Maybe it's the scale of it all. But after ten years since my first trip to the Lake District I still can't get over this place.

Home to both England's biggest lake and its tallest mountain, you could visit 100 times and still feel like you're missing things. This time I'm here to spend a few days with Nemo Equipment - a high end outdoor brand with a focus on lightweight kit.

For the uninitiated, Nemo was founded in the US by MIT graduate and sometime spacesuit engineer Cam Brensinger, who, after spending five night's bad sleep in a poorly designed bivvy sack, decided he could do better. Fast forward 20 something years and Nemo is firmly established in the US as a go-to for thoughtfully-made ultralight gear with a sustainable focus.

It's a newer presence in the UK though, and so I'm here as part of a campout to find out more about Nemo's latest products, along with Advnture contributor Gary Moore (who also happens to be my partner) and other journalists, including Sian Lewis, who was involved in the launch of this very site.

Gary and I have already been in the Lakes for 24 hours before the Nemo campout, taking the opportunity to photograph kit including the best wetsuit I've ever had, and an update on a Patagonia classic. Day one saw us hiking off the Hardknott Pass and swimming in the very cold and very fast River Esk, and then staying the night in a fun Scandinavian barbeque hut near Ambleside.

The next morning we head to Grasmere to photograph more kit, including two excellent changing robes from Zone3 and Red, before driving on to the National Trust's campsite at Great Langdale to meet the group for the campout. The campsite is definitely on the fancy side, with a dedicated drying room (more on that later) and hot showers available 24/7. With the forecast promising heavy rain, we're going to need both, but weather regardless, we arrive very much in the mood for more swimming, more hiking, and lots of gear chat.

There are half a dozen other outdoor writers in camp and in theory we're all competitors, working for rival sites and publications. In practice though, many of us already know each other, having bonded at trade shows and events over our mutual love of the outdoors and nerdish level of interest in the kit. From the outset, it's clear that we're going to get along just fine.

After a short round of introductions the Nemo team wastes no time giving us the low down on the brand's latest kit.

The technical bit: new tents

If you're familiar with Nemo tents already, you'll know that they're very light, beautifully designed, and come with a price tag that reflects both those qualities.

We're shown both existing tents, and upgraded versions coming in the next year, with the Dagger, Dragonfly and Hornet, all making an appearance. Coming for next season are more sustainable fabrics, solution dyes, and more room.

Despite their relatively low profiles, it's possible to sit up in every tent - a boon in rainy British weather, when you may unexpectedly get stuck under canvas for a couple of days. All the tents also have a 'landing zone' in the vestibule to stick shoes and backpacks for more sleeping space, and the larger tents have an opening on each side.

While Gary is very much a thru-hiker, having recently walked from Bristol to Ireland, I'm more of a car camper, so it's been a while since I slept in a tiny tent. Happily, the Nemo Dagger Ridge 3P we've been allocated easily keeps us cozy and dry, despite the often torrential rain that has unhelpfully decided to arrive after a month-long drought.

The Ridge versions of Nemo's tents have an updated pole structure, which adds both height, and more usable space - without extra weight. After two nights sleeping in this one, I'm a fan.

The technical bit: ultralight mats

Finding a sleep mat that's light, packable, comfortable and well-insulated, is a holy grail for any wild camper, and Nemo's Tensor sleep mats seek to answer that quest.

We're shown the latest Tensor sleep mats, including the Nemo Tensor Extreme Conditions sleep mat, which all feature 'suspended' insulation, that hangs between the top and bottom layer of the mat, massively reducing the noisy crinkling sound you often get when rolling over on a lightweight mat.

These mats are super lightweight and pack down to almost nothing, and I find myself marvelling - yet again - at how far this industry has come. We're also given a demo on how to use a pump sack, which I could have done with this summer when struggling to use one on my Therm-a-Rest mat.

The technical bit: spoon-shape sleeping bags

We're taken through a range of sleeping bags, most with Nemo's 'spoon' shape - which has a narrower middle section, but then flares out at the feet. It's an interesting compromise between rectangular bags and mummy-styles, that saves weight, while being a more comfortable option than mummy bags and better for side sleepers. Many of the bags have 'Thermo Gills' in the front - small sections that you can unzip to dump heat, which is a clever touch. I spend the first night in a Riff sack, while Gary has the Disco.

Both down bags hold up to the chilly damp conditions with remarkable ease and we agree the spoon shape is a winner, but I'm reminded when I wake up with a tight chest on the first morning that I'm slightly allergic to down and switch to the synthetic Forte for the second night. It's just as good, and it's going on my Christmas list.

Magic chairs: the Nemo Stargaze

With all that technical chat out of the way, it's time to relax. The Nemo team cook up a feast on the firepit (special shout out must go to Jo for her amazing homemade cakes) and we kick back in Nemo Stargaze chairs. Imagine a camping chair combined with a rocking chair and a recliner and you're on the right track. They are obscenely comfortable (admittedly with a pretty hefty price tag). There are two versions - the original Stargaze reclining chair, and the Stargaze Evo-X, which is a bit sturdier, a bit plusher, and quickly wins the vote over which of the two we prefer.

The group quickly divides between the rockers and 'non'-rockers, although, as you can see in my Insta post below, most of us eventually succumb. If I could take home a single piece of kit from the campout, it would be one of these.

The chat takes in some of our recent adventures and the revelation that one of our number doesn't know who Ilona Maher (US rugby legend) is - if you don't know either, you can check out her Instagram here and thank me later. We spend a while marvelling at how she's built her profile to become the most-followed rugby player in the world. We all agree she's awesome.

Swimming with monsters

The next morning the group splits into those keen for a five hour hike up the Langdale Pikes and, well, me. I have an old knee injury that makes me less nimble on the trails than I'd like. If I join the guided hike I'll be the one lagging at the back the whole time. And that's no fun.

So I set off on a solo adventure instead, making a short hike around the edge of Side Pike to Blea Tarn, where I want to swim. Once I'm off the road, a short wander around the side of another hill and through some very prehistoric-feeling woods, brings me to the lake.

Blea Tarn has existed for so long that the sediment on the bottom of the deepest parts hasn't been disturbed since this land was still covered in glaciers. I feel very privileged to be here.

It's pouring with rain and my only company is a female duck, who I share some of my lunch with before my dip. Because it's high up, the water is still and icy cold but I'm used to cold water, so I just chuck on my wetsuit and get in, admittedly with a gasp.

In recent years I've stopped putting my face in the water when I go wild swimming in the UK - the pollution scare stories are no joke. But I don't worry about that here. The water is clean and clear and high up enough that it's extremely unlikely that anything nasty is getting pumped into it,

I dip my head under and the water is pitch black. My lizard brain kicks in and I immediately foresee death by plesiosaur in my near future. The creeping dread so many people experience in open water is upon me. I know it's just a prey instinct, a genetic hangover designed to remind me not to swim with deep water underneath me (for there once were monsters), but it takes me a minute to recalibrate.

After managing to relax again and bobbing around for quite a while I feel like I've had enough, so I peel off my wetsuit in the water (much easier that way), but then the feeling of the cold against my actual skin is so lovely, I decide to stay in for a bit longer, and eventually strip off my bikini to swim naked. Life's too short not to skinny dip.

I do my best to dry off in the now pouring rain, and wander back to the campsite, taking in a pebbled path that runs down the side of Side Pike. I'm grateful for the Vivobarefoot hiking boots I've been testing recently, and my Silva walking poles, that aren't really designed for 'proper' hiking, but help to keep me upright on the steep decline anyway.

I arrive back at camp a little before the rest of the crew, and spread out my entire kit in the drying room before having a much needed hot shower.

The happy hikers return soon enough, with talk of swimming in waterfalls and trekking above the cloud line. I feel a pang of jealousy at not having been able to join in, but that's forgotten soon enough as the Nemo team starts cooking tonight's veggie chilli and we discuss the perfect S'mores combo.

As night falls the clouds miraculously clears and we pull our chairs out from under the awning, to spot a few constellations and track satellites across the sky.

Swimming in Coniston

After an action-packed couple of days we're ready to pass out soon enough, and crawl into our respective tents. Lots of heart-felt goodbyes are had the next morning, before Gary and I make one final stop - to swim in Coniston Water (here I keep my face out, as the big Lakes have seen increasing pollution).

The water is much warmer here, and there are ducks again.

I marvel at finding such peace in the middle of this crazy world and stretch out across the lake, once again reminded of how lucky I am to so all this and somehow call it work.

Food and accommodation at Great Langdale were provided by Nemo Equipment, without any editorial input to this piece aside from some of the photos you see here.

