The Parks Podcast

The Parks Podcast
  • 5.0 (31)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Biweekly

The Parks Podcast will take listeners on a journey to regional, state and national parks around the United States. We will learn why the parks were created and explore planning your own visit to parks.

  1. 3d ago

    Big Bend National Park — What's Happening on the Ground and How to Help with Chris Keyes from RE:PUBLIC(Episode 80)

    Send us Fan Mail Bulldozers just showed up inside Big Bend National Park. 28 environmental regulations waived. A $1.7 billion contract awarded to a subsidiary created specifically to protect its parent company's brand. Bipartisan local opposition from Republican sheriffs, judges, and the Republican congressional nominee for the district. And 1.3% — that's the share of overall US border crossings that happen in the Big Bend sector. Chris Keyes, executive director and founder of RE:PUBLIC — a publication dedicated to covering America's public lands — joins The Parks Podcast to break down exactly what's happening on the ground and what you can do about it. In this episode: — How it started: Kristi Noem's February announcement waiving 28 environmental regulations — The $1.7 billion Kiewit contract and the subsidiary created to protect their brand — Why the Big Bend sector isn't a high-priority immigration area (migration down 75% since 2023) — The Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and NEPA — all waived — Big Bend's dark skies designation and what surveillance road lighting would mean for it — Why local Republicans and Democrats are both opposed — and what a federal judge just ruled — What you can do: organizations to support, how to contact your representatives, why local pressure matters most — What's coming next: the Ambler Road in Alaska — 200 miles, 4,000 stream crossings, a foreign-owned mine Take action: Follow RE:PUBLIC at republic.land and sign up for their newsletter (twice a week)Support the Center for Biological Diversity and other organizations fighting this in courtCall and write your senator, representative, and — if you're in Texas — your state officialsShare this episodeSupport the show

    Big Bend National Park — What's Happening on the Ground and How to Help with Chris Keyes from RE:PUBLIC(Episode 80)

  2. Aug 11

    Jimmy Carter National Historical Park (Episode 78)

    Send us Fan Mail He grew up in a house with no bathroom in the middle of nowhere, Georgia. His closest caretakers were Black neighbors in a community the segregated South shut out. After being President of the United States, he came back and lived in the same small ranch house he and Rosalynn built in 1961. When he died, he was buried in his front yard. Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains, Georgia tells 100 years of history — from birth to death — of two people who never stopped asking what more they could do. Jennifer Hopkins, Lead Education Ranger at the park, joins The Parks Podcast to share what you'll find there and why it's worth a full day (at minimum). In this episode: — The boyhood farm set to 1937 — a working farm where President Carter's own voice tells his stories when you push the button — Jack and Rachel Clark — the Black neighbors who helped raise young Jimmy, whose house has the longest audio in the park — Earl Carter — far more than a peanut farmer. The businessman behind a commissary, an electrical corporation, and a New Deal farm program — Rosalynn's story — why she didn't want to come back to Plains, and how she became one of the most effective First Ladies in history — The Peanut Brigade — how Plains residents spent their own money canvassing the nation in 1976, one of the first grassroots campaigns in American presidential history — The campaign headquarters — a one-bathroom building that won a presidential election — Plains High School — now an immersive museum where you can sit at the Resolute desk and design your own campaign button — The Carter Gardens — open to the public, and where both President and Mrs. Carter are buried — When to go, what to bring, how to plan (September Peanut Festival, anyone?) Recommended reading: An Hour Before Daylight by Jimmy Carter First Lady from Plains by Rosalynn Carter Support the show

    Jimmy Carter National Historical Park (Episode 78)

  3. Jul 27

    Best Day Ever: The Movie That Will Change How You See the Outdoors (Episode 78)

