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At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
USGS2015

National Park Service vegetation inventory program: Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, Minnesota

The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MISS) vegetation mapping project is an initiative of the National Park Service (NPS) Vegetation Inventory Program (VIP) to classify and map vegetation types of MISS. (Note: “MISS” is also referred to as “park” throughout this report.) The goals of the project are to adequately describe and map vegetation types of the park and to provide the NPS Natural Resource Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program, resource managers, and biological researchers with useful baseline vegetation information. The MISS vegetation mapping project was officially started in spring 2012, with a scoping meeting wherein partners discussed project objectives, goals, and methods. Major collaborators at this meeting included staff from the NPS MISS, the NPS Great Lakes Network (GLKN), NatureServe, and the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was also in attendance. Common to all NPS VIP projects, the three main components of the MISS vegetation mapping project are as follows: (1) vegetation classification, (2) vegetation mapping, and (3) map accuracy assessment (AA). In this report, each of these fundamental components is discussed in detail. With the completion of the MISS vegetation mapping project, all nine park units within the NPS GLKN have received vegetation classification and mapping products from the NPS and USGS vegetation programs. Voyageurs National Park and Isle Royale National Park were completed during 1996–2001 (as program pilot projects) and another six park units were completed during 2004–11, including the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Grand Portage National Monument, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Natural Resource Report↗
USGS2016

Changing levels of heavy metal accumulation in birds at Tumacacori National Historic Park along the Upper Santa Cruz River Watershed in southern Arizona

National Parks and other protected areas can be influenced by contamination from outside their boundaries. This is particularly true of smaller parks and those in riparian ecosystems, a habitat that in arid environments provides critical habitat for breeding, migratory, and wintering birds. Animals living in contaminated areas are susceptible to adverse health effects as a result of long-term exposure and bioaccumulation of heavy metals. We investigated the distribution and cascading extent of heavy metal accumulation in Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) at Tumacacori National Historic Park (TUMA) along the upper Santa Cruz River watershed in southern Arizona. This study had three goals: (1) quantify the concentrations and distributional patterns of heavy metals in blood and feathers of Song Sparrows at Tumacacori National Historic Park, (2) quantify hematocrit values, body conditions (that is, residual body mass), and immune conditions of Song Sparrows in the park (3) compare our findings with prior studies at the park to assess the extent of heavy metal accumulation in birds at downstream sites after the 2009 wastewater treatment plant upgrade, and (4) quantify concentrations and distributional patterns of heavy metals in blood and feathers of Song Sparrows among six study sites throughout the upper Santa Cruz River watershed. This study design would allow us to more accurately assess song sparrow condition and blood parameters among sites with differing potential sources of contamination exposure, and how each location could have contributed to heavy metal levels of birds in the park.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2019

National Park Service socioeconomic monitoring pilot survey: Visitor spending analysis

The National Park Service (NPS) is in the process of establishing a formal socioeconomic monitoring (SEM) program that will provide a standard visitor survey instrument and a long-term, systematic sampling design for in-park visitor surveys. The development of the pilot SEM survey provided the opportunity to add to the set of available visitor spending profiles for use in the NPS Visitor Spending Effects analysis and enabled the exploration of improved visitor spending estimation methodologies. Fourteen park units were selected for SEM pilot visitor surveys to represent a variety of park unit types (i.e., National Parks, National Recreation Areas, National Historic Parks, etc.), activities, settings (i.e., urban, rural, seashore, parkway, etc.), and difficulty of survey administration (i.e., highly controlled entrances vs. dispersed access). This report describes the methods developed to estimate visitor spending using the SEM pilot surveys and provides visitor spending profiles for the 14 pilot parks. The experiences gained through the pilot effort provide useful feedback for learning and improving future survey efforts.