Workers at Yosemite National Park have been forced to contend with one of its busiest summers on record, and a whopping 40% increase in rescues as drastic Trump administration cuts take their toll.

Data from the National Park Service reveals that 2,919,772 people visited the park between January and August of this year, a 7% increase over the same period last year. Between January and July, there was a huge 40% increase in rescues, according to data reported by Politico.

The busy period coincided with large-scale staffing cuts introduced by the Trump administration.

Internal NPS data reported by NPCA suggests that national parks across the US have lost almost a quarter of their full-time staff to the cuts and voluntary redundancies. In response, they've only hired about half of the usual number of temporary employees.

It's unclear exactly how many staff have left their jobs at Yosemite, but former employees suggest the cuts are taking a dangerous toll, especially on rescue workers.

Former Superintendent Cicely Muldoon retired from her position in February and told Politico's E&E News that "there are a lot of folks doing the jobs that three people used to do".

"The search and rescue loads are intense. The traffic and parking, and Yosemite crowds are intense. People are always exhausted by the end."

Despite the cuts and increase in rescues, officials at Yosemite are insistent that the park is doing well.

A statement from Acting Superintendent Ray McPadden reads: “This summer, we expanded access, offered new and improved facilities, experiences, and programs, all in testament to our dedicated park staff and partners.

“Their extraordinary efforts allowed millions of Americans and visitors from across the globe to enjoy Yosemite and create lifelong memories. Yosemite is open year-round and with fall’s arrival, visitors can expect cooler conditions and fewer crowds while accessing all major areas of the park.”

Park workers and advocates are less optimistic, fearing for the long-term health of national parks in the US without proper funding or ample staff.

John Garder, of the National Parks Conservation Association, which advocates for the NPS and its workers, told Advnture last month that parks across the country could sustain serious structural and ecological damage if underfunding continues.

"We're seeing a situation where there are professional staff who care for resources, who do scientific work, who perform law enforcement, and are needed for their normal duties, who are now maintaining bathrooms, and are doing some of the other work so that visitors don't see the impact that this is having," he explained.

"The long-term threat, which is very alarming, is not necessarily visible to park visitors, but if this keeps up, this eventually is going to be the case as resources get degraded."

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A damage report has revealed the devastating impact of a violent wildfire, which decimated large sections of the Grand Canyon National Park over the past couple of months.

The Dragon Bravo wildfire began on July 4 after a lightning strike, and spread rapidly thanks to high winds and scorching temperatures inside the canyon. As of today, it has burned over 140,000 acres of Arizona wilderness and is 80% contained, with hundreds of firefighters still battling the blaze.

The latest assessment from the Department of the Interior’s Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team states that nearly half of the structures in the park's North Rim section have been severely damaged or destroyed by the blaze.

A total of 106 affected structures include the historic Grand Canyon lodge, the visitor centre, and a vital wastewater treatment plant. Roughly 1,000ft (305m) of the area's 3,300ft (1,006m) water pipeline also sustained serious damage.

Ed Keable, superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park, described the assessment as the "first step towards recovery on the North Rim of Grand Canyon."

"By evaluating risks and identifying treatments now, we are laying the foundation for long-term landscape resilience. This careful, science-based work is essential to ensuring that areas can reopen safely.”

The North Rim, which is usually popular with hikers, will remain closed for the rest of the season, along with multiple inner canyon corridors and campgrounds. Trails affected include the North Kaibab Trail, South Kaibab Trail, Phantom Ranch, and Bright Angel Trail (below Havasupai Gardens).

A social media post from the National Park Service expands: "With assessments complete, the park and interagency partners are now shifting to stabilization, mitigation, and long-term recovery efforts. Protecting human health and safety remains the top priority."

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Is it time for a new national park? Lawmakers in Florida certainly think so. They're pushing for 2,800 square miles of Florida wilderness to become America's 64th national park, in a move to protect the sensitive habitats of the Florida springs and bolster interest in the area.

The 'Path to Florida Springs National Park Act' has already been introduced to lawmakers in America's House of Representatives and is currently undergoing a special resource study to determine its suitability and feasibility. If this goes without hiccups, the proposed bill would need to pass Congress before a new park is formally created, although it's unclear how long this would take.

If approved, the bill would designate large parts of the Florida wilderness, including the popular Ocala National Forest, as a new national park. This land would benefit from greater funding and conservation efforts, and advocates hope it could lead to increased tourism.

Suzanne Scheiber, founder of Florida's Green Dream Volusia environmental group, told Spectrum 13 News that a new national park could be "one of the best things that’s happened locally. Our springs need more attention, and if this helps with that by bringing attention and federal funding, then I think that it’s an exciting time."

The Florida Springs

The proposed national park would cover a large area of land in central and northern Florida, including the stunning Ocala National Forest and the Lower Wekiwa River Preserve.

These wilderness areas feature large waterways, forests, and natural pools, which are already popular with hikers and open water swimmers.

They're also home to a wide variety of animals, including black bears, alligators, and bald eagles. National park designation could lead to increased study of the area's wildlife and greater protection efforts.

America's National Parks

National Parks were first designated in the 1800s to protect and manage America's vast, unspoiled wilderness. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson established the National Park Service to oversee the areas and help visitors enjoy them safely.

As of 2025, there are 63 national parks. They're visited by over 300 million people every year, who come to hike, camp, and climb in the serene North American nature.

The New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia was the last to be designated, in 2021.

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Yosemite National Park has fired a ranger who helped to hang a trans pride flag on El Capitan, despite a ban on flag displays only coming in after the event.

Shannon Joslin, who is trans and uses they-them pronouns, had worked as a ranger and wildlife biologist at the park since 2021, but was terminated after taking part in the display.

On May 19, they joined climbers from Trans is Natural, a group of trans, queer, and allied climbers, to hang what's thought to be the largest flag ever displayed on the iconic Yosemite rock formation.

The flag measured 55ft by 35ft (17m x 11m) and flew for 90 minutes to celebrate and welcome trans people after the Trump administration issued a variety of executive orders targeting them, and removed mentions of 'transgender' and 'intersex' people from government websites.

Weeks later, the park banned climbers from rigging large flags to wilderness fixtures, but there was no such ban in place when it was first hung.

Joslin told NBC that they were told they were fired for failing to "demonstrate acceptable conduct" by taking part in the display.

"I'm devastated," they said.

“We don’t take our positions in the park service to make money or to have any kind of huge career gains. We take it because we love the places that we work."

In response, NPS spokesperson Rachel Pawlitz told NBC that the service is "pursuing administrative action against several Yosemite National Park employees and possible criminal charges against several park visitors who are alleged to have violated federal laws and regulations related to demonstrations”.

Pawlitz declined to explain which regulations were allegedly violated, but emphasized that most demonstrations require a permit.

Trans is Natural isn't the only group to rig a flag to the side of El Cap in recent months.

In February, climbers rigged an upside-down American flag from El Cap during the peak's annual firefall display to protest the Trump administration's federal hiring freeze, which affected seasonal park workers. In June 2024, a "Stop the genocide" flag was unfurled to protest the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza.

“Hanging flags has been a tradition that climbers have done on El Cap for decades, and that’s both individuals who are visiting the park, but also employees that are on their off time,” continued Joslin.

"There’s never been any kind of ramifications to any of those flag-hanging activities. I’m the only one who’s been fired for it.”

Joslin now plans to seek legal counsel and contest the decision, promising to fight "tooth and nail" to defend their freedom of speech.

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Hundreds of visitors may have been exposed to rabies after a suspected bat colony was found living in the attic space of a lodge in Grand Teton National Park.

According to a news bulletin provided by the Wyoming park's officials dated August 8, the colony was discovered at the historic Jackson Lake Lodge.

"Wyoming Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are leading the effort to coordinate with the affected guests' local public health officials, who will conduct rabies risk assessments," states the report.

The colony was located above guest rooms 516, 518, 520, 522, 524, 526, 528, and 530, and while officials state that there is no immediate threat to the public, Grand Teton Lodge Company says it has received eight reports of overnight guests who may have been exposed to bats in the lodge since June 2.

The affected rooms have been closed, and efforts are now underway to contact all guests who stayed in those rooms between May 5 and July 27.

If you stayed at Jackson Lake Lodge this summer and think you might have been exposed to a bat, which officials explain means any physical contact, including a bite or scratch, contact Grand Teton Lodge Company at RoomsGTLC@vailresorts.com or (307) 543-3044.

Officials explain that a bat bite might not bleed or be visible or painful. If you were staying in an affected room, you will be put in touch with a public health official.

