Guest: Kate Severson, Program Manager for Interpretation, Outreach, and Partnership

Grab your life jacket and your sense of adventure! In this episode, we head to Northern Minnesota to explore Voyageurs National Park, a landscape defined by its interconnected waterways, ancient geology, and the spirit of the French-Canadian fur traders who gave the park its name.

Host Missy Rentz sits down with Kate Severson to discuss the park’s unique 50-year history and why this "difficult to get to" destination is a must-visit for any national park enthusiast. We dive into the grueling daily life of the historical Voyageurs (who paddled up to 18 hours a day!), the delicate balance of wetland conservation, and the legacy of the artists and conservationists who fought to protect this wilderness.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The History of the Voyageurs: Why these "commercial truckers of the 1700s" had to be short, strong, and incredibly resilient.
• Indigenous Roots: How the knowledge and technology of the Ojibwe and Anishinaabe people made the fur trade possible.
• Conservation in Action: What "floating islands" of invasive cattails are and how the park uses fire and machinery to restore native marshes.
• Planning Your Visit: The difference between front country and backcountry camping (hint: they both require a boat!) and how to experience the park in the winter via its famous Ice Road.
• Hidden Gems: From the Ellsworth Rock Gardens to the photography of June Fujita.

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This episode of The Parks Podcast explores the deep connection between our national landscapes and the stories that define us. Host Missy Rentz sits down with Beth English, Executive Director of the Organization of American Historians (OAH), to discuss why preserving "unvarnished" history is essential for our future.

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Step into a cathedral of giants. In this episode of The Parks Podcast, host Missy Rentz journeys to the misty shores of Northern California to explore Redwoods National and State Parks.

Join us as we sit down with Patrick Taylor, the park’s Interpretation and Education Program Manager, to uncover why this park is so much more than just a collection of big trees. We dive into the "arranged marriage" between the state and federal government that keeps the park running, the counter-intuitive science of "cutting trees to save the forest," and the spiritual connection that visitors from all over the world feel when walking among 2,000-year-old sentinels.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The "Basketball vs. Football" Analogy: Understand the physical differences between Coastal Redwoods and Giant Sequoias.
• Redwoods Rising: Why 2/3 of the park was logged before it was protected and how scientists are "thinning" forests to restore them to their former glory.
• The Return of the Condor: The incredible success story of the Yurok Tribe’s efforts to bring the California Condor back to its ancestral home.
• Angel Rings & Clones: The fascinating way Redwoods reproduce and create perfect "fairy circles" of trees.
• Practical Trip Planning: Why you need two different apps to manage your camping and your hiking, and why you should "keep the first thing the first thing."

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Kick off the New Year with First Day Hikes - a day to celebrate in our State Parks all around the United States. In this epsiode we'll learn about the origin of First Day Hike, and all the opportunities to play in parks around the country this January 1.

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Indiana State Parks is kicking off winter with hikes, bird watching, light tours, and more.

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New York State Parks & Historic Sites is celebrating winter with hikes, snow and ice activities, craft & creating activities and more.

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Virginia is for Lovers...and park lovers! This winter, the Virginia State Parks have activities for all ages and abilities.

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Hueston Woods State Park is hosting the holidays with movies, breakfast with Santa, hikes, and more. Learn more in this episode.

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