National Park Service 96th Birthday Celebration Set for August 25 With Coast-to-Coast Festivities

On August 25, the National Park Service turns 96 years old and everyone is invited, especially children, to join in the festivities taking place coast-to-coast © 2012 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.

On August 25, the National Park Service turns 96 years old and everyone is invited, especially children, to join in the festivities taking place coast-to-coast. If you want to share birthday wishes or stories, pictures, or video from your trip to a park, NPS friends at the National Park Foundation have created a birthday website www.NPSbirthday.org to get the celebration going!

“National parks belong to all Americans and we invite everyone to join us on this special day,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “There are hundreds of events planned. Take the kids on a snorkel adventure, bike ride, kayak tour, hike, or archeological dig. See a blacksmith demo, living history encampment, or Native American concert. Or join me and thousands of children at Rocky Mountain National Park’s big BioBlitz.”

The 6^th annual BioBlitz, presented by the National Park Service and National Geographic, is a 24-hour event where teams of volunteer scientists, families, students, teachers, and others explore the park and identify species of plants, animals, microbes, fungi, and other organisms. Kids can go on discovery expeditions, take fun, hands-on “classes” at the Biodiversity University, and enjoy music, live animals, and science demonstrations at the Biodiversity Festival.

“Like so many park lovers, the National Park Foundation is grateful to the National Park Service for the exceptional work they do every day to protect and preserve our country’s 397 national parks,” said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO. “This month we are excited to celebrate their 96^th birthday and extend our thanks to them.”

You can choose the park you would like to visit by location or by event at www.nps.gov. If you can’t make it to a park for the big day, remember the mission of the National Park Service extends beyond park boundaries into communities across the country. NPS works with partners to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities that revitalize neighborhoods and enhance the quality of life. Go to www.nps.gov/communities/states.htm to see what the Park Service does in your community. For more information, visit www.nps.gov.

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 397 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.

About the National Park Foundation. You are the owner of 84 million acres of the world’s most treasured memorials, landscapes, ecosystems, and historic sites — all protected in America’s nearly 400 national parks. Chartered by Congress, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks. We work hand in hand with the National Park Service to connect you and all Americans to the parks, and to make sure that they are preserved for the generations who will follow. Join us in supporting your national parks — this is your land. http://www.nationalparks.org.

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National Park Foundation to hold drawing when it hits 100,000 Facebook fans

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. The National Park Foundation is cultivating park community social media support © 2012 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

The National Park Foundation is hoping to cultivate  park community social media support. The Foundation is getting extremely close to 100,000 fans on Facebook (GO Parks!!!) and would like to request your help getting to that milestone by the first day of summer (next Wednesday, June 20). Once they get to 100K, they plan to hold a random drawing of all of their Facebook fans and one lucky follower will receive a fantastic national park pack (full of all sorts of park goodies)!

The Foundation is also putting out the call for guest blogger submissions – either new posts or previous posts with national park related content – for its National Park Foundation blog site. The site already has some wonderful submissions and is actively working with several more contributors, but welcomes additional ideas or posts. “Our new site is driven BY and FOR park lovers everywhere. It is your content – stories, tips, videos and photos – that make it an integral part of the park community and we not only celebrate that, but we are extremely grateful for the passionate individuals who contribute to it.”

For more information, visit http://www.nationalparks.org.

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National Park Foundation Reveals Great Parks for Fall Foliage

The National Park Foundation has announced the 2011 “Great National Parks for Fall Foliage” list. Creating a weekend vacation close to one of these sites can be a relaxing fall retreat.

This year’s list, and the optimal times for foliage viewing, includes:

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Cal.: Peak colors expected in the middle to end of October. On Oct. 18, a hiking event to Whiskeytown Falls offer a perfect way to view the foliage during the peak season.

Curecanti National Recreational Area, Colo.: Peak colors begin in late September and run through the end of October.

Natchez Trace Parkway, Miss.: In middle to late October, the maple, hickory, oak and other hardwood trees begin to change colors.

Glacier National Park, Mont.: The bright yellow and gold colors on the aspen and larch trees run through mid-October covering the trails around the park, but particularly along Summit Trail. For more information on the best trails to see colors or view photos of the fall colors, visit Glacier’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/glaciernationalpark.