"Individuals who meet the risk criteria for a rabies exposure will be connected with the appropriate provider in their home state for preventive treatment," state officials advise.

Bats are a healthy part of the ecosystem at Grand Teton National Park and little brown bats are the most common there. In September 2022, a rabid bat was found near Jenny Lake boat dock in the park.

What to do if you come into contact with a bat

Whether a bat flies into your home through an open window or you accidentally grab onto one when you’re crack climbing, you should assume that you’ve been exposed to rabies and act straight away. Bat bites are small and you won’t always know you’ve been bitten, according to the CDC, which offers the following advice:

• The best protection is to stay away from bats – if you see a bat outdoors, just enjoy it from a distance,
• Don’t touch bats – most bites occur when people try to pick bats up.
• If you realize you’ve been sharing a room with a bat, speak to your doctor immediately about your exposure risk and whether or not you need to be vaccinated.
• If you suspect you may have been bitten or scratched by a bat, immediately wash the area with soap and water, then seek medical attention.

Learn more in our article on protecting yourself against bats in the wild.

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A search and rescue operation is underway after a 23-year-old man was reported missing from Rocky Mountain National Park.

The National Park Service reports that crews are searching for Blake Kieckhafer of Omaha, Nebraska, after family members reported him missing on Monday, August 11.

According to social media appeals from family members, Kieckhafer had traveled by himself to Colorado and left his car at a Walmart parking lot in Greeley before taking an Uber into the park. He was dropped off at approximately 5:20pm on Thursday, August 7 in the Upper Beaver Meadows area, around a mile west of Beaver Meadows Entrance on the east side of the park. He has not been seen or heard from since.

Kieckhafer doesn't appear to have been adequately equipped for spending the night in the wild, with the NPS reporting he was dressed in a dark-colored T-shirt, pants and a baseball cap with no logo, and carrying only a small maroon daypack.

Kieckhafer is described as 5’11,” tall and weighs 180lbs. He has buzzed/short blonde hair and a mustache, and blue/green eyes.

The NPS requests that anyone with information as to Kieckhafer's whereabouts call or text them at (888) 653 0009, or submit a tip at https://go.nps.gov/SubmitATip.

There are currently several missing persons cases in Rocky Mountain National Park, including trail runner Chad Pallansch, 48, who disappeared in October 2023, and 70-year-old James Pruitt, who vanished in 2019. Human remains were discovered on the Alpine Ridge Trail in June, but officials have not yet confirmed identification.

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It was a landmark ruling widely celebrated in the outdoors community - the right to wild camp on Dartmoor was enshrined in a court ruling in May.

But now reports have emerged of an increase in fly camping in the national park, with claims that some people are using the wilderness "like a festival site".

There have been reports of campers heading into the national park with large family tents and items like generators, mini fridges and boom boxes. Trash left behind, roadside camping and irresponsible fires have all been reported too. Sam Le Bailly, a national park ranger, said, "It's really crazy what you see. It still surprises me."

Richard Drysdale, director of conservation and communities at Dartmoor Naitonal Park said: "There has been a real rise in the number of people thinking that within this incredible area that they can treat it like a festival site".

This comes after the right to legally wild camp across parts of the national park was restored by the Supreme Court in May following a legal challenge against wild campers by a wealthy landowner.

Wild camping and fly camping

Deputy head ranger Ella Briens added, "We want to be really clear about what backpack or wild camping is and what's fly camping."

Wild camping is a form of camping that takes place away from designated camp sites. It typically takes place high up on open access land by individuals or small groups who follow the Leave no Trace principles by camping discretely and leaving the environment as they found it.

Fly camping does not adhere to the Leave no Trace principles and often involves indiscrete groups pitching tents near the roadside down in the valley. Discarded trash, tents and ruined sites, as well as anti-social behavior are commonplace, with fly campers often leaving scorched earth due to campfires.

Fly camping epidemic

This all comes a month after we reported on fly campers around Ullswater in the English Lake District. Local residents said that they were "frustrated" that more wasn't being done by the local council and national bodies like the National Trust to challenge fly camping.

In a separate incident last week, Keswick Mountain Rescue was called out by local police to carry out a welfare check on a tent pitched at an inaccessible location above the Lake District's Langsrath Valley. At the time, the region was in the grip of a named storm – Storm Floris – adding to both the urgency of the potential rescue and also the difficulties the rescuers could face.

As it turned out, the tent had been abandoned and contained the remains of food and a sopping wet sleeping bag. "Yet another case of fly campers" Keswick Mountain Rescue bemoaned on its official Instagram feed.

Dartmoor camping in the news again

Wild camping in Dartmoor National Park has been in the news a great deal over the last few years. It's the only place in England where it's currently legal to wild camp, though the practice is generally tolerated across the country if the Leave no Trace principles are adhered to. However, the right to wild camp on Dartmoor came under threat after a legal challenge by wealthy hedge fund manager Alexander Darwall and his wife Diana, who own the 4,000-acre Blachford Estate in the south of the national park.

After a nail-biting seven month wait for Right to Roam campaigners, the right to legally wild camp in large parts of Dartmoor was restored and the Darwalls' appeal was thrown out by the Supreme Court.

It's a result that has galvanized all who would love to see the right to legally wild camp extended across all of England and Wales, just as it is in neighboring Scotland. However, instances of fly camping continue to harm this cause, providing landowners with a legitimate argument against opening up the land to all.

We Wild Camp campaign

In June 2025 the British Mountaineering Council – the national representative body for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers – launched its We Wild Camp campaign. The campaign is designed to improve education around responsible camping and deal with the rise of fly camping while raising wild camping's profile, leading to reform and sharing best practice.

One of the ways the BMC is combatting fly camping is via the Wild campers tackling fly camping Facebook group, a forum to "discuss how to leave the countryside better than we found it".

The campaign is also calling for six key changes to allow for reform. These include:

• National Park Authorities to be given the power to create wild camping zones to help manage responsible wild camping and tackle fly camping.
• Guidance on how to wild camp responsibly to be included within an updated version of the countryside code.
• Additional funding for National Parks, National Landscapes, and land managers to support responsible wild camping in the right place.
• A substantial new investment in young people's outdoor education to help improve understanding and skills needed to wild camp responsibly.

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Visiting North America's most popular National Parks can be the experience of a lifetime, but doing it by car can also mean long hours spent waiting at the entrance gates in the heat and circling around looking for available parking spots. That's just one reason why the famous Rocky Mountaineer train service is introducing a new route that runs between Canada's Banff and Jasper National Parks.

Pack your best hiking boots, because starting in summer 2026, you'll be able to take the train between the two iconic parks and discover some of the best of the Canadian West. The new route, called Passage to the Peaks, travels in both directions through the Canadian Rockies, taking in spectacular sights like Lake Louise, Rundle Mountain, Castle Mountain and Pyramid Falls along the way.

While on board, you can get the best of the views thanks to custom-designed coaches that provide you with panoramic views of your surroundings, locally-inspired cuisine and knowledgeable guides.

The are several itineraries to choose from, which all involve two days aboard the train during daylight hours, and between one and nine nights in hotels along the way, depending on how much time you have and how much you want to spend. Packages range from $2,107 to $4,761, with limited booking available now for June and July 2026.

Rocky Mountaineer launched in 1990 and offers luxury train journeys through Western Canada and the American Southwest.

If you're planning on hitting the trails along the way, read our 11 tips for your first hiking vacation before you go.

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The National Park Service is facing an all-out crisis after losing roughly 24% of its full-time staff to a series of brutal cuts and redundancies imposed by the Trump administration.

Visitors to the parks have been forced to contend with long lines, reduced opening hours, and other issues as parks across the country struggle to cope without sufficient staff. Conservation and scientific efforts have also been impacted as employees are forced to perform various visitor-facing roles and clean the bathrooms, due to a lack of maintenance staff.

To find out just how bad things have gotten, I caught up with John Garder, Senior Director of Budget and Appropriations at the National Parks Conservation Association.

The NPCA is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to protecting America's National Parks and their staff.

What happened?

The past few months have been extremely damaging for the NPS.

Days after taking office, President Trump announced a federal hiring freeze, which stopped America's 63 national parks from recruiting the thousands of temporary workers they rely on each year during the busy summer season, and asked full-time employees to take redundancy.

Weeks later, one thousand further staff were fired in a bulk email, popularly referred to as the 'Valentine's Day massacre'.

In total, internal NPS data reported by NPCA suggests that the parks have lost almost a quarter of their full-time staff, and have only hired around half of the usual number of temporary employees.

Visitor experience

Inadequate staff numbers have had a drastic impact on the visitor experience at America's 63 national parks.

