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Newsletter: Your American West

WNP publishes a digital newsletter several times a year. Your American West, showcases park happenings, research stories, WNP news and more to keep you connected to our national parks. Browse the newsletters or sign up to receive them via email in the footer of this website.

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Empowering Parks

National parks spark your wonder, joy, and connection. They empower you to take care of your health and well-being as you explore the great outdoors. As the president and CEO of Western National Parks Association (WNPA), I’m proud to be a part of a...

Change comes to Frijoles Canyon

Each Fall Frijoles Canyon transforms into a glittering landscape of golden cottonwoods and the sky fills with the chatter of Sandhill Cranes. I stop, look up, just as the Ancestral Puebloan People did before me, and bear witness to birds flying south...

Five Must-Do Activities at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, located in the beautiful landscapes of Montana, memorializes one of the last armed efforts of the region’s Indigenous peoples to preserve their way of life. Preserving the prairie field that was the site...

Five Must-Do Activities at Bandelier National Monument

Bandelier National Monument, located in northwestern New Mexico, is a beautiful and significant cultural site, preserving centuries of art and architecture from human inhabitants, dating back more than 11,000 years. Encompassing more than 33,000...

Buck Tracks Volume 16: Field Notes from Marie Buck, WNPA CEO

Hello everyone, The weather has finally started to recognize that fall is here, with winter not too far behind. The sizzling hot temperatures in the Southwest have started to mellow. In some areas of the Northwest, snow activity began as early as...

Five Must-Do Activities at Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Chaco Culture National Historical Park, located in northwestern New Mexico, is a fascinating cultural site, offering a glimpse into the ancient civilization of the Ancestral Puebloans. Spread over a vast expanse of canyon and mesa country, this...

Western National Parks Association Offers Free AllTrails+ Membership with Purchase, Plus Extra Discounts for Members of the Park Protector Program

TUCSON, Ariz., October 11—Western National Parks Association (WNPA), a leader in conservation, education, and interpretive retail, celebrates the season with a fall promotion that runs from October 16 to October 29. To celebrate the joy of hiking in...

The Seven Best Hikes for Your Fall Getaway

Fall often evokes images of cuddling up by a cozy fire with your favorite fall-themed beverage. This year, enjoy that pumpkin-spiced latte or hot apple cider after a day of hiking in beautiful weather and striking autumn hues. In the spirit of the...

Western National Parks Association Accepting Nominations and Applications for Annual Awards, Grants & Scholarships Starting October 2

TUCSON, Ariz.—October 4–Western National Parks Association(WNPA) will open this year’s submission cycle for its awards, grants, and scholarships starting October 2. With multiyear research grant opportunities, as well as awards and scholarships for...

The History of Carlsbad Caverns National Park

On October 25, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge designated, “a limestone cavern known as the Carlsbad Cave, of extraordinary proportions and of unusual beauty and variety of natural decoration,” as the National Park Service’s newest National Monument...