Flight 93 National Memorial, Pa.: The trees across the Flight 93 National Memorial begin to turn around mid-October. Check out honorflight93.org/webcam today to find instant inspiration for a trip to the site or to take a virtual fall foliage tour.

Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Tenn.: The Great Smokey Mountains boast over 130 different tree species, many of which produce breathtaking Autumnal colors. Peak foliage viewing depends greatly on the various levels of elevation found within the park, but overall, the Smokies’ foliage shows run from late September through October.

Zion National Park, Utah: Peak foliage colors appear at the end of October and into the first few days of November.

Shenandoah National Park, Va.: Peak colors in the upper elevations begin early to mid-October with lower elevations peaking at the end of October into November.

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Vt.: Rich with sugar maples and 400-year-old hemlocks, this site boasts outstanding fall foliage each year. This year’s prime viewing is expected from mid-October through early November.

Apostles Islands National Lakeshore, Wisc.: Peak foliage viewing various depending on inland or coastal location, however the foliage show runs from late September through October. Additionally, many bird species are migrating through the park right now, so foliage seekers get an extra show from Mother Nature.

Visit www.nationalparks.org

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National Park Foundation, ARAMARK Present ‘National Park Adventure Sweepstakes’

Mt. McKinley, viewed from Mount McKinley Village in Denali National Park. National Park Foundation and ARAMARK Parks and Destinations are closing out the summer with a “National Park Adventure Sweepstakes” with one giveaway each week now through Labor Day © 2011 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.

National Park Foundation and ARAMARK Parks and Destinations are closing out the summer with a “National Park Adventure Sweepstakes” with one giveaway each week now through Labor Day. Individuals can win a trip to some of our country’s most spectacular parks from the East Coast to the Last Frontier.

Participating is easy. Enter each week by visiting the links below during the given dates for a chance to win a National Park adventure giveaway. You could win a two-to-four-night stay at one of the destinations listed, access to an activity unique to that particular park, an “America the Beautiful” park pass and more. Alaska Airlines is providing airline tickets as part of the prize package for Olympic National Park and Denali National Park and Preserve.

• Mesa Verde National Park: From Aug. 8 – 14, enter at facebook.com/mesaverde to win a two-night stay at Far View Lodge, cliff dwelling tour tickets and more. Click here for complete rules.

• Shenandoah National Park: From Aug. 15 – 21, enter at facebook.com/visitshenandoah to win a two-night stay at Skyland Resort or Big Meadows Lodge, a horseback riding or rock climbing adventure and more. Click here for complete rules.
• Olympic National Park: From Aug. 22 – 28, enter at facebook.com/olympicnationalpark to win a three-night stay at Kalaloch Lodge, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort and/or Lake Crescent Lodge, a resort credit to create your own adventure and more. Click here for complete rules.
• Denali National Park and Preserve: From Aug. 29 – Sept. 5, enter at http://www.facebook.com/denalipark to win a four-night stay at McKinley Village Lodge or McKinley Chalet Resort, a white-water rafting adventure and more. Click here for complete rules.

National Park Foundation and ARAMARK Parks and Destinations will contact the winner via email and then announce the winners for each giveaway every Monday starting August 15 on National Park Foundation’s Facebook page as well as the individual pages linked above. The winner for the final giveaway to Denali National Park and Preserve will be announced on Tuesday, September 6. For more information, go to facebook.com/nationalpark.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
You are the owner of 84 million acres of the world’s most treasured landscapes, ecosystems, and historic sites — all protected in America’s nearly 400 national parks. Chartered by Congress, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks. We work hand in hand with the National Park Service to connect you and all Americans to the parks, and to make sure that they are preserved for the generations who will follow.

Join – This is Your Land. http://www.nationalparks.org
FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/nationalpark
Twitter http://twitter.com/goparks

ABOUT ARAMARK PARKS AND DESTINATIONS
ARAMARK Parks and Destinations, a division of ARAMARK, delivers authentic and memorable experiences at national and state parks, national forests, specialty hotels, museums, and other tourist destinations throughout the United States. In partnership with its clients, ARAMARK Parks and Destinations seeks to enhance the guest experience by offering industry-leading hospitality, environmental stewardship, recreational, and interpretive programs. For more information on ARAMARK Parks and Destinations and each of its properties, visit www.aramarkparksanddestinations.com.

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