National Park News: Pot Farms Keep Cropping Up In Death Valley National Park

You'll barely notice it's there, but if a piece of gear breaks or gets a tear on the

trail, you can pull off your tape to make a quick patch or repair.

It's a mini repair kit you'll be glad to have.

For more fun ideas, easy how-tos, and inspiring stories, visit LLBean.com slash guide.

News Roundup.

The winter of 2022-2023 will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come, having unleashed

a torrent of snowfall that blanketed much of the western United States.

Added to a record-breaking ski season and a spring rafting season for the books, it

also left a trail of destruction, causing considerable damage to some of our beloved

national parks and prompting temporary closures in others.

At the heart of this winter's impact is the substantial snowpack, which, while replenishing

water tables and providing a much-needed boost to the west's parched river basins, has

also strained park infrastructure and led to an array of issues, from rockfall and road

parks in California's Sierra Nevada to flood warnings in Yosemite and campgrounds still

under snow at Grand Canyon.

The effects of this intense winter have been far-reaching.

As the national parks work tirelessly to clear the snow, repair road damage, and return to

normalcy, it's important for potential visitors to remain informed about the current status

of parks and plan accordingly.

A snapshot of park delays and closures includes Great Basin National Park in Nevada, where

Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, Wheeler Peak Campground, and the popular Alpine Lakes Loop Hike are

expected to remain closed until July 1st, Yosemite National Park, where Big Oak Flat

Road, a primary entrance, is closed for repairs due to storm damage, with closure expected

to last until at least mid-June and possibly July, the Mariposa Grove Road is also damaged

due to storms, and certain campgrounds are closed due to potential flooding from snow

melt.

At Grand Canyon National Park, the opening of the North Rim has been delayed.

Campground is slated to open finally on June 9th.

At Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, roads have suffered extensive

damage closing most of the Generals Highway and preventing access to the giant sequoias.

Certain areas are expected to remain closed until at least June 9th, while others such

as Crystal Cave and Mineral King Road will be closed throughout the summer.

At Zion National Park, the popular Narrows Hike is closed indefinitely due to high snow

melt and flow levels in the Virgin River.

For the most current and detailed information, please refer to the respective national parks,

official websites, or contact our information centers.

The websites are really good about staying updated.

Outside.com has also put together an excellent roundup of all the closures, which I'll

share in the description.

Although the unexpected can bring challenges, it also serves as a reminder of the power

and unpredictability of nature.

Despite the difficulties this winter has brought, it's also shown us the beauty and resilience

of the Colorado River Basin, and there are some silver linings.

Much of the drought in the west is effectively ended, and Glen Canyon National Recreation

Area has announced that Lake Powell has a greater than 90% chance for above-average

water levels this year.

The Colorado River Basin has been a hotly debated topic in recent years, and even without

the record snowfall, an agreement has finally been made between the Colorado Basin states

to resolve disputes over how to allocate water.

The basin, which spans seven states, supplies 40 million people with water, held primarily

in Lakes Mead and Powell, which have been dangerously low up until now.

Drought and increased demand for water have put immense pressure on the river and its

reservoirs.

From our friends at National Parks Traveler, national parks are considering big moves to

protect the tranquility of these cherished landscapes by banning or significantly reducing

commercial air tours that fly over national parks.

Commercial air tours offer a thrilling and unique way for visitors to experience the

beauty of a national park from above, but concerns have been raised about the impact

of these tours on the environment and the visitor experience, of course.

In certain areas of the Grand Canyon, for instance, helicopters land and take off at

a breakneck pace all day long.

The noise and disruption caused by low-flying aircraft can disturb the serene atmosphere

and wildlife within the parks.

Recognizing these concerns, national parks across the country are evaluating the effects

of commercial air tours and exploring alternatives.

place to search for the best campground for your national park adventures, Campendium.

Campendium lists virtually every campground in North America and every type of campsite

you can imagine, from remote backcountry tent sites to RV parks with waterslides and pickleball

courts.

You can search by price, including free, or by cell service, elevation, whether pets are

the best campsite for your trip.

Campendium is free at Campendium.com or on the app, and you can upgrade to a RoadPass

Pro membership to unlock an ad-free experience with more detailed cell service reports, public

land map overlays, trail maps, and more.

A RoadPass Pro membership also includes other premium apps like Togo RV and RoadTrippers.

Visit Campendium.com or download the app today and save $10 off a RoadPass Pro membership

with code RVMiles10X.

behind from an illegal marijuana grow site in Jail Canyon in Death Valley National Park.

Jail Canyon has reopened to public visitation now that the safety closure has been lifted.

An active marijuana grow operation was discovered during a flyover of Jail Canyon, located in

the western slope of the Panamint Mountains.

Over 10,000 plants were eradicated, with an estimated sale value of over $7 million.

Upon learning that they were discovered, the growers abandoned the site.

They left behind damaged landscape, trash, and hazardous chemicals.

Squatters planting Mary Jane in Death Valley is surprisingly common.

It's a huge park with many remote areas that are otherwise generally not visited.

Jail Canyon is one of over 20 illegal grow sites which have been found in remote canyons

in the park over the past decade.

