBfqPOoEu4w&t=357s

This week: National parks reopen after the government shutdown — but not before one of them gets hit with a rash of graffiti. Winter closures are rolling in across the park system, including some big changes at Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. The Park Service is trying to hire 500 new law enforcement rangers with an eye-popping $70,000 bonus… while a new academic study shows national parks are still some of the safest places you can visit. We’ll also look at the Justice Department’s renewed crackdown on marijuana use on federal land, the controversy surrounding the nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management. Plus — a presidential pardon for a record-setting trail runner, and the unbelievable moment a man walked straight toward a pack of wolves in Yellowstone.

The full video of the man approaching wolves on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPfVXr4Ap4S/

The National Parks Traveler Article: https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2025/11/national-parks-are-overwhelmingly-safe-spaces-says-study

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00:00 National Parks Reopen After Shutdown 02:36 Winter Closures and Changes in Major Parks 04:53 Recruitment Drive for Law Enforcement Rangers 07:09 Safety in National Parks: New Study Insights 08:22 Federal Cannabis Law Enforcement in Parks 09:12 Controversial Nominee for Bureau of Land Management 10:30 Call for Restoration of National Park Funding 11:36 Presidential Pardon for Trail Runner 12:16 Man's Close Encounter with Wolves in Yellowstone 13:14 Conclusion and Thanksgiving Wishes

In this episode, I'll break down the various types of passes available for national parks and other federal recreation areas. I'll explain the America the Beautiful Pass, the Senior Pass, the Access Pass, and the Military Pass, detailing their benefits and eligibility criteria. Learn which pass is right for you, how to obtain it, and how to maximize your visits to federal lands.

Order your passes online here: https://store.usgs.gov/recreational-passes

Get the Every Kid Outdoors 4th & 5th Grade Pass here: https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm Find the Slinky Stove that's right for your next adventure at: https://www.slinkystove.com/?ref=PARKography

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00:00 Introduction to National Park Passes 01:29 Annual Pass: The Basics 04:03 Special Passes for Kids and Volunteers 05:07 Sponsored Message: Slinky Stove 05:46 Senior Pass: Benefits and Discounts 08:14 Access Pass for Disabled Individuals 09:39 Military Pass: Recent Changes 10:38 How to Obtain Your Pass 12:39 Frequently Asked Questions 15:33 Conclusion

Highlights include the National Park Service prosecuting BASE jumping cases in Yosemite, the Trump administration reopening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas leasing, and closures in the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Mobile District campgrounds. We'll also cover the reopening of the Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground in the Grand Canyon, a new federal coal leasing plan, the loss of the National Park Service's only petroleum engineer, and a controversial owl culling plan.

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00:00 Introduction 00:21 Yosemite Base Jumping Incidents 03:10 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Oil and Gas Leasing 03:57 Sponsored Message: Slinky Stove 04:34 US Army Corps of Engineers Campground Closures 05:29 Grand Canyon Reopenings and Waterline Project 06:34 Coal Leasing Near National Parks 07:13 National Park Service Loses Petroleum Engineer 07:58 Controversial Barred Owl Culling Plan 08:51 Utah State University's Beaver Relocation Program 09:42 Managing Feral Hogs in National Parks 10:25 Wyoming Corner Crossing Legislation 11:17 Conclusion

“There are no other Everglades in the world. They are, they have always been, one of the unique regions of the earth; remote, never wholly known. Nothing anywhere else is like them…” In this episode of Parkography, we explore Everglades National Park and the incredible life of Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

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This week’s national park news roundup covers a wave of potential job cuts across the Department of the Interior — including hundreds from the National Park Service — plus new legislation in Congress aimed at tackling wildfires and forest management. We’ll also look at wildlife making surprising moves in Yellowstone and Michigan, new state parks opening in Tennessee, major campground expansion plans in Michigan, and California’s push to bring art and culture into its parks.

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On the northern shores of Minnesota lies a remote waterscape steeped in history, nature, and tradition. Named for the wild men who paddled its waterways in the Canadian fur trade, Voyageurs National Park is home to nesting bald eagles, moose, grey wolves, black bears, loons, owls, otters, beavers, and a vast array of other wildlife. Most of its hidden waterways remain untouched, and pristine boreal forests cover the landscape, where on a cloudless pre-dawn morning under the northern lights, you can almost hear the echo of the songs sung by fur traders traveling in their massive canoes.

Find the Slinky Stove that's right for your next adventure at: https://www.slinkystove.com/?ref=PARKography

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