Natural Resource Report↗
USGS2021

Elk monitoring in Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks: 2008-2017 synthesis report

In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began collaborating with the National Park Service (NPS)-North Coast and Cascades Network (NCCN), the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (MIT), Puyallup Tribe of Indians (PTOI), and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to develop a standard survey protocol for monitoring long-term changes in the abundance, distribution, and population composition of elk on key summer ranges within Mount Rainier National Park (MORA) and Olympic National Park (OLYM). In MORA, surveys were conducted in two trend count areas (TCAs) that correspond with primary summer ranges used by the North Rainier Herd, which winters outside the park to the North, and the South Rainier Herd, which winters outside the park primarily to the South. In OLYM, we defined five TCAs including an Olympic Core TCA (hereafter, Core TCA) that encompasses summer ranges on the flanks of Mount Olympus, and four TCAs that encompass other primary summer ranges throughout the park. The standard protocol allows for estimating aerial survey detection biases and adjusting raw survey counts to account for elk that were likely present but not seen during surveys. Previously, we developed a suite of aerial-bias-correction models for use in estimating aerial detection biases and adjusting raw counts of elk in MORA based on sighting conditions related to elk group size, vegetation density, lighting conditions, elk movement, as well as combinations of these and other factors. The models were based on independent sighting records of elk groups by front-seat and back-seat observer pairs in a helicopter, including detection records of some radio-collared elk groups. Here, we analyze results of the first 10 years of elk monitoring in MORA (2008-2017) and 8 years in OLYM (2008-2015). In a previous report covering surveys conducted from 2008-2011, data were not sufficient to model detection biases of aerial surveys conducted in OLYM; hence, analyses of elk population trends were based on counts adjusted for detection biases in MORA, whereas trends in OLYM were based on raw, unadjusted counts (Griffin et al. 2013, Jenkins et al. 2015). Our objectives for the current summary were to: (1) incorporate additional data to update aerial-bias-correction models previously developed for use in MORA to include corrections for aerial detection bias in both MORA and OLYM, (2) examine trends in elk abundance, distribution, and population composition estimates for subalpine summer ranges within MORA and OLYM, and (3) estimate effects of seasonal variation and weather on elk abundance and population composition estimates for subalpine summer ranges in both parks.

Washington↗
USGS2020

A new decision support tool for collaborative adaptive vegetation management in northern Great Plains national parks

National Park Service (NPS) units in the northern Great Plains (NGP) were established to preserve and interpret the history of America, protect and showcase unusual geology and paleontology, and provide a home for vanishing large wildlife. A unifying feature among these national parks, monuments, and historic sites is mixed-grass prairie, which not only provides background scenery but is the very foundation of many park missions. As recognition of the prairie’s importance to park fundamental resources and values has grown, so too has the realization that invasive plants threaten these values by reducing native species diversity, altering food webs, and marring the visitor experience. Parks manage invasive species despite uncertainties in treatment effectiveness because management cannot wait for research to provide definitive answers. Under these circumstances, adaptive management (AM) is an appropriate approach. In the NGP, we formed a collaborative adaptive vegetation management team to apply AM towards reducing invasive species (with a focus on exotic annual grasses) and improving native vegetation conditions. In our AM framework, the team uses a Bayesian model built from NPS Inventory & Monitoring and Fire Effects monitoring data and experimental results to predict the effects of management actions on park management units, according to those units’ vegetation condition and management history. These predictions inform management decisions, which are then applied.

Parks Stewardship Forum↗
USGS2006

Assessing recreation impacts to cliffs in Shenandoah National Park: Integrating visitor observation with trail and recreation site measurements