    Send us Fan Mail A bridge was six inches too narrow. Not because it was hard to fix — because no one had thought about it. Greg Durso has been paralyzed from the chest down since a sledding accident in 2009. He's an athlete, an adventurer, and the Senior Program Ambassador of the Kelly Brush Foundation. Berne Broudy is a journalist and the co-director and producer of Best Day Ever — a new documentary film about what happens when a community decides the outdoors should genuinely belong to everyone. They met on a group bike ride in Vermont when the group kept having to stop — not because of difficult terrain, but because the bridges were too narrow for Greg's adaptive bike. Two years later, they had built the first fully adaptive mountain bike trail network in the world. In this episode: — Greg's injury, his return to the outdoors, and why the barrier to adaptive recreation goes far beyond equipment — The six-inch bridge that started everything — How a six-person volunteer board built the world's first fully adaptive mountain bike trail network — from scratch, with pink spray paint — What "adaptive friendly" actually means — and why checking a box isn't enough — The difference between ADA access and equal experience — The Kelly Brush Foundation's Adaptive Rec Hub — a free online resource for anyone with a physical disability — Over 180 miles of mapped adaptive-friendly trails in Vermont — and how to get there nationally — How to watch Best Day Ever and how to host a screening in your community — What the biggest barrier to inclusive recreation actually is (Berne's answer will surprise you) Watch the film: bestdayever.mov Adaptive Rec Hub: kellybrushfoundation.org/adaptive-rec-hub How to Build Adaptive Trails (free YouTube series): search "How to Build Adaptive Trails" Support the show

    Best Day Ever: The Movie That Will Change How You See the Outdoors (Episode 78)

  4. Jul 24

    Chaco Culture National Historical Park — The Fight for the Buffer Zone (Episode 77)

    Send us Fan Mail A UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over a thousand years of ancestral Pueblo history. Sacred tribal land protected through years of advocacy and 150 days of public comment. And the Department of Interior wants to revoke its last line of protection in 14 days. Maude Dinan, New Mexico Program Manager with the National Parks Conservation Association, joins The Parks Podcast for an urgent conversation about the proposed revocation of the 10-mile buffer zone around Chaco Culture National Historical Park — and what it would mean for 300,000 acres of public land, 12,000 estimated cultural sites, and some of the most celebrated dark skies in the world. In this episode: — What Chaco Culture National Historical Park is and why it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site — What the 10-mile protection zone is and why it exists — How revoking the buffer would impact the park — air quality, erosion, dark skies, and sacred views — Why 90% of federal land in the region is already leased — and why they want more — The Wilderness Society report: half of all leased federal land isn't even actively producing — How a protection that took 150 days of public comment could be undone in 14 — What you can do right now — before July 29th ⚠️ Take action before July 29th: Quick comment: npca.org/chaco Write your own: find the "Participate Now" button at the official BLM project page (link in show notes) Follow @NPCA for the latest updates Related: Episode 75 — Bears Ears and Grand Staircase: What Just Happened Support the show

    Chaco Culture National Historical Park — The Fight for the Buffer Zone (Episode 77)

  5. Jul 20

    National Hammock Day — The Art of Slowing Down with ENO's Anna Rawlins (Episode 76)

    Send us Fan Mail July 22nd is National Hammock Day — and if you've been following My Hammock Summer, you already know exactly how to celebrate. This episode was originally released as Episode 33. I'm bringing it back because it's better now than it was then — not because anything changed about the conversation, but because everything changed about how I understand it. Anna Rawlins, Chief Marketing Officer at ENO, described from the outside what I now know from the inside: that a hammock isn't just a product. It's an invitation to slow down. In this episode: — ENO's origin story: two brothers, a van, music festivals, 1999 — and the first knotless hammock suspension system — Hammock stats: Apollo 12, the Swiss sleep study, a $1.45 billion industry, and a 500-foot hammock in Moab — How to hang a hammock safely — the 18-inch rule, tree diameter, Leave No Trace, and why Joshua Tree doesn't allow them — Four ways to hammock: camping sleep system, at home, in a park, and as everyday backyard furniture — The under quilt — why you need it for sleeping below 60°F — ENO and Asheville: an update on Hurricane Helene recovery and how to support the community — National Hammock Day celebrations, contests, and how ENO marks July 22nd every year Originally released as Episode 33. Relaunched for National Hammock Day 2026 with a new introduction. Links mentioned: — ENO: eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com — My Hammock Summer: catchyourselfsmiling.com — Visit Asheville: exploreasheville.com — Leave No Trace: lnt.org Support the show

    National Hammock Day — The Art of Slowing Down with ENO's Anna Rawlins (Episode 76)

  6. Jul 15

    Status Update: Bears Ears and Grand Staircase (Episode 75)

