Most visited national parks? Depends on who you ask

Grand Canyon NPS on flickr.com

What are the top ten national parks in the United States by visits? That depends on whose statistics you go by. The American Recreation Coalition recently published a top ten list, based on statistics provided by social network giant, Facebook. The Facebook stats are based on users who reported "check-ins" to national parks on its network site.

Now compare the social network stats to those provided by the National Park Service (NPS). In this case, the numbers are based on the actual number of visits made to the parks in 2013.

No doubt our readers have their own national park favorites.

Elevated levels of mercury found in fish in Western U.S. national parks

From National Park Service and USGS, April 16, 2014.

Mercury has been discovered in fish in some of the most remote national park lakes and streams in the western United States and Alaska. Mercury levels in some fish exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency health thresholds for potential impacts to fish, birds, and humans.

The information about mercury, and its appearance in protected areas considered to be relatively pristine and removed from environmental contaminants, is in a recently published scientific report from the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service.

The study of mercury in fish is the first of its kind to incorporate information from remote places at 21 national parks in 10 western states, including Alaska. Western parks were selected for this study because of the significant role that atmospheric mercury deposition plays in remote places, and the lack of broad-scale assessments on mercury in fish in remote areas of the west.

Mercury concentrations in fish sampled from these parks were generally low, but were elevated in some instances. This study examines total mercury in fish, of which 95 percent is in the form of methylmercury, the most dangerous form to human and wildlife health.

Mercury is harmful to human and wildlife health, and is among the most widespread contaminants in the world. It is distributed at a global scale from natural sources, such as volcanic eruptions and from human sources such as burning fossil fuels in power plants. Mercury is distributed at local or regional scales as a result of current and historic mining activities. These human activities have increased levels of atmospheric mercury at least three fold during the past 150 years.

... The authors found that mercury levels varied greatly, from park to park and among sites within each park. In most parks, mercury concentrations in fish were moderate to low in comparison with similar fish species from other locations in the Western states. Mercury concentrations were below EPA’s fish tissue criterion for safe human consumption in 96 percent of the sport fish sampled. 

For more on this from the U.S. Geological Survey, click here.

“Go Wild” for America's National Parks during National Park Week, April 19-27

From National Park Foundation and National Park Service

From April 19-27, the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation will host National Park Week, featuring special events in parks nationwide. This year’s theme, “National Park Week: Go Wild!” invites visitors to celebrate all that America’s 401 national parks have to offer. With free admission to all parks on April 19 and 20, and exciting activities and programs scheduled throughout the week, National Park Week is the perfect time to discover the diverse wildlife, iconic landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history found in America’s national parks.

There are countless ways to enjoy National Park Week -- below are just a few suggestions:

Go wild for a walk in a park. More than 100 free, ranger-led walks are offered during National Park Week. Hike to a cloud forest, take a sunset stroll, wander through John F. Kennedy's neighborhood, and more.

Go wild for Earth Day. Tour John Muir’s house in California and take part in a combined John Muir Birthday/Earth Day Celebration with music, food, and family-friendly events.

Go wild for Patriot’s Day. Commemorate the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War with parades, reenactments, and special ceremonies in Massachusetts.

Go wild for waterfalls. Take the Whiskeytown Waterfall Challenge at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in beautiful northern California and hike to Brandy Creek, Boulder Creek, Crystal Creek and Whiskeytown Falls!

Go wild for national park road trips. Enjoy a self-guided tour to historic places, most of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Each trip takes you to a variety of places significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture.

Go wild for wildflowers. Spring has sprung and it is the perfect time to see nature in all of its colorful glory in parks across the country. Parks including the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and Cumberland Gap and Mammoth Cave in Kentucky will have wildflower walks and talks.

Using the resources on the National Park Week website, visitors can plan adventures, share national park photos, videos and tips, and learn about all the ways to help support national parks.

National Park Week also offers many opportunities for the public to explore local parks, trails, and architectural gems sustained by National Park Service programs such as the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program and the National Register of Historic Places. A complete list of National Park Week events taking place across the country is available at www.nationalparkweek.org.

Visit Congaree National Park in S.C., this month's National Park Getaway

By Jonathan Manchester, Park Ranger, Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park, 20 minutes southeast of Columbia, S.C., ranks among the most diverse forest communities in North America. It contains the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States.

Old growth forest

Imagine a time when the United States was still largely untamed, primitive wilderness. Congaree National Park, with more than 26,000 acres of near-virgin forest, is a portal to the past, to a time when millions of acres of old-growth bottomland hardwood forests towered along the banks of southeastern rivers. Congaree National Park protects an active floodplain ecosystem and preserves a large area of federally designated wilderness close to a major city.

Guided canoe tours

Wilderness activities such as hiking, canoeing and camping allow visitors to experience the park up close. Walking through the stands of old-growth trees, you can observe wildlife such as red-shouldered hawks, wild turkeys and white-tail deer. There are more than 150 species of birds in the park.

Canoe and kayak routes along Cedar Creek take visitors through a tunnel of green leaves in the spring and summer. Whether you plan your own trip or take part in a ranger-guided tour, keep your eyes open–there’s good chance that you’ll see river otter, heron or maybe even an alligator.

Educational tours on boardwalk

The 2.4-mile boardwalk trail from the visitor center makes the floodplain accessible to all visitors and shares the big picture in a small frame.

Yearly floods may cover the trails and parts of the boardwalk, bringing in necessary nutrients that help create the thick green canopy high overhead during the summer. These yearly floods are part of what makes this forest one of the tallest deciduous forests in the United States. Check here for more info and possible park alerts in effect.

Whether you’re seeking solitude, spiritual connections, wildlife viewing, or recreation, Congaree has an abundance of ways to get closer to nature. Congaree National Park does not charge entrance or tour fees. Click here for more park information.

All photos National Park Service