The rock outcrops and cliffs of Shenandoah National Park provide habitat for several rare and endangered plant and animal species, including the federally endangered Shenandoah Salamander (Plethodon shenandoah; Ludwig et al., 1993). The location of the well-known park tour road, Skyline Drive, along the ridgeline provides exceptional access to many outcrops and cliffs throughout the park for a large number of the park?s 1.2 million annual visitors. Consequently, visitor use of cliff areas has led to natural resource impacts, including marked decreases in size and vigor of known rare plant populations. Despite the clear ecological value and potential threats to the natural resources at cliff areas, managers possess little information on visitor use of cliff sites and presently have no formal planning document to guide management. Thus, a park wide study of cliff sites was initiated during the 2005 visitor use season. As part of this research effort, our study used an integrative approach to study recreational use and visitor-caused resource impacts at one of the more heavily visited cliff sites in the park: Little Stony Man Cliffs (LSMC). In particular, this study integrated data from resource impact measurements and visitor use observation to help assess the effects of recreational use on the natural resources of LSMC. Procedures derived from campsite and trail impact studies were used to measure and characterize the amount of visitor-caused resource impacts on LSMC (Marion & Leung, 2001; Marion, 1995). Visitor use observations were conducted on top of LSMC to document and characterize the type and amount of recreational use the cliffs receive and the behaviors of recreationists that may contribute to cliff-top resource impacts. Resource impact measurement data show trampling disturbance present at LSMC, characterized by vegetation loss, exposed soil, and root exposure. Documentation of informal trails, soil erosion, tree damage, and tree stumps provide further indicators of resource damage at LSMC. Results of visitor use observation offer several insights into contributory factors of cliff-top resource damage by showing differences in use and behavior between visitor types. The findings from this study suggest that a management approach characterized by visitor education, some site hardening, and concentration of visitor use on durable surfaces, along with the installation of fixed anchors at the top of popular climbing routes is likely to have the greatest success at balancing visitor enjoyment with resource protection at LSMC.

Journal of Park and Recreation Administration↗
USGS2011

The distribution and abundance of a nuisance native alga, Didymosphen Didymosphenia geminata, in streams of Glacier National Park: Climate drivers and management implications

Didymosphenia geminata (didymo) is a freshwater alga native to North America, including Glacier National Park, Montana. It has long been considered a cold-water species, but has recently spread to lower latitudes and warmer waters, and increasingly forms large blooms that cover streambeds. We used a comprehensive monitoring data set from the National Park Service (NPS) and USGS models of stream temperatures to explore the drivers of didymo abundance in Glacier National Park. We estimate that approximately 64% of the stream length in the park contains didymo, with around 5% in a bloom state. Results suggest that didymo abundance likely increased over the study period (2007-2009), with blooms becoming more common. Our models suggest that didymo abundance is positively related to summer stream temperatures and negatively related to total nitrogen and the distance downstream from lakes. Regional climate model simulations indicate that stream temperatures in the park will likely continue to increase over the coming decades, which may increase the extent and severity of didymo blooms. As a result, didymo may be a useful indicator of thermal and hydrological modification associated with climate warming, especially in a relatively pristine system like Glacier where proximate human-related disturbances are absent or reduced. Glacier National Park plays an important role as a sentinel for climate change and associated education across the Rocky Mountain region.

Park Science↗
USGS2011

The distribution and abundance ofa nuisance native alga, Didymosphenia geminata,in streams of Glacier National Park: Climate drivers and management implications

Didymosphenia geminata (didymo) is a freshwater alga native to North America, including Glacier National Park, Montana. It has long been considered a cold-water species, but has recently spread to lower latitudes and warmer waters, and increasingly forms large blooms that cover streambeds. We used a comprehensive monitoring data set from the National Park Service (NPS) and USGS models of stream temperatures to explore the drivers of didymo abundance in Glacier National Park. We estimate that approximately 64% of the stream length in the park contains didymo, with around 5% in a bloom state. Results suggest that didymo abundance likely increased over the study period (2007–2009), with blooms becoming more common. Our models suggest that didymo abundance is positively related to summer stream temperatures and negatively related to total nitrogen and the distance downstream from lakes. Regional climate model simulations indicate that stream temperatures in the park will likely continue to increase over the coming decades, which may increase the extent and severity of didymo blooms. As a result, didymo may be a useful indicator of thermal and hydrological modification associated with climate warming, especially in a relatively pristine system like Glacier where proximate human-related disturbances are absent or reduced. Glacier National Park plays an important role as a sentinel for climate change and associated education across the Rocky Mountain region.

