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• Park Bluestone National Scenic River This scenic river is named after the rugged blue limestone that lines its bed at its origin in Virginia. The park begins approximately 5 miles south of the New River Gorge National River and is managed by the same park staff. The Bluestone offers hiking, biking, hunting, fishing and camping, and bobcats, otters, bears and a variety of birds thrive in the wild area. Visitors can explore a 10.5-mile trail between the adjacent Bluestone and Pipestem Resort State Parks to enjoy portions of the river. Visitors can also see more of the river by riding an aerial tramway in Pipestem State Park.
• Park Alagnak Wild River The Alagnak travels west from Katmai National Park and Preserve toward Bristol Bay through the wild, bear-filled tundra of the Alaska Peninsula. Wild salmon, arctic char and other fish species run plentifully through the river, attracting both black and grizzly bears. Moose, foxes, wolverines, otters and other wild animals also frequent the area.
• Press Release Groups Find Draft Environmental Assessment of Industrial Hog Facility in Buffalo River Watershed Significantly Flawed Sep 2015 Buffalo River Coalition submits comments to federal agencies calling for thorough environmental review that does not ignore facts and science
• Blog Post Judge’s Ruling a Victory for Buffalo National River Jan 2015 | By Emily Jones A win for Arkansas’ Buffalo River: A judge will hold two agencies liable for a flawed environmental review process of a factory farm six miles upstream.
• Press Release Groups Urge Continued Focus on Faulty Permitting Process for Factory Hog Farm Near Buffalo National River May 2013 Concentrated animal feeding operation damages Buffalo River and surrounding community
• Press Release Thousands of Concerned Citizens Urge Gov. Hutchinson to Protect Buffalo National River from Hog Waste Contamination Mar 2017 More than 14,000 submitted comments calling on the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and Governor Asa Hutchinson to reject permit for C&H industrial hog farm to continue operating in national river’s watershed
• Press Release National Parks Group Hails Progress, Urges Congress to Pass Bill to Protect the Health and Beauty of the North Fork Flathead River Valley, Glacier National Park Jan 2014 Bipartisan legislation has support of local residents, energy companies, local elected officials, and business and conservation communities
• Press Release A Pacific Northwest Adventure: North Cascades, Rivers and Trails this Sunday Oct 2018 More than 30 community partners and outdoor leaders will celebrate North Cascades National Park on Sunday
• Press Release NPCA Joins Community & Business Partners to Applaud Progress of Bipartisan Legislation that Protects Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake & North Fork Flathead River Valley Dec 2014 NPCA thanks Montana's Congressional leaders for their bipartisan work toward passage of North Fork Watershed Protection Act.
• Blog Post 2 Million Gallons of Pig Waste Next to a National River? What a Load of Hogwash! Jun 2013 | By Emily Jones NPCA and its advocates are fighting an industrial confined animal feeding operation designed to hold thousands of hogs just 6 miles upstream from America's first national river.
• Magazine Article Elwha: A River Reborn Summer 2013 | By Lynda V. Mapes A new book from a reporter and photographer at The Seattle Times documents the long and successful battle to remove dams on the Elwha River in Olympic National Park.
• Press Release Parks Group Files Intent to Sue Over Endangered Species Act Violations at Historic Jamestown and James River May 2018 New information reveals that federal agencies overlooked the presence of endangered juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon and Shortnose Sturgeon in the James River at Jamestown.
• Blog Post Protecting Our Rivers and Streams Where We Live Mar 2012 | By Yves Corbiere Take a moment to think about all the places you have lived, not by apartment or job or city, but by the closest river, stream, lake, or sea. It takes me just a few moments to trace back my life in relation to water.
• Blog Post Laying the Groundwork: Reclaiming D.C.’s “Forgotten River” Feb 2014 Imagine having a beautiful river in your backyard, but being afraid to enjoy it.
• Report Center for State of the Parks: Missouri National Recreational River NPCA’s Center for State of the Parks resource assessment of the Missouri National Recreational River indicates that cultural and natural resources in the park are in poor condition, overall, with scores of 51 and 59 out of a possible 100, respectively.
• Report Center for State of the Parks: Appalachian National Scenic Trail This report by the National Parks Conservation Association’s Center for State of the Parks provides a brief overview of the history of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, an explanation of how the trail is managed, descriptions of the trail’s natural, cultural, and recreational resources and the challenges they face, and recommendations for how to bolster current efforts to protect and preserve this American icon.
• Fact Sheet Park Friends of the Colorado River NPCA's Colorado River Program, launched in 2011, harnesses the iconic power of national parks, their broad public and political support, their capacity to engage and educate, as well as protect and improve the health of the land and water within which national parks reside.
• Press Release Victory! State Reaches Deal to Remove Industrial Hog Farm from Buffalo National River Watershed Jun 2019 Now this treasured landscape will be properly protected for future generations to safely experience and enjoy.