"We are seeing late openings of campgrounds, long lines at the visitor centre, challenges keeping up with maintenance, reduced hours at parks, reduced hours at visitor centres, and other impacts," Garder explains.

Delays have been a common occurrence throughout the summer. Parks across the country are recording record visitor numbers, but without ample staff to man the facilities, some visitors have been forced to wait in lengthy lines before they can even get through the gate.

To make up for the missing maintenance workers, Garder claims that law enforcement officers, scientists, and other non-public-facing staff have been forced away from their usual work to help visitors.

"We're seeing a situation where there are professional staff who care for resources, who do scientific work, who perform law enforcement, and are needed for their normal duties, who are now maintaining bathrooms, and are doing some of the other work so that visitors don't see the impact that this is having," he tells me.

Internal NPS emails seen by SFGate appear to confirm Garder's claims, asking biologists, hydrologists, and archaeologists at Yosemite National Park to take on bathroom shifts due to insufficient staff numbers.

Garder continues: "The long-term threat, which is very alarming, is not necessarily visible to park visitors, but if this keeps up, this eventually is going to be the case as resources get degraded."

Conservation

With conservation staff forced elsewhere to deal with other, 'collateral duties', Garder fears that their vital work monitoring wildlife, addressing invasive species, and restoring habitats is in danger.

"All of those things are at risk as professionals are being lost, and those staff who remain are, in many cases, being sent to perform other duties, many of which are visitor-facing," he explains.

Multiple conservation employees have also lost work in Trump's mass firings, and many more have taken the administration's redundancy package.

Campsites

Campsites are one of the few areas where the parks are just about coping. Although multiple sites were unable to open on time earlier in the summer, the rehiring of some seasonal staff has lifted the burden.

"As they've been able to hire more seasonal staff, which is not at the level that the Interior Secretary promised, they have been able to do more things like open up campgrounds," says Garder.

What's next?

The future of America's national parks remains in the balance, but there's a possibility that things could get even worse before they get better.

In June, President Trump's Interior Secretary Doug Burgum proposed a whopping $1.2 billion cut to the NPS in its 2026 budget proposal to Congress.

The announcement sent a shudder through the outdoor community. The NPS already has a monster deferred maintenance backlog of over $20 billion, and nature lovers feared that it wouldn't be able to cope with just two-thirds of its 2025 budget.

Congress, thankfully, listened to the budget's many critics, and a House appropriations subcommittee recently marked it up with a restored NPS budget of $3.1 billion, which would essentially keep funding the same as this year.

"We're relieved to see that Congress is declining some of the administration's worst proposals, at least so far," says Garder, who remains deeply concerned about the service's future under the Trump administration.

"The Interior Secretary has engaged in a steady, all-out assault on the National Park Service," he claims.

"This is historic in nature, and we're alarmed by it. It's important that Americans continue to demonstrate outrage, and the administration and Congress listen to them."

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An abandoned vehicle has been found in the search for a New Jersey man who has been missing in Grand Canyon National Park for nearly two weeks.

In a news release, the National Park Service says a Tesla Cybertruck belonging to Thomas Daniel Gibbs has been found at Grandview Point Parking lot. Gibbs, 35, was last in contact with family and friends on July 22 and was reported missing on July 28. He is believed to have been hiking in the Grandview Trail / Horseshoe Mesa area on the South Rim.

Gibbs was visiting the park from Freehold, NJ, and is described by officials as white, 6'1" tall with brown hair and brown eyes. It is not known how he was dressed when he disappeared.

Park rangers are asking anyone who was on the Grandview Trail around July 22 and who may have seen Gibbs or has information on his whereabouts to contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009. Tips can also be submitted online at www.nps.gov/ISB or via email at nps_isb@nps.gov.

Conditions in the park have been hazardous in recent weeks. Yesterday saw widespread trail closures due to an extreme heat warning that was forecast to bring temperatures as high as 112°F (44°C) to the area, as well as smoky conditions. The North Rim is closed for the remainder of the 2025 season because of damage and losses caused by the massive Dragon Bravo Wildfire.

Grand View Trail is a steep, rugged, precarious hike that descends into the canyon. Hiking to Horsehoe Canyon entails a six-mile round-trip journey and the NPS warns that trail conditions are tougher than the popular Bright Angel and South Kaibab Trails and advises that it only be attempted by experienced desert hikers.

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Good news outdoor lovers, Untamed has been renewed for a second season!

The murder-mystery series set in Yosemite National Park was a smash hit when it premiered on Netflix last month, earning critical acclaim and drawing plenty of eyeballs.

Although it's yet to confirm a release date, Netflix has announced that Untamed will be returning to our screens.

“I am absolutely thrilled that we get the chance to bring another season of Untamed to life. The response to season one has been a testament to the incredible effort by our crew to deliver something truly unique," said lead actor Eric Bana, who plays the brooding special agent, Kyle Turner.

Season one follows Turner as he investigates the death of a woman who appears to have fallen from Yosemite's towering El Capitan. He teams up with fresh-faced National Park Service ranger Naya Vasquez, played by Lily Santiago, to investigate the incident, and soon realizes that all isn't what it seems.

You can watch the trailer for season one below:

The show is set within Yosemite National Park, and takes viewers to all corners of the 1,169-square-mile (3,028²) wilderness area.

The series debuted earlier this month to worldwide success, topping Netflix’s global Top 10 English-language shows table for the week commencing July 14. It's now earned more than 25 million viewers.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is one of America's largest and most popular parks. It's visited by upwards of four million people annually, who come to run, hike, camp, and climb in the stunning North American wilderness.

Along with hundreds of picturesque hiking trails, Yosemite is home to the towering El Capitan peak, which sits around 7,569ft (2,307m) above sea level and offers breathtaking views to anyone bold enough to climb it.

El Cap is well-known in the climbing community, but gained new notoriety in 2018 with the release of Free Solo, a film documenting climber Alex Honnold's journey to become the first person to scale the Californian behemoth without additional safety equipment.

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Rescuers at Sequoia National Park have found a body in the search for a missing Californian woman who was swept away from the shore while trying to help her sister.

Jomarie Calasanz, 26, was pulled into fast-moving waters in the Kaweah River and carried away on May 25. After two months of searching, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park shared a statement on Wednesday, July 30, saying that rescuers had located a body and confirmed it to be hers.

The search, which took place throughout June and July, included the use of drones, ground teams, dive teams, and dogs, but was brought to a halt by dangerous weather conditions in July.

Calasanz's body was finally discovered on July 24, less than a mile from where she had disappeared.

"Water flow calculations were continually monitored, and it was determined July 24 would be the first and best opportunity to safely locate Jomarie," reads the statement.

"The National Park Service, Sheriff Boudreaux, and the men and women of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office offer our deepest condolences to Jomarie's family."

The La Puente resident had been swimming with her sister, Joanne, who was pulled away from the shore by a strong current. Calasanz swam out to save her sister before both women were dragged further. Joanne told the Los Angeles Times that she was able to find her footing, but Jomarie was swept into the river.

After the discovery, Francis Calasanz thanked the rescue crews, and everyone involved in the search in a Facebook post on behalf of the Calasanz family.

It reads: "Praise God for an amazing outcome to such a terrible tragedy. We thank Him and His Goodness and though our hearts remain heavy with sorrow, we are deeply grateful to share that Jomarie has been found, and after 65 days, we can now bring her home to rest."

Open water safety

Following the announcement, officials at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park took the opportunity to warn visitors about the water's dangers.

"We would like to remind the public that rivers remain dangerous even with lower flow rates later in the season," they said in a statement.

"Please stay away from swift water, be sure to wear a life jacket, and keep children close along the river’s edge."

Swimming in open water can be a safe and enjoyable activity if done right, but it's important to remember the essentials.

• Be wary of currents - Strong currents can be extremely dangerous. Make sure you know how to spot one, and if you're caught in a current, swim parallel to the shore until it peters out
• Check the water quality - Rivers, ponds, and open water environments can fall victim to dangerous water pollution. Check pollution levels before you take a dip with the How's My Waterway map in the US and the Surfers against Sewage map in the UK.
• Don't jump in - You never know what lies beneath the surface, so wade, don't jump into open water. A belly flop could endanger you and nearby wildlife.
• Swim with others - Mitigate the risks of open water swimming by taking a friend or going with a group that can offer assistance in the case of an emergency.
• Wear the right gear - Good swimming kit is essential in open water environments. Rivers, lakes, seas, and ponds are almost always colder than open-air and indoor pools, so don't be afraid to wear a wetsuit. If you start to feel chilly, leave the water and wrap yourself in something insulating like a reliable changing robe.