Montana↗
USGS2024

Bee habitat, but not bee community structure, varies across grassland management in four national parks in the Mid-Atlantic, USA

National parks in the U.S. play a large role in providing habitat for native pollinators. In parks that are established to preserve cultural landscapes, park managers recognize an opportunity to improve pollinator habitat while maintaining historically accurate conditions. In this study we document floral resources and native bees within managed park grasslands, with the goal of providing managers information to help them maximize pollinator habitat while meeting other management objectives. The study was performed on 37 grassland properties in the mid-Atlantic region of the eastern U.S., distributed across four national parks; each property was managed with one of three management types: cool-season hayed, cool-season pasture, or warm-season meadows managed with multiple approaches. We surveyed bees and open flowers on 50-m transects twice each year in 2021 and 2022. Repeated measures ANOVA models revealed mean bee abundance, richness, evenness, and diversity did not vary among sites or management types. This finding was further supported by a principal coordinates analysis that showed bee community composition was similar across management types. Nonetheless, we found evidence to indicate the three management types did not produce equivalent habitat for bees. Species accumulation curves showed that the effective number of flower species was consistently lower in cool-season pastures, relative to the other two management types. Furthermore, we detected positive correlations between bee and flower diversity metrics in one of the two years, suggesting that floral metrics can influence bee communities, at least under certain conditions. Collectively, our study suggests that cool-season fields that are hayed and warm-season meadows have higher floral diversity than cool-season pastures within national parks of the mid-Atlantic region, and this higher diversity of forbs has the potential to benefit native bee diversity.

Maryland, Virginia↗
USGS1997

Probabilistic and statistical relationships between number of vehicles and number of visitors at a geologic site in a National Park

The National Park Service needs to establish in all of the national parks how large the parking lots should be in order to enjoy and presence our natural resources, for example, in the Delicate Arch in the Arches National Park. Probabilistic and statistical relationships were developed between the number of vehicles (N) at one time in the Wolfe Ranch parking lot and the number of visitors (X) at Delicate Arch 1.5 miles away in the Arches National Park, southeastern Utah. The value of N is determined such that 30 or more visitors are at the arch only 10% of the time.

Mathematical Geology↗
USGS2014

Using ecological indicators and a decision support system for integrated ecological assessment at two national park units in the Mid-Atlantic region, U.S.A.

We implemented an integrated ecological assessment using a GIS-based decision support system model for Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River (UPDE) and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA)—national park units with the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Our assessment examined a variety of aquatic and terrestrial indicators of ecosystem components that reflect the parks’ conservation purpose and reference condition. Our assessment compared these indicators to ecological thresholds to determine the condition of park watersheds. Selected indicators included chemical and physical measures of water quality, biologic indicators of water quality, and landscape condition measures. For the chemical and physical measures of water quality, we used a water quality index and each of its nine components to assess the condition of water quality in each watershed. For biologic measures of water quality, we used the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera aquatic macroinvertebrate index and, secondarily, the Hilsenhoff aquatic macroinvertebrate index. Finally, for the landscape condition measures of our model, we used percent forest and percent impervious surface. Based on our overall assessment, UPDE and DEWA watersheds had an ecological assessment score of 0.433 on a −1 to 1 fuzzy logic scale. This score indicates that, in general, the natural resource condition within watersheds at these parks is healthy or ecologically unimpaired; however, we had only partial data for many of our indicators. Our model is iterative and new data may be incorporated as they become available. These natural parks are located within a rapidly urbanizing landscape—we recommend that natural resource managers remain vigilant to surrounding land uses that may adversely affect natural resources within the parks.

New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania↗
USGS2011

A spatial exploration of informal trail networks within Great Falls Park, VA

Informal (visitor-created) trails represent a threat to the natural resources of protected natural areas around the globe. These trails can remove vegetation, displace wildlife, alter hydrology, alter habitat, spread invasive species, and fragment landscapes. This study examines informal and formal trails within Great Falls Park, VA, a sub-unit of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, managed by the U.S. National Park Service. This study sought to answer three specific questions: 1) Are the physical characteristics and topographic alignments of informal trails significantly different from formal trails, 2) Can landscape fragmentation metrics be used to summarize the relative impacts of formal and informal trail networks on a protected natural area? and 3) What can we learn from examining the spatial distribution of the informal trails within protected natural areas? Statistical comparisons between formal and informal trails in this park indicate that informal trails have less sustainable topographic alignments than their formal counterparts. Spatial summaries of the lineal and areal extent and fragmentation associated with the trail networks by park management zones compare park management goals to the assessed attributes. Hot spot analyses highlight areas of high trail density within the park and findings provide insights regarding potential causes for development of dense informal trail networks.

