Cape Hatteras National Seashore: A beach lover's destination

The seventy miles of Atlantic Ocean shoreline at Cape Hatteras National Seashore are a welcome respite from the cacophony of modern day civilization. The only sounds you will hear are the calls of sea birds, the crash of surf, and the occasional squeaks of wooden hulls and throbbing diesel engines of the working boats of local crabbers and fishermen.

Cape Hatteras was the first national seashore authorized by congress on August 17, 1937 but land acquisition didn't happen until the 1950s and the official establishment of the park on January 12, 1953.

This is the area of North Carolina called the Outer Banks, home of Cape Hatteras lighthouse, the tallest brick lighthouse in the world. The lighthouse began its life in 1870 to guide ships around the treacherous Diamond Shoals--part of what is known as the "Graveyard of the Pacific" that has claimed more than 1,000 ships. It is now open from April through Labor Day and for night climbing tours in the summer months.

Wild herds of horses, thought to be descendents of those that survived shipwrecks in the 1500s, they were discovered on Ocracoke Island when the first European settlers wiggled their toes in the sands of what would become one of America's first thirteen colonies.

Loggerhead, leatherback, and green sea turtles lay their eggs on the lonely stretches of sand inhabited only by shorebirds such as piping plovers, sandpipers, American oystercatchers, sanderlings, and willets. On the lee side of these barrier islands you will find waterfowl like snow geese, tundra swans, and migrating ducks.
You can explore these meandering waterways of the inner sounds by kayak to see this abundance of birds and wildlife up close, or walk for miles along the blowing sands of the park's beaches.

There are four campgrounds in the park, none with hook-ups, and you can only reserve campsites at Ocracoke campground. More on Cape Hatteras camping here.

Park Service to commemorate 150th anniversary of First Battle of Manassas

The National Park Service will commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Battle of First Manassas with events at the Virginia park from Thursday, July 21 through Sunday, July 24, 2011.

The four-day observance of the 150th anniversary of the First Battle of Manassas begins with a commemorative ceremony at the Henry Hill Visitor Center on Thursday, July 21 at 9:15 a.m. This program, sponsored by the National Park Service and the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission, will examine both the profound impact of the battle, as well as the broader Civil War, and the rich opportunities afforded by the anniversary.
Invited speakers include Robert F. McDonnell, Governor of Virginia, National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, and other local, state, and federal officials. The keynote address will be given by Dr. Edward L. Ayers, president of the University of Richmond and historian of the American South. Free tickets are available for the July 21 commemorative ceremony.  Free tickets are available at the Henry Hill Visitor Center (6511 Sudley Road).

Interpretive programs including tours and living history demonstrations will be presented throughout the four-day event. On Friday evening, July 22 at 6 p.m. park rangers will present a program "Behind the Lines – War Passes Sudley Springs." The program will depart from Sudley United Methodist Church (5308 Sudley Road).  On Saturday, July 23 at 2 p.m. starting at the Henry Hill Visitor Center rangers will present "The Robinson Farm – An African American Family Caught in the Crossfire."  A complete schedule of programs including small arms and artillery demonstrations is available at the park web site, http://www.nps.gov/mana/parknews/anniversary-schedule.htm.

Interior, Park Service push nuclear historic park

Will there be a new National Park to recount the history of the nuclear bomb? It's up to Congress, but the Interior Department recommends US lawmakers approve a plan to set up a multi-site national historic park commemorating the Manhattan Project the top-secret effort to create an atomic bomb during World War II.

Congress already directed the National Park Service to study the idea. The Service's recommendations include the development of Manhattan Project parks in three states: Los Alamos, New Mexico; Hanford, Washington; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

“The secret development of the atomic bomb in multiple locations across the United States is an important story and one of the most transformative events in our nation’s history,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar says. “The Manhattan Project ushered in the atomic age, changed the role of the United States in the world community, and set the stage for the Cold War.”

The Department of Energy, is in favor of the new park plan. They would partner with the National Park Service in developing and managing the proposed park. The Department would continue managing and operating the facilities associated with the Manhattan Project, while the Park Service would provide interpretation and education in connection with these resources.

“Once a tightly guarded secret, the story of the atomic bomb’s creation needs to be shared with this and future generations,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “There is no better place to tell a story than where it happened, and that’s what national parks do. The National Park Service will be proud to interpret these Manhattan Project sites and unlock their stories in the years ahead.”

Operating from December, 1942 until September, 1945 the Manhattan Project was a $2.2 billion effort that employed 130,000 workers at its peak, but was kept largely secret and out of public view.

Bikini Atoll artwork, US Navy

Fire storm ravages New Mexico monument

Bandelier National Monument, a park preserving the history of Pueblo people and showcasing some of New Mexico's breathtaking scenery has suffered a huge blow. The fire that threatened Los Alamos National Laboratory turned and has burned over half of the park's 33,000 acres.

The Las Conchas Fire roared through the monument, incinerating 11,000 acres of the canyon's 12,000-acre watershed. More than 4,000 acres were so severely burned that no vegetation remains. One of the toughest hit areas was the monuments most visited spots: Frijoles Canyon. The canyon receives approximately 95 percent of the monument's visitation and is home to the Monument's only visitor center, the largest concentration of prehistoric cultural sites, the historic Civilian Conservation Corps district, offices, several popular hiking trails, and employee residences.

While the visitor center was left untouched by the fire, efforts are underway to prepare it and other structures in Frijoles Canyon to withstand potential flooding. Artifacts and exhibits have been removed from the visitor center and relocated to secure storage areas. Sandbags and diversion dikes have been strategically placed to seal the visitor center and divert water away from facilities and historic sites in the canyon. Work to reinforce these efforts is expected to continue for the next several days.

The monument is closed at this point, and will remain so until officials can determine how to reopen the monument in a safe manner.

photo: Bandelier National Monument on flickr.com

Southwest fires close national parks

Wildfires in New Mexico and Arizona have taken their toll on National Park visitation. Arizona's Saguaro National Park was closed for a few days when wildfires in the south part of the state worried officials about safety. During the closure a lightening strike caused a flare up was quickly controlled. Firefighters limited the damage to less than a tenth of an acre.

Next door in New Mexico, Bandelier National Monument is still closed due to the same wildfire that threatened the National Laboratory at Los Alamos. The fire in the monument threatened a newly renovated visitor center, and officials closed the park on June 27. As of today the park remains closed.

photos: NPS