• Press Release State Denies Industrial Hog Facility’s Permit, Protecting Buffalo National River Watershed Nov 2018 We are pleased with the state’s decision to put federally protected waters and local economies above private industry.
• Press Release National Parks Conservation Association Calls Permitting Process Flawed for Hog Farm on Buffalo National River Tributary Apr 2013 National Parks Group Urges U.S. Department of Agriculture and Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality to Pull Permit
• Blog Post Why Are We Neglecting One of Our Country’s Greatest Rivers? Sep 2015 | By Vanessa Mazal Archaic laws and short-sighted management threaten the irreplaceable Colorado.
• Press Release New Colorado River Study Finds Water Uses Impair the Health of National Parks in the Southwest Apr 2011 NPCA report finds alterations to natural water flows damage national parks
• Magazine Article Over the River and Through the Woods Fall 2021 | By Nicholas Lund A wintry return to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. 
• Press Release New Colorado River Basin Study Provides Important Analysis, Misses Opportunity by Omitting National Parks Perspective Dec 2012 Statement by David Nimkin, Southwest Senior Regional Director, National Parks Conservation Association
• Press Release Colorado River Rushes Through the Grand Canyon Nov 2014 High flow release is welcomed as significant for Grand Canyon National Park resources
• Blog Post River Warriors: Building New Paths to Happiness through Our National Parks May 2015 | By Edward Stierli Thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers, new trails are making national parks like Shenandoah more accessible.
• Press Release National Parks Group Support Yosemite National Park's Final Merced River Plan, Applauds Commitment to the Park's Next 150 Years Feb 2014 Statement by Neal Desai, Pacific Region Field Director for National Parks Conservation Association
• Press Release New economic impact study of Ocmulgee River Corridor to support growth and community engagement in Central Georgia Dec 2014 National Parks Conservation Association to help propel economic effort on proposed Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve with $74,800 from Knight Foundation
• Press Release National Parks Group Applauds Ninth Circuit Court Rulings for Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve Oct 2014 Both Wilde and Sturgeon had called into question Park Service authority to enforce safety and other park rules on navigable waters claimed by the State of Alaska
• Press Release Legislation Passes Committee in Congress that Would Over-ride NPS Authority by Opening of all Rivers and Lakes in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks to New Use Jan 2014 Statement by Bart Melton, Yellowstone Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association
• Blog Post The Elwha River, Free-Flowing at Last Mar 2012 | By Jennifer Errick Six months in to the largest dam-removal project in U.S. history, a new video shows promising signs of progress.
• Blog Post Smokies Wildlife Will Soon Have Options for Safe Passage in the Pigeon River Gorge Nov 2021 | By Jeffrey Hunter We can keep ourselves and wildlife safe — if we’re willing to prioritize these types of solutions for our roadways.
• Press Release Parks Group Applauds Approval of River of Grass Land Deal to Restore America's Everglades Aug 2010 Land acquisition under deal will help restore water flow and quality
• Press Release NPCA Praises Historic Announcement to Secure Permanent Protection for the North Fork of the Flathead River Jun 2010 Statement by NPCA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Craig Obey
• Blog Post Building (on) Bridges Nov 2014 For nearly a century, Anacostia Park in Washington, D.C., has served as a playground for area residents while also preserving a critical shoreline area and protecting the natural scenery and water quality of the Anacostia River. The 1,200 acres of parkland along the river’s banks have seen recent improvements with more opportunities for recreational access, including the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, a 28-mile shared-use trail that connects 16 communities from the National Mall at the Tidal Basin to Bladensburg, Maryland, as well as the Anacostia Water Trail, a nine-mile scenic stretch of the river for paddlers.
• Park Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve Without roads, trails or formal campgrounds, Gates of the Arctic’s 7-million-acre wilderness covers vast terrain, including the jagged peaks of the Brooks Mountain Range, glacier-carved valleys, boreal forest, six Wild and Scenic Rivers, and arid stretches of polar desert — all north of the Arctic Circle.
• John Beljean Former Delaware Field Representative John joined NPCA in July 2015 as the Field Representative out of Mid-Atlantic's Delaware River Field Office.
• Park Arkansas Post National Memorial Although the name of this park stems from the French trading post near the banks of the Mississippi River, Native Americans, most recently the Quapaw, inhabited the area for thousands of years before the Europeans arrived. Visitors can learn about the historic nature of the park and of the many stories, ranging from expedition of Hernando de Soto to the Battle of Arkansas Post in the Civil War. Visitors can also stroll the nature trails and try to steal a glimpse of one of the area's American alligators or endangered Traill's flycatchers.
• Park Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve Aniakchak is the country’s least-visited national park site, seeing fewer than 300 tourists in a typical year. The monument is only accessible by a long journey of flying, boating and/or backpacking, and its rugged, difficult environment features foggy, rainy weather and a high concentration of bears and wolves. Those brave few who do venture down the Alaska Peninsula and into the monument are rewarded with a jaw-dropping six-mile-wide, 2,000-foot-deep volcanic caldera. Within this deep, ashy crater is Surprise Lake, source of the Aniakchak River, as well as Vent Mountain, a 2,200-foot-tall cone formed by a volcanic eruption in 1931.