The growers typically terrace the landscape and install irrigation tubing to divert spring

water to the plants.

Workers have even poached wildlife for food.

They stockpiled chemicals and applied pesticides, contaminating water sources in the process.

On April 27th, park rangers hiked through dense vegetation into Jail Canyon and bagged

up the tubing, tarps, bedding, and other trash.

A few days later, the California Air National Guard used their Pavehawk helicopter to perform

a long-line operation that consists of dropping large cargo nets to the park rangers down

in the canyon, who then loaded the garbage into the nets.

35 cubic yards of trash were removed, and the site was returned to a more natural state.

Also at Death Valley, park rangers are issuing a reminder to the public about the importance

of not touching, handling, or feeding wildlife following two recent incidents that highlighted

the risks to both humans and wildlife in the park.

On April 28th, a bat was observed exhibiting unusual behavior.

It was found sitting on top of a garbage can outside the Stovepipe Wells General Store.

The employee carefully moved the bat away from the public area, but unfortunately the

bat bit her through her protective gloves.

National Park Service employees captured the bat, and it was later confirmed by the California

Health Department to be infected with rabies.

The woman who was bitten underwent treatment and is fine, but rabies is a potentially fatal

disease unless treated before symptoms appear.

It can be transmitted to humans through contact with an infected animal's saliva, such as

through a bite or a scratch.

It's important to exercise caution when encountering animals, particularly if they're behaving

aggressively or showing no fear at all of humans.

While bats are crucial to the ecosystem and play a vital role in insect control, it's

essential to remember that they, like all other native wildlife in national parks, are

protected.

The second incident involved a coyote that was struck by a vehicle on California 190

near the intersection with Badwater Road on April 20th.

The coyote was injured and limped away, and its fate remains unknown.

Some coyotes in the park have learned to associate vehicles with people feeding them, which is

illegal within the national park, of course.

Habituated coyotes have discovered that they can stop traffic by walking in front of moving

vehicles, putting themselves and drivers at risk.

Another issue with humans interacting with wildlife cropped up at Yellowstone, where

law enforcement officers are asking the public for information about an incident that occurred

on the evening of May 20th between an unidentified man and a newborn bison calf at the park's

northeast corner.

The unidentified white male in his 40s or 50s was wearing a blue shirt and black pants,

and he approached a newborn bison calf in Lamar Valley near the confluence of the Lamar

River and Soda Butte Creek.

The calf had been separated from its mother when the herd crossed the Lamar River.

As the calf struggled, the man pushed the calf up from the river and onto the roadway.

Visitors later observed the calf walk up to and follow cars and people.

Interference by people can cause wildlife to reject their offspring.

In this case, park rangers tried repeatedly to reunite the calf with the herd.

These efforts failed.

The calf was later killed by the park staff because it was abandoned by the herd and it

caused a hazardous situation by approaching cars and people along the roadway.

Approaching wild animals can drastically affect their well-being and, in this case, their

populations require that people stay at least 25 yards from all wildlife, including bison,

elk, and deer, and at least 100 yards away from bear and wolves.

Never approach, touch, feed, or attempt to pick up a wild animal in a national park.

It's dangerous and illegal.

A significant archaeological investigation has recently confirmed the precise location

of the first skirmish of the French and Indian War at Fort Necessity National Battlefield.

Over the course of four weeks, a partnership project successfully uncovered various 18th

century ballistics and artifacts, shedding new light on this historic event.

The skirmish at Jumonville Glen took place on the morning of May 28, 1754 and marked

the beginning of the seven-year-long French and Indian War, led by a young 22-year-old

Lieutenant Colonel George Washington in his first battle.

Virginia provincial troops under the British flag were accompanied by members of the Seneca

Haida and other allied tribes.

Together they confronted a French campsite located at the Glen.

Shots were exchanged, resulting in the death of 13 Frenchmen and the capture of 21 others.

The British forces suffered one fatality and two or three wounded soldiers.

Fort Necessity National Battlefield, which preserves the site, commemorates the Jumonville

affair annually through living history programs.

With a high level of confidence, it can now be conclusively affirmed that the site protected

by the park is indeed the precise location of the May 28 skirmish.

And finally, in a heartwarming tale of intergenerational bonding and adventure, a grandmother and her

grandson have completed a remarkable journey to explore all 63 national parks across the

United States.

This week they completed their goal when they arrived at the National Park of American Samoa,

which is closer to Australia and New Zealand than it is to mainland United States.

They documented their travels on Instagram as Grandma Joy's Road Trip and 93-year-old

Joy made history as the oldest living person to visit every U.S. national park.

Seven and a half years ago, Grandma Joy and Brad Ryan set out on a journey to visit all

63 national parks, National Park of American Samoa said in a post on Tuesday.

For them, however, this was not simply a checklist journey but one of reconciliation and healing.

The duo's journey began after Joy told her grandson Ryan she regretted how few trips

she had taken during her life.

That's it for this month's National Park News Roundup.

If you want more national park stories, visit us on the America's National Parks podcast

available on any podcast app.

We'll see you next time.