For more open water safety guidance, check out our expert guide.

• The best changing robes: cocoon yourself post-swim in a protective layer
• The best water shoes: fast-draining, quick-drying and ready to take you from the shore to the sea

A 17-year-old hiker has suffered significant burns while walking in a thermal area of Yellowstone National Park.

According to a news release by the National Park Service, the unidentified male hiker was in the vicinity of Lone Star Geyser near Old Faithful on the morning of Monday, July 28, when the incident occurred.

"His foot broke through the thin crust and he suffered burns to a lower extremity. Emergency medical staff responded and transported the patient to a hospital for further treatment," states the NPS.

This is the first known thermal injury in Yellowstone in 2025, though there have been many incidents of tourists sustaining severe burns by getting too close to thermal features at the Wyoming park.

The Park Service doesn't mention whether the teenager was hiking off the boardwalks, which have been put in place to protect visitors, saying only that the incident remains under investigation. They did take the opportunity to remind all park visitors to remain on boardwalks and to keep a good distance from all thermal pools and geysers. If you're planning on visiting the park this year, you can learn more in our article on hot spring safety at Yellowstone.

Lone Star Geyser erupts up to 45 feet (13.7 m) from a 12-foot (3.6 m) cone approximately every three hours.

• Best hiking boots: hit the trails
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A 29-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree limb while walking in a popular giant sequoia grove at Yosemite National Park.

According to reporting by San Francisco Gate, Angela Lin was hiking with her boyfriend David Hua, and two friends in Tuolumne Grove on July 19 when the tragedy occurred. Hua says the group heard a loud cracking sound followed by several falling branches just seconds later.

“One big branch struck Angela, and then there were a bunch of smaller ones directly behind me."

Hua says he closed his eyes when the branches started falling, and when he opened them, Lin was on the ground, bleeding. Hua was able to call 911 from the grove and, with the help of bystanders, administer CPR, but when paramedics arrived, they pronounced Lin dead on the scene and reportedly told Hua she had likely died instantly.

A Facebook post in the Monterey Park Pickleball group confirms the incident and identifies Lin as Peter Lin's daughter, a Google software engineer.

The National Park Service has not issued a statement on the incident, but it closed the area for about a week.

In October 2024, a 22-year-old Australian hiker was killed by a falling tree on the Four Mile Trail in Yosemite.

What's your risk of being hit by a falling tree?

Your risk of being hit by a falling tree, also known as a hazard tree, is very low, but as this news reveals, these incidents do occur and can be deadly.

Though hazard trees are often associated with windy weather, there are other reasons why a tree might become structurally unsound, and not all of them are easy to spot with the naked eye.

Diseases and rot can plague trees that appear healthy on the outside – a rotting base was responsible for a tree that killed a German hiker on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2019. A dead tree often falls onto another tree, which can compromise the roots of that healthy tree, while heavy rains can make the roots of a healthy tree unsound enough to fell it.

Though it may not always be possible to protect yourself from hazard trees on a hike, there are some steps you can take.

• Check the weather forecast for wind gusts and high winds.
• Use clearings to stop for breaks away from trees.
• Avoid hiking in areas with dense patches of dead trees such as burn scars and beetle kill areas.
• Report the GPS coordinates of hazard trees you encounter to local authorities.
• Carry a satellite communicator such as a Garmin InReach when venturing into wilderness areas in case you need to signal for help and cell service isn't available.

Learn more in our article on hazard trees.

• Best hiking boots: hit the trails

A four-year-old child was attacked by a mountain lion in Olympic National Park during a family hike in a popular area.

Park rangers issued a news bulletin appealing for witnesses after the rare incident took place on Sunday, July 20. The family was hiking near the Victoria Overlook area on Hurricane Ridge at around 3pm when a collared mountain lion bit the child.

Though the extent of the child's injuries hasn't been revealed, the victim was airlifted by a LifeFlight helicopter to a Level 1 Trauma Center and is said to be undergoing treatment for their injuries in a Seattle hospital.

Rangers began the search for the mountain lion immediately, and with the help of a canine team, they located it at around 5pm. The animal was euthanized the following morning. Rangers say there are no current threats to the public but are asking witnesses to contact them at 888-653-0009 or email nps_isb@nps.gov.

Hurricane Ridge can be accessed by car or bus, making it one of the busier mountain areas in the park with multiple short, family-friendly trails.

Mountain lion safety

Mountain lion attacks on humans are extremely rare, but they do happen. In March 2024, two brothers were hunting in a remote area of California when a mountain lion pounced, killing one.

It's important to remain vigilant any time you are hiking or recreating in mountain lion country, even in busy National Parks.

In the unlikely event that you do encounter one, back up slowly and make yourself appear big. You can make noise and wave your trekking poles, throw stones, or do whatever it takes to get the animal to retreat. Learn more in our article on what to do if you meet a mountain lion on the trail.

• Best hiking boots: hit the trails

Visitors to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming have been urged to keep their wits about them after a slew of shoe heists in recent weeks.

National Park Service rangers say that at least 32 pairs have been stolen from campers in the area, and are pointing the blame at a furry bandit in 'Wanted' posters that have been hung around the park.

'Wanted for grand theft footwear,' reads one poster, which describes a shoe-stealing fox who goes by the aliases: 'Sneaker Snatcher', 'Midnight Mismatcher', and 'Swiper the Fox'.

The posters appeared three weeks ago after the fox stole 19 pairs of shoes in a matter of weeks. They were designed to stop visitors leaving their footwear outside, but don't seem to have done the trick, as a further 32 pairs have been stolen since.

It might sound like a joke, but officials insist that the warnings are genuine and that visitors' shoes are in real danger of ending up in a fox's den if they're not stored safely.

NPS spokesperson Emily Davis told Backpacker: “We were trying to educate our visitors in a fun way about this fox and not to habituate it."

Officials aren't sure why the fox, or possible group of foxes, has taken a liking to visitors' footwear. Some think it could be attracted to sweat left inside, while others say it could see shoes as something to play with.

"Maybe it’s a toy. Maybe it’s a nesting material collection. Maybe it’s fashion," posits an NPS Instagram post.

Advice for visitors

Park officials are keen to stress the problems with shoe-stealing foxes, who could be getting too comfortable around humans.

"It’s a problem for the fox to get acclimated to humans because it may need to be relocated or, in the worst-case scenario, euthanized," reads the same Instagram post.

The NPS has issued the following advice for campers staying in Grand Teton.

• Store your shoes and other scented items in a secure location like a bear box. Keep them inside your tent at the very least.
• Don't bait wildlife with your belongings.
• If a fox shows up at your camp, scare it away with lots of noise.

For more wildlife safety tips, check out our top tips for surprise animal encounters.

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Officials at Sequoia National Park are reminding hikers to stay vigilant after a missing hiker was found dead in the park. The incident is the fifth fatality within Sequoia and Kings Canyon Parks this year.

According to a news release from the California park, 36-year-old Drew Hall was hiking in rugged terrain on Saturday, July 12, when he disappeared. He had reportedly separated from his group earlier in the day and made plans to meet later. When he failed to show up at the appointed time, family members reported him missing.

A search and rescue mission for Hall, a local resident of nearby Visalia, was launched on Sunday morning, but it was his own friends and family who discovered his body below Sawtooth Peak at around 3pm that day.

Hall is described in the report as "fit and active," and a GoFundMe account set up in his name says he was a basketball coach for Golden West High School and a father of two.

“We encourage everyone to take extra precautions and remain vigilant while enjoying the beauty of these National Parks. Safety must always come first," says Chief Ranger David Fox.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon emergency personnel say they have been activated for 60 search and rescue incidents this year, and this was one of five that occurred over this past weekend.

Hiking safety

It's always worth remembering that hiking and recreating in the backcountry is an inherently risky activity, and while tragic accidents may not be avoidable, there are steps you can take to help keep yourself safe.

• Leave a detailed plan of your hike with someone you trust.
• When possible, hike with a partner.
• Carry the 10 essentials, including extra layers, food and water, headlamp and first aid kit.
• Research your route and carry backup navigation tools (a map and compass).
• Stay within your ability level and stay aware of your surroundings.
• Check the mountain weather forecast before setting off and plan to start early.
• Know when to turn back.
• Make sure you have a reliable means of communication in case of emergencies such as a Garmin InReach or other satellite communicator.

• The best emergency blankets, bags and shelters: lightweight lifesaving gear
• The best hiking boots: protect your feet on any trail with our top choices

Two iconic US National Parks are under threat from wildfires, which have destroyed historic landmarks and caused widespread closures during peak travel season.