• Report Center for State of the Parks: Fort Union Trading Post Congress created Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site to "commemorate the significant role played by Fort Union as a fur trading post on the Upper Missouri River." An assessment indicates that, overall, cultural and natural resources are in fair condition.
• Report Yellowstone’s Native Fisheries: Opportunities for Native Fish Conservation & Restoration The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is one of the largest intact temperate ecosystems in the world, but its native fish face an uncertain future. The Arctic grayling, westslope cutthroat trout and Yellowstone cutthroat trout, once abundant in the ecosystem’s lakes, rivers and streams, are facing significant declines in their populations.
• NPCA at Work Fighting for Clean Air in our National Parks Air pollution is one of the most serious threats facing national parks, harming visitors’ health, clouding scenic views and altering our climate.
• Land Based Trip The Backroads of Big Bend From the mystical desert town of Marfa to the rugged Chisos Mountains, we will explore this diverse landscape and dive deep into the region’s cultural history. Experience one of the wildest corners of America as you paddle the Rio Grande, gaze at magnificent dark skies, explore the Southwest’s best surviving frontier military post and witness NPCA’s regional work all alongside expert guides.
• NPCA at Work Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Hill Farm Are National Treasures Worthy of Protection Protecting, interpreting and enhancing the history and environment at this urban oasis is critical. Unfortunately, development threats and underfunding have plagued this park site for decades.
• Land Based Trip Backroads of Big Bend Dec 2021 Welcome to West Texas and Big Bend National Park. From the rugged and rocky canyons of the Rio Grande to the breathtaking Chisos Mountains, we will explore this diverse landscape and take a deep dive into the region’s cultural history. Your guide and accompanying NPCA host will show you a lesser-known side of the park as we explore by foot and on water. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of this landscape, its cultural history, and the ongoing challenges that make Big Bend an important priority for NPCA. Explore one of the wildest corners of America —and its unforgettable sights and solitude — all with the comfort of an NPCA small-group tour.
• Land Based Trip The National Parks of Hawai‘i Experience the unparalleled cultural and natural beauty within all seven of Hawai'i’s national parks by joining expert biologists, naturalists and cultural interpreters as you journey through four Hawaiian Islands. NPCA experts and local guides will lead you on tours through the most awe-inspiring sites on the islands, including two active volcanoes, lava caves, native rainforests and the tallest sea cliffs in the world. Witness the sacred grounds and endangered species that NPCA is dedicated to saving.
• Land Based Trip Natural Fortunes of the Four Corners Known for sweeping vistas, culturally rich Ancestral Puebloan settlements and internationally recognized dark skies, the Four Corners, connecting NM, CO, UT and AZ, is unlike anywhere else in the world. Journey alongside NPCA experts to experience extraordinary ancient structures at Chaco Culture National Historical Park. You’ll also experience the mystifying cultural sites within Mesa Verde, Aztec Ruins and Hovenweep while learning about NPCA’s important contributions in the region.
• Staff Lauren Cosgrove Northeast Senior Program Manager Having grown up in New England as a Brooklyn native, Lauren currently serves as a Senior Program Manager for NPCA’s Northeast Region. Since Lauren started with NPCA in 2014, she has worked to bolster nation-wide park funding, restore natural, historical and cultural resources and build a movement for community-led stewardship and advocacy for Northeast national parks.
• Victoria Herrin Former Campaign Director, Texas Gulf Coast Victoria joined NPCA in 2012 to work on establishing a new park unit in southeastern Texas, the Lone Star Coastal National Recreation Area. She is now the Campaign Director for our Texas Gulf Coast work.
• Megan Cantrell Former Social Media Manager Megan Cantrell worked at National Parks Conservation Association for 10 years, much of that time shepherding NPCA’s social media program.
• Staff Rob Smith Regional Director Rob serves as the Regional Director of NPCA's Northwest Regional Office in Seattle, Washington. Rob’s environmental work has included work on land and wildlife protection, climate change, and air quality through lobbying officials and organizing local support for conservation measures.
• NPCA at Work Keep the Great Lakes Great: Support Restoration Funding in the Midwest Since 2010, a federal program known as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has funded a variety of projects to help water quality, wildlife habitat and a range of other issues. Congress could slash this funding — a move that could reverse years of progress for the region’s 13 national parks.
• Victory Yellowstone Is Worth More Than Gold Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke signs 20-year mineral withdrawal that will prevent new mining north of the national park.
• Victory Congress Funds the Land & Water Conservation Fund in Perpetuity Congress passed a bill dedicating full funding in perpetuity to one of our nation's most important conservation tools protecting public lands from incompatible development.

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