Virginia↗
USGS2025

Adapting visitor use management under a changing climate across the U.S. National Park System

Research shows that climate change is already affecting both resources and visitors in U.S. National Parks. We sought to better understand if and how park staff across the National Park Service are adapting to climatic changes that affect visitor use, as well as barriers and challenges to adaptation and information needs. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 63 staff from 31 representative national park units across the United States. We qualitatively coded interviews for themes using deductive and inductive coding approaches. Results indicate that park staff are already taking action to adapt to changes that are affecting visitor use, including efforts to increase resiliency of infrastructure and to support the health and safety of visitors (e.g., increased communication, preventative search and rescue, changes to programming). Common barriers and challenges include institutional factors (such as funding, staffing capacity, and shifting priorities), uncertainty about future conditions, and difficulties with prioritizing climate adaptation. Data, tool, and information needs varied, but commonly included social science data such as visitor surveys, and tools to help synthesize and standardize information and help translate science into action. These results provide insights into current actions park staff are taking to adapt to climate change and what resources may be helpful in the future to lower the challenges and barriers to adaptation.

Journal of Environmental Management↗
USGS2006

Atmospheric deposition of current-use and historic-use pesticides in snow at National Parks in the Western United States

The United States (U.S.) National Park Service has initiated research on the atmospheric deposition and fate of semi-volatile organic compounds in its alpine, sub-Arctic, and Arctic ecosystems in the Western U.S. Results for the analysis of pesticides in seasonal snowpack samples collected in spring 2003 from seven national parks are presented herein. From a target analyte list of 47 pesticides and degradation products, the most frequently detected current-use pesticides were dacthal, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, and ??- hexachlorocyclohexane, whereas the most frequently detected historic-use pesticides were dieldrin, ??-hexachlorocyclohexane, chlordane, and hexachlorobenzene. Correlation analysis with latitude, temperature, elevation, particulate matter, and two indicators of regional pesticide use reveal that regional current and historic agricultural practices are largely responsible for the distribution of pesticides in the national parks in this study. Pesticide deposition in the Alaskan parks is attributed to long-range transport because there are no significant regional pesticide sources. The percentage of total pesticide concentration due to regional transport (%RT) was calculated for the other parks. %RT was highest at parks with higher regional cropland intensity and for pesticides with lower vapor pressures and shorter half-lives in air. ?? 2006 American Chemical Society.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS2024

Amphibian richness, rarity, threats, and conservation prospects across the U.S. National Park System

We assessed amphibian diversity, rarity, and threats across the National Park System (U.S.A.), which covers 3.5% of the country and 12% of federal lands. At least 230 of 354 (65%) amphibian species documented in the country occur on National Park Service lands. Of species in parks, 17% are at-risk globally and 20% are uncategorized, reflecting still-widespread data deficiencies. National parks in the Northwest and Northeast had the steepest species‒area relationships. Non-native crayfishes and amphibians occur within 50 km of 60% and 25% of parks, respectively, illustrating the broad threat of non-native predators. Projected mid-century (2040–2069) changes in climatic water deficit, based on 25 climate futures, produced an expected 34% increase in dryness across all national parks in the conterminous U.S.A. Our analyses highlight the extent and regional differences in current and future threats and reveal gaps in species protection, but also reveal opportunities for targeted expansion and active management.