    Send us Fan Mail On July 13th, President Trump signed two proclamations rolling back nearly 90% of the protected boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments — three million acres of public land opened to potential drilling, mining, and extraction. The Bears Ears Commission, an intertribal coalition, has been disbanded. Katie Johnson, Campaigns and Engagement Manager at the Conservation Alliance, joins The Parks Podcast for an urgent conversation on what just happened, what the proclamations actually say, and what you can do right now. In this episode: — What the proclamations actually do: boundaries, acreage, and what 90% rollback means on the ground — The Bears Ears Commission: what it was and why its disbanding matters for tribal nations — What the White House says vs. what Utah voters actually want (91% of Western voters want monuments preserved) — The false narrative: recreational use, hunting, and fishing were already allowed under monument designation — The wilderness study area catch-22: the proposed safeguard that is also under attack — What you can do right now: Monuments for All letter, contacting your representatives, and the Conservation Alliance business sign-on — Why the $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy gives businesses an outsized voice with this administration — What this signals for other public lands designations across the country Take action now: — Fill out the Monuments for All letter: monumentsforall.com — Contact your representative: congress.gov/members/find-your-member — Businesses: join the Conservation Alliance sign-on at conservationalliance.com Support the show

    Status Update: Bears Ears and Grand Staircase (Episode 75)

  7. Jul 13

    Summer in the Parks: A Collaborative Episode with KeeKee's Big Adventure (Episode 74)

    Send us Fan Mail Summer vacation too expensive? Too complicated? Too late to plan? Missy and Shannon Jones of KeeKee's Big Adventures are here to debunk all of it. Parks — national, state, and local — are the most affordable, flexible, and genuinely fun summer vacation option out there. You don't need a six-month plan. You don't need a tent. You just need to take the first step. In this episode: —  Why 89% of parents say they're traveling this summer no matter what — and how to do it without breaking the bank The real barrier to park vacations (hint: it's not money, it's not knowing how easy it actually is) Why kids don't get bored in nature — they build forts, discover roly-polies, and catch fireflies How to work the reservation system: weekdays, off-season, Airbnbs just outside the gate, last-minute site releases KeeKee's Park Activity Suggester — the fortune teller / cootie catcher that picks your next outdoor adventure What My Hammock Summer is — and why Shannon's husband Paul is already in his  Links mentioned:  KeeKee's Big Adventures: keekeesbigadventures.comMy Hammock Summer: catchyourselfsmiling.com Find a park: nps.gov/findapark or stateparks.org Support the show

    Summer in the Parks: A Collaborative Episode with KeeKee's Big Adventure (Episode 74)

  8. Jun 29

    What Playing Outside Teaches Us — Resilience, Mindfulness, and the Gift of Nature (Episode 73)

    Send us Fan Mail Everything you learn outside follows you home. The resilience to own a mistake in front of your team. The ability to sit with discomfort without shutting down. The capacity to notice something beautiful you've walked past a hundred times. Jesse Tubb, founder of GRIT Adventures and former active duty Army officer, joins The Parks Podcast to talk about what nature actually teaches us — and how the lessons from playing outside translate directly into the rest of life. He works with youth, veterans, grieving military families, sports teams, and corporations — using adventure racing and mindfulness-based resilience skills to help people build confidence, regulate emotions, and reconnect with themselves through the outdoors. In this episode: — What GRIT Adventures is and how it started during the pandemic — Why our devices are the biggest barrier keeping people from going outside — The somatic experience of getting lost in the woods — and why it's actually valuable — The eating meditation Jesse does with kids in detention centers that reframes what it means to be connected to the earth — Why we over-parent in the real world and under-parent in the digital world — and what it costs kids — The healing power of communal outdoor experiences for veterans and military families — The 5% problem — why outdoor marketing targets extreme athletes when 95% of users just want to take a walk — Micro adventures — how to start with 10% outside your comfort zone — Creeking — and why it might be the perfect entry point for anyone Resources mentioned: — GRIT Adventures: gritadventures.com — TAPS: taps.org — Wounded Warrior Project Odyssey: woundedwarriorproject.org — The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt: anxiousgeneration.com — Jesse's eating meditation: https://youtu.be/-uVj0Zqhb_k?si=iKu5g76F8ogldpDb Support the show

    What Playing Outside Teaches Us — Resilience, Mindfulness, and the Gift of Nature (Episode 73)
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About

The Parks Podcast will take listeners on a journey to regional, state and national parks around the United States. We will learn why the parks were created and explore planning your own visit to parks.

Information

  • Creator
    The Parks Podcast
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Parks Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Parks Podcast

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