This June day, I spent the morning squatting in a clearing just off Upper Terrace Road at Mammoth Hot Springs in the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park, hand-digging Russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens). A hermit thrush serenaded me as I worked, its fluting song echoing through the nearby grove of Douglas-fir trees: first a long clear […]

As travelers begin summer pilgrimages to America’s cherished national parks, we at Off the Beaten Path take the opportunity to acknowledge the phenomenal work of our partner, National Parks Conservation Association. NPCA has worked fiercely and tirelessly on behalf of national parklands since 1919. In celebration of their centennial year, the organization posted a collection […]

Nearly everyone seems to have a bucket list of things to do, see, and experience before they move on to the next universe. As an outdoor educator, Yellowstone park ranger, naturalist guide, and nature mentor, I’ve been lucky to list and check-off my share of amazing national parks. While it’s hard to suggest places or […]