npj Biodiversity↗
USGS1999

Of elephants and blind men: Deer management in the U.S. National Parks

Overabundant populations of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) are becoming common in the eastern United States. Faced with burgeoning deer populations in eastern parks, the National Park Service (NPS) formulated policy based on its long experience with ungulate management in western parks. That the NPS failed to find a management solution acceptable to its many constituencies was inevitable. Like blind men touching different parts of an elephant and disagreeing about its form, those engaged in the debate about deer management in parks are viewing different parts of the ecological system. None has seen the entire system, and consequently, there is neither common agreement on the nature of the problem nor on the solutions. We explore the quandary of deer management in eastern parks by addressing three questions: (1) Can the National Park Service reconcile its management goals with those of its neighbors? (2) Can thresholds be identified for determining when to intervene in natural processes? (3) Is there a scientific foundation for proceeding with effective management of deer? We argue that reconciling the NPS management with that of state conservation agencies is not possible because management policy guides these agencies in opposite directions: the NPS is charged with limiting human impact on ecological processes, and state agencies are charged with exerting human control over population abundance. Questions about thresholds and a scientific basis for management arise from concern that irrupting deer populations are a manifestation of disrupted natural processes. Several population growth paradigms are at the heart of this ecological question. The science provides no consensus about which of these paradigms are appropriate to deer in eastern ecosystems. Thus, it is premature to expect science to identify if or when natural processes have been disrupted. While the NPS cannot effectively achieve its goals without better science, neither can it wait for science to fully understand the dynamics of plant–herbivore interactions. The best hope for resolving both the biological and political dilemmas surrounding deer management is through an adaptive management approach.

Ecological Applications↗
USGS1969

Surficial Geology of Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Much of the ground surface around Mount Rainier volcano is directly underlain by loose geologic deposits that veneer the hard rock formations. Examples of these deposits are sand and gravel bars along the rivers, ridges of loose rock debris beside the glaciers, and sloping aprons of rock fragments beneath almost every cliff. Even though they are generally thin and inconspicuous when compared with the rock formations, these surficial deposits are clues to geologic events that have profoundly influenced the shape of the park's landscape. Thus, from the character and extent of glacial deposits one can judge the age and size of former glaciers that carved the cirques and deep canyons of the park; from the mudflows which streamed down nearly every valley one can infer the age and size of huge landslides of the past that helped determine Mount Rainier's present shape; and from the pumice deposits some of the volcano's recent eruptive activity can be reconstructed. The map (plate 1, in pocket) that accompanies this description of the surficial deposits of Mount Rainier National Park shows the location of the various geologic formations, and the explanation shows the formations arranged in order of their relative age, with the oldest at the bottom. The text describes the surficial deposits in sequence from older to younger. A discussion of the pumice deposits of the park, which were not mapped, is followed by a description of the formations shown on the geologic map. Inspection of the geologic map may lead the viewer to question why the surficial deposits are shown in more detail in a zone several miles wide around the base of the volcano than elsewhere. This is partly because the zone is largely near or above timberline, relatively accessible, and the surficial deposits there can be readily recognized, differentiated, and mapped. In contrast, access is more difficult in the heavily timbered parts of the park, and surficial deposits there are generally blanketed by a dense virgin forest and are rarely exposed. Geologic investigations in such areas of the park were of a reconnaissance nature.

Bulletin↗
USGS1994

A field-trip guide to Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho: Volcanic, hydrothermal, and glacial activity in the region

This field-trip guide was originally prepared for the 7th International Symposium on Water/Rock Interaction (WRI-7) held in July 1992 in Park City, Utah. A large and diversified group of earth scientists and accompanying family members participated in this 3 1/2-day field trip that focused on water/rock interactions over widely ranging temperatures and pressures in the Yellowstone/Grand Teton region. Emphasis was placed on the geochemical and hydrologic characteristics of the thermal waters in the major "geyser basins" of Yellowstone National Park. Information specific to the WRI-7 trip about logistics, lodging, and meals has been deleted from the present guide. The scientific content remains mostly unchanged, except for the addition of a glossary, two illustrations, all photographs, and some text previously presented to the field-trip participants in supplementary materials (see appendix A). Most of the geyser basins in Yellowstone National Park are on a high volcanic plateau at elevations of 2,000 to 2,200 m and are surrounded by much higher mountain ranges. In the middle of summer there generally are cool evenings and early mornings and warm afternoons. Visits to the localities described require short walks, mostly on boardwalks, but some are on what may be wet ground. No long, strenuous climbs are required. Expect brief afternoon thunder showers, particularly at Old Faithful. Please remember that the collecting of any kind of sample in a national park is prohibited except by those who have specific sampling permits issued by the National Park Service. Field-trip participants are asked to leave geologic picks and hammers at home or in their luggage while in Yellowstone National Park.

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming↗