At Grand Canyon National Park, officials confirmed the loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge and dozens of historic cabins on Sunday, calling the Dragon Bravo Fire "extreme and volatile."

The Dragon Bravo Fire began on July 4 as a result of a lightning strike, and at the time of publication is burning at more than 5,700 acres. The most recent update from the National Park Service, on July 13, reports that the blaze had expanded by a further 500 acres, fueled by hot temperatures and strong winds. Only a week ago, a hiker died from heat-related illness in the park as authorities warned of "extremely hazardous" conditions.

Firefighters have been battling the blaze using aerial bucket drops, but the NPS report states that they have been unable to use aerial retardant due to a chlorine gas leak at the water treatment facility. It is estimated that between 50 and 80 structures have been lost to the fire, though no injuries have been reported.

The popular North Rim will remain closed for the remainder of the 2025 season. All inner canyon corridor trails and campgrounds are closed until further notice, including the North Kaibab Trail, South Kaibab Trail, Phantom Ranch, and Bright Angel Trail (below Havasupai Gardens).

The original Grand Canyon Lodge was completed at Bright Angel Point in 1928 but was destroyed by a fire four years later. It was rebuilt by 1938 using much of the original stonework and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison evacuated

Meanwhile, Colorado's Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, which is often described as a miniature Grand Canyon, is completely closed and being evacuated due to a fire on the South Rim.

"Do not enter the park until further notice," states an update from officials at the park.

The South Rim fire ignited on July 10 as a result of a lightning strike and is currently burning at nearly 4,000 acres. Governor Jared Polis declared a state of emergency Sunday afternoon, and an air quality alert remains in effect for all of western Colorado, with smoke reaching Silverton, which hosted runners for the Hardrock 100 Endurance Run over the weekend creating hazy conditions.

Current weather in the Gunnison area shows temperatures in the mid-80s with afternoon thunderstorms possible.

If you are living or recreating near an area affected by wildfires, read our articles on wildfire safety and wildfire smoke before going outside.

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Following victory for Dartmoor wild campers in May, it's not just humans pitching tents on the high moors that's a welcome sight in the British national park. For the first time in over a century, pine marten kits have been spotted in the region following efforts to reintroduce this native species.

The footage, caught on camera in June, confirms that the reintroduced mammals have successfully bred after eight females and seven males were released across the national park in 2024. Watch the footage, posted by the Devon Wildlife Trust, below:

These small mammals were once commonplace across the English Southwest before woodland habitat loss and human persecution led to their eradication in the region.

Their recent success is down to the hard work of the Two Moors Pine Marten Project, a partnership between a further seven organizations: Dartmoor National Park Authority, Devon Wildlife Trust, Exmoor National Park Authority, Forestry England, National Trust, Somerset Wildlife Trust and Woodland Trust. The project benefited from support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Vincent Wildlife Trust.

"The birth of the first pine marten kits in Devon in over a century marks a truly historic moment for wildlife recovery," said Stuart McLeod, Director – London & South, The National Lottery Heritage Fund. He went on to say that the pioneering project had "brought together many organisations with one goal in mind, to help nature’s recovery".

He added: "This milestone is a testament to the power of long-term conservation, and the resilience of nature when given the chance to thrive".

The Two Moors Pine Marten Project and its dedicated volunteers have spent hundreds of hours tracking the released pine martens, learning about their behavior by installing den boxes and checking camera traps.

"To now see the next generation of pine martens in the South West is simply fantastic," said Lucie Bennett, Somerset Wildlife Trust's Pine Martens Engagement Officer (Exmoor). "What a beautiful sight to see healthy kits moving through the woodlands of Dartmoor that they once again call home. These kits will grow up to do wonderful things as a part of our woodland ecosystem and mark a special moment in history for nature recovery."

A brighter future for the pine marten

It's hoped that the South West's pine marten population will gradually go from strength to strength over the coming years. These shy creatures avoid human contact and are nocturnal, so even keen wildlife watchers may struggle to encounter them on the moors. However, those that do catch a glimpse are being encouraged to get in touch with the Two Moors Pine Project to report the sighting.

Further releases are now planned at secret locations in the neighboring Exmoor National Park for the fall. It's likely that, after robust health checks, about 20 more pine martens will be relocated there from thriving wild populations in Scotland.

"Exmoor’s woodlands are well-suited to the animals," says Tracey Hamston, Two Moors Pine Marten Project Lead. "Their arrival in early autumn will coincide with the local natural harvest of wild berries – food which pine martens love. In a year’s time we would hope to see the first kits appearing on Exmoor.”

Watch this space...

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A 67-year-old man has died while hiking in the Grand Canyon, according to the National Park Service (NPS). It comes as the region has been grappling with intense heat in recent days, with the NPS issuing yet further heat warnings.

The incident took place on July 8, when officials received reports of an unresponsive hiker on the South Kaibab Trail, below Cedar Ridge, at around 11:50am. The man, from Alvarado, Texas, was aiming to reach the Colorado River to overnight at Phantom Ranch. Reports suggest he had turned back at Skeleton Point and was making his way back up the trail. Tragically, he was found in the same place that another Texas man died last year.

A statement from NPS reports that: "Bystanders immediately initiated CPR while NPS medical personnel responded via helicopter. All attempts to resuscitate the individual were unsuccessful."

The Grand Canyon has been ranked as the most dangerous US National Park in the past, with extreme heat the main culprit behind its fatalities. In May, a 74-year-old man died after succumbing to the hot conditions. This was against the backdrop of authorities warning hikers to be self-sufficient in light of staff shortages due to cuts brought about by the Trump administration.

In June, search and rescue authorities warned hikers to be prepared for the heat after a surge in rescue helicopter callouts. Trail closures due to construction work on the Transcanyon water pipeline has been forcing some to take lengthy detours, adding to the danger.

The South Kaibab Trail is currently the main trail for hiking into the canyon to access both Phantom Reach and the North Kaibab Trail. Despite being a "well-defined, well-maintained" route, the NPS points out that its open nature "lends itself to extreme heat during the summer months". There is little shade along the trail and it should be avoided during periods of intense heat.

Extremely hazardous conditions for hikers

NPS park rangers are strongly advising against hikers entering the inner canyon during the peak heat hours between 10am and 4pm. An NPS statement warns that: Iin the summer, temperatures on exposed parts of the trail can exceed 120°F (49°C) in the shade, creating extremely hazardous conditions for hikers."

They are urging walkers to take "extreme caution" when planning any kind of outing in the Grand Canyon during the summer. Hikers should consult the Key Hiking Messages service for critical updates, trail closures, trail hazards and localized weather forecasts.

Staying safe

Hiking in excessive heat can be extremely dangerous. To stay safe during the warmer months, heed the following advice:

• Drink plenty of water
• Stay out of the sun, and in an air-conditioned place
• If you have to spend time outside, take frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned places
• Wear clothing that is lightweight and loose-fitting
• Save strenuous activities for the early morning or evening

• The best hiking boots: protect your feet on any trail with our top choices
• The best hydration packs: on-the-go refuelling

If you were excited about the teaser that landed in June, you'll be thrilled to hear that Netflix has released the official trailer for the upcoming Untamed, a limited murder-mystery series set in Yosemite National Park.

The series stars Eric Bana as Kyle Turner, a special agent for the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB), as he investigates the death of a woman who, at first glance, appears to have accidentally fallen from El Capitan. Teaming up with new ranger Naya Vasquez, played by Lily Santiago, they soon find that not all is as it seems.

Soon the pair find themselves not only confronting shadowy secrets within the vast national park, but also in their own pasts.

Having watched the trailer, we can safely say that, for Yosemite enthusiasts and lovers of the great outdoors across the world, it looks an absolute visual treat.

The full series goes live on Netflix from July 17 in the US and UK. Watch the official trailer below:

What we know about Untamed

The series was created by screenwriters Mark L. Smith (The Revenant, Twisters) and Elle Smith (The Marsh King's Daughter). Other cast members include Sam Neill, of Jurassic Park fame, Rosemary DeWitt, Wilson Bethel and William Smille.

Central to the mystery surrounding the death on El Capitan becomes the question: what was the victim running from? Details on the plot are scarce, though the trailer, as well as a feature on Netflix's Tudum, provide a few hints.

Main character, the haunted Kyle Turner, faces a struggle to reconcile events surrounding a past case, while striving to solve this new one. The trailer shows him not only rappelling from the top of a cliff, but also going deep underground to unearth shady secrets. In one of the trailer's more chilling moments, a character utters: "bodies will fall like the stars." While Bana's Turner later asserts: "I think the killings are connected." Serial killer? Or perhaps it's an over zealous black bear? Our money is on the former.

Yosemite as a setting is like a character in itself and the creators were clearly inspired by its scale. "In a lot of these parks, people visit about 3%, 4% of the actual land,” says creator Elle Smith. “You see the village and you see the main points, but you don’t get into the back country and you don’t really see the mass square footage of the place.”

It's a sentiment echoed by Sam Neill's character, chief park ranger Paul Souter, in the trailer. He says: "We have close to a million acres of wilderness. That's a lot of ground to cover – and a lot of places to hide."

Untamed isn't the only trailer that outdoor enthusiasts have gotten excited over of late. Superstar climber Alex Honnold, along with British climbing great Hazel Findlay and Brette Harrington, of The Alpinist fame, are also cast members in the climbing horror movie – The Sound, the trailer for which was released last month (see below).

• The best hiking boots: protect your feet on any trail
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At Ullswater in the English Lake District, the sublimely beautiful lake where poet William Wordsworth once famously 'wandered lonely as a cloud', a terrible "epidemic" is occurring according to local people.

As reported in the Manchester Evening News, residents say they are "heartbroken" by the scale of the region's fly camping problem. They say that campers are leaving sites strewn with trash, leaving scorched earth from disposable barbecues, leaving tents behind and, in one shocking case, a resident even discovered a discarded 12in zombie knife.

Anti-social behavior has also been reported, such as campers playing loud music through portable speakers, chopping down trees for firewood and harming wildlife.

Locals say that it's often up to them to clean up the mess left behind. One resident, Clive Rowlandson, 54, said that residents were "frustrated" that authorities, such as the local council and National Trust, aren't challenging fly campers enough.

Wild camping and fly camping

Camping outside of designated campsites is technically illegal in the Lake District, as well as across most of England and Wales. However, wild camping is generally tolerated in national parks and other national landscapes if done respectfully. This includes pitching high, above the highest wall, and by adhering to Leave No Trace principles.

Wild campers are at pains to highlight the difference between this and fly camping, which doesn't adhere to the ethos of respectful wild camping. Fly camping typically involves larger groups pitching their tents in a valley, often near the roadside. Unfortunately, it seems some of these groups are either unaware of the leave no trace principles or are in defiance of them. Discarded trash, tents and ruined sites are commonplace.

A negative generational shift

Acclaimed local filmmaker Terry Abraham, who lives in the nearby Eden Valley, says the issue around fly camping in the Lake District is getting "out of hand" and that he's noticed "a negative generational shift in under 30s when it comes to respecting nature".

He added: "It has got to the point where I no longer want to go for a walk or cycle about Ullswater or the fells as it makes my blood boil and breaks my heart."

The issue underlines the challenge faced by those who'd want to see wild camping legalized across England and Wales. A victory was won in May 2025, when the right to wild camp in large parts of England's Dartmoor National Park was upheld after a legal challenge by Alexander Darwall, a wealthy landowner.

On the back of this, in June 2025 the British Mountaineering Council – the national representative body for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers – launched its We Wild Camp campaign. The campaign is designed to raise wild camping's profile, lead to reform and share best practice.

One of the key aims is to improve education around responsible camping and deal with the rise of fly camping.

Upon the launch of the campaign, Eben Muse, BMC policy and campaigns officer for Wales, said: "We acknowledge that fly camping, done by a minority, is having a negative impact on our landscapes, especially in hotspot areas.

"As a community we need to pull together to reduce that impact, both in terms of directly tackling litter and waste in the countryside and by helping to give everyone the tools and awareness to know what good practice looks like when wild camping."

One of the ways the BMC is combatting fly camping is via the Wild campers tackling fly camping Facebook group, a forum to "discuss how to leave the countryside better than we found it".

The campaign is also calling for six key changes to allow for reform. These include:

• National Park Authorities to be given the power to create wild camping zones to help manage responsible wild camping and tackle fly camping.
• Guidance on how to wild camp responsibly to be included within an updated version of the countryside code.
• Additional funding for National Parks, National Landscapes, and land managers to support responsible wild camping in the right place.
• A substantial new investment in young people's outdoor education to help improve understanding and skills needed to wild camp responsibly.

Leave No Trace

The Leave No Trace initiative lays down a set of principles to follow in order to protect the natural environment we all love to explore. Our definitive guide goes into more detail but the main principles are as follows:

• Leave what you find
• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surface
• Dispose of waste properl
• Minimise campfire impact
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of other visitors

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• The best camping stoves: backpacking and double burner stoves

In stark contrast to the "Putting Americans First" approach announced by the Trump administration last week, the Canadian federal government has opened its premier nationals parks to all – including visitors from abroad.

And now Alberta's four famous national parks – Banff, Elk Island, Jasper and Waterton Lakes – have joined the scheme. This means hikers will be able to visit iconic places like Moraine Lake, Maligne Canyon and the Columbia Icefield without having to pay entrance fees.

The Canada Strong Pass that allows free entry to all was first announced in June as "an invitation to experience Canada's cultural and natural richness," according to the news release from the Canadian government. But Alberta's national parks only joined the initiative at the weekend.

Until September 2, all national parks managed by Parks Canada, including all four of Alberta's usually fee-charging parks, will be free to enter thanks to the Pass. As well as this, children and young people will get either free or discounted entry to the nation's historic sites and provincial museums.

This comes at a time when the US government is taking the opposite approach, instructing its major national parks to charge foreign visitors more and prioritize Americans when it comes to permits, reservation systems and access lotteries.

The Canada Strong Pass will undoubtedly tempt many Canadians to spend their money on home soil. According to a report in the Vancouver Sun, many are already reluctant to travel to the US "in light of President Donald Trump’s policies and continuing tariff and border concerns".

Celebrating a strong, united Canada

The news release outlined the details of the Canada Strong Pass and provided its rationale, saying it would help Canadians "enjoy the places and experiences that bring us together and make Canada strong".

Steven Guilbeault, Minister for Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages was quoted as saying: “We’ve seen an incredible show of unity from Canadians since the beginning of the year. Our Canada Strong Pass aims to make it even easier for families to choose Canada—to discover the beauty of our country, connect with nature, and enjoy our culture all summer long.

"Whether it’s visiting a national park they always wanted to see, exploring a museum, or booking a camping trip, families can create lasting memories together. Canadians are proud of what defines us, and this Pass is about celebrating a strong, united Canada.”

The move is likely to draw more visitors to Canada's iconic regions of natural beauty, providing a boost to local economies. Parks Canada manages 48 national parks and welcomes around 24 million visitors annually, spending the equivalent of more than $11 million every day in communities the length and breadth of the nation.

What is the Canada Strong Pass?

Rather than a physical pass or even a virtual one that you might have stored on your smartphone, the Canada Strong Pass is held by anyone who visits a participating Parks Canada site. There's no need to sign up, purchase or collect. In effect, you've already got it.

It's available whether you're Canadian or coming from abroad and there's no limit to how many times you can use it during the summer. It's worth bearing in mind that certain parks and attractions may still require a reservation.

The benefits of the Pass include:

• Free admission for all visitors to national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas administered by Parks Canada and a 25% discount on camping fees.
• Free admission for children aged 17 and under, as well as 50% discounts for young adults aged between 18 and 24.
• Free VIA Rail travel for children aged 17 and under when accompanied by an adult, and a 25% discount for young adults aged 18 to 24.
• Free admission to participating provincial and territorial museums and galleries for children aged 17 and under, as well as a 50% discount for young adults aged 18 to 24.

• The best hiking boots: protect your feet on any trail
• The best waterproof jackets: brave the elements

In the early morning of June 19, a truck caught fire while descending the Towne Pass on the California State Route 190 (CA-190). All that remained was a burnt out husk on the side of road. Fortunately the driver escaped unscathed and managed to protect and disconnect the trailer.

Following on from last July's hottest month ever recorded in Death Valley, it should come as no surprise that the hottest place on Earth is still a potentially hazardous place to be. This is particularly true of both its trails and its roads.

Hikers have been known to succumb to its intense heat, while the National Park Service (NPS) recommends only short journeys in an air conditioned car during the summer months. However, it's not just humans that are at risk here but our vehicles too. In the last few years alone, there have been several instances of vehicles catching fire in the national park.

Death Valley National Park is crossed by the CA-190. It's a road that engages in its fair share of challenging climbs and descents. These put an immense strain on already overheated mechanical components, as they try desperately to help the vehicle battle its way across the world's hottest place.

According to the NPS, most fire incidents are caused by overheated brakes while descending steep grades. In 2024 alone, six tractor trailers and one 5th wheel RV caught fire on the road. The situation is so severe that commercial trucks are advised against driving it, while they're banned altogether from other roads in the national park.

Despite the dangers, many truckers still take to the CA-190, as the alternative routes require lengthy detours.

However, it's not cars setting ablaze that is the main cause of fatalities in Death Valley. This is down to single vehicle rollover accidents on the park's long, undulating and winding roads. A deadly rollover incident on the morning of June 13 led to the death of an unnamed man. In May, it's thought failed brakes led to the death of a truck driver who crashed into the historic Emigrant Ranger Station in the national park.

With global temperatures set to rise further, it's likely Death Valley could even become more deadly. This year, temperatures hit 100°F (38°C) on March 25, the third earliest date in history triple digits had been hit here.

Guidance for Death Valley's roads and trails

When it comes to driving in Death Valley National Park, the NPS gives the following guidance:

• Follow all posted speed limits
• Shift to low gears on steep downhill sections
• Always wear your seatbelt

If you are hiking in Death Valley, observe the following safety precautions:

• Avoid the lower elevations when its hot; the mountains are a cooler option during the summer months
• Check the weather forecast before going out using a reliable weather app
• Carry several water bottles or a large hydration bladder and drink plenty of water
• Save strenuous activities for the early morning or evening
• Stay out of the sun, and in an air-conditioned place
• If you have to spend time outside, take frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned places
• Wear clothing that is lightweight and loose-fitting

If you go hiking – or do any vigorous activity – outdoors during hot weather your body has a built-in cooling mechanism: sweating. However, in extreme heat, your body may be unable to keep up with demand and you'll soon become dehydrated.

• The best hydration bladders: water storage for adventures
• The best hiking water bottles: stay hydrated at camp and on the trails

China is striving to establish the world's most extensive national park system by 2035, overtaking the US in the process.

The country only established its first batch of five national parks in 2021, yet it has designated a further 49 candidate areas for development. These cover a staggering 680,000 square miles, over half the size of India.

Around 70% of the land being considered is located on the immense Tibetan Plateau, the highest plateau in the world. This is the vast plateau, often referred to as 'the Roof of the World' to the north of the mighty Himalayas, the world's highest mountain range.

Integrating cultural vitality with ecological stewardship

In a statement release earlier this summer, the government points out the clear benefits for biodiversity in protected spaces like national parks. It highlights the births of 20 Siberian tiger cubs and 15 Amur leopard cubs in the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park just last year. To put this into context, there was thought to be only 12 wild Siberian tigers left in China as recently as 1998.

China is one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet, with its huge range of landscapes and habitats. Moves to safeguard its natural riches should be good news for all of us.

However, National Geographic reported the benefits an expanded national park system would have on the nation's nature-based tourism too. Mei Zhang, CEO of tour company Wild China, believes that China has learned lessons from "significant missteps" made by the US, such as "enclosing land and forcefully displacing Indigenous communities to create an image of 'pristine' wilderness".

By fostering both local communities and the natural conservation, he claims that "China can create a national park system that integrates cultural vitality with ecological stewardship".

This all comes as outdoor pursuits continue to grow in popularity among Chinese people. In recent years, trail running has seen a boom, with UTMB expanding its World Series races in the nation from three to five.

• The best hiking boots: protect your feet on any trail
• The best waterproof jackets: brave the elements

Visitors who come from outside the United States will soon have to pay more to enter the country's national parks, while American residents will be prioritized when it comes to permits and reservations systems.

Following on from the proposals reported last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on July 3 that instructs the National Park Service (NPS) to increase fees for foreign visitors.

A White House release also indicates – under the heading Putting Americans First – that the Order directs the Secretary of the Interior to make national parks more affordable and enjoyable for American families. During a evening rally in Iowa on the same day as the order, Trump announced: "The national parks will be about America first."

This looks like bad news for international tourists planning to visit the likes of Yosemite, the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone, to name just three. There will be many places that international big wall climbers, elite runners and those looking to tackle some of the nations classic thru hikes will now have to pay for more. However, only around 100 of the 433 park units currently charge admission and the cost varies from place to place. It's not yet clear which of these will charge foreign visitors more.

Currently, visitors can buy annual passes for some parks, as well as the 'America the Beautiful' pass for all national park lands, which costs $80 a year. US citizens over the age of 62 can also buy a lifetime America the Beautiful pass for a one-off $80 fee, while US military members, Gold Star Family members, US residents with a permanent disability, US 4th graders and recreation site volunteers also get the pass for no cost. How or if the price of the America the Beautiful pass will change for international visitors is not yet know.

It's also not yet clear when the increase in fees or any other policies around reservations systems and permits will come into effect.

While it's thought the move may put some foreign visitors off visiting the US' national parks, it comes at a time when visitor numbers continue to break records.

Nevertheless, it's been a turbulent time for the NPS in recent months. February's job cuts, brought about by the Department of Government Efficiency, played a large part in a 24% reduction of NPS staff since Trump took office – according to National Parks Conservation Association analysis released this week.

In March, there were nationwide protests in support of the sacked NPS workers; while in April, veteran leaders of the NPS joined forces to voice their anger at the cuts to services and staff, saying that they thought that NPS employees "are under attack".

Why is the Trump administration raising fees for foreign visitors?

The Trump administration has pointed to two factors to justify its price hike for foreign visitors: more revenue to fund the park system and to ensure fairness for American visitors, who it argues also pay towards the maintenance of national parks in their taxes.

It's thought that a foreign visitor surcharge would generate an additional $90 million or more every year. Thursday's White House release states that "the increased fee revenue from foreign tourists will raise hundreds of millions for conservation projects that improve our national parks". It cited further investment into the parks, a reduction in the maintenance backlog, infrastructure upgrades and conservation support as benefits of the additional funding.

It also points out that Americans had been, in effect, paying more than foreign tourists to visit national parks, as they were required to pay the same entry fee on top of the tax contribution they'd have already made. It pointed out that: "increasing fees for foreign visitors will also ensure fairness".

The news comes just a month after we reported that popular English National Parks may soon have to charge entry fees for the first time in history. This suggested move would be intended to plug the gap in finances left behind by government cuts.

• The best hiking boots: protect your feet on any trail
• The best waterproof jackets: brave the elements

A Yosemite worker who fell to his death while rock climbing in the iconic California park has been identified as a recent high school graduate from Texas.

Grant Cline, 18, from Frisco, died in a fall while rock climbing at Royal Arches, a popular climbing spot below North Dome, according to the Mariposa Gazette. He was living in employee housing inside the park and working for Yosemite Hospitality at the time of his death.

Details on the incident have been sparse, but a GoFundMe page set up to help Cline's family travel to California and hold memorial services says the teenager found his purpose when he started rock climbing age 14.

"Climbing wasn’t just a passion, it was how Grant connected with the world. He found joy in feeling small beneath towering cliffs, peace in nature’s quiet beauty, and purpose in pushing his limits."

The National Park Service has not issued a statement on the case, but Aramark, the Pennsylvania-based company that holds the concessions contract with Yosemite, offered its sympathies to the family, according to the Gazette.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragic climbing accident,” says Sheena Weinstein, a spokesperson for Aramark.

Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular rock climbing spots in the world, with its trademark granite slabs that have been a source of inspiration for rock climbers for some 150 years.

• The best climbing shoes: get a grip both indoors and out

Two backcountry campers who were found dead in one of the country's most remote National Parks are suspected to have died by murder-suicide.

The campers were found dead near Greenstone Ridge trail at Isle Royale National Park, Michigan on June 8. They have now been identified as John Baird, 60, and his son, Bradley Baird, 30, both of Northville, Michigan.

Now, Keweenaw County Medical Examiner Dr Michael McAllister has spoken to Michigan news outlet MLive and revealed that the victims are a father and son and appear to have died by murder-suicide, though it’s not clear who died first.

The identities of both parties are still not being disclosed, with Keweenaw County Prosecutor Charles W. Miller stating that the National Park Service believes releasing them could hamper the ongoing investigation.

After receiving two reports about the bodies, two park rangers hiked overnight for 11 miles to the campground, where they confirmed the deaths. The 45-mile-long island park sits 15 miles off the mainland in Lake Superior and can only be reached by plane or boat.

If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the US is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.

In the UK you can call the Samaritans for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.

• The best camping tents: for backcountry adventures
• The best hiking boots: hit the trails

One of America's largest wilderness areas could be about to get even bigger.

The sprawling Big Bend National Park is expected to expand by 6,100 acres after a bipartisan bill to authorize the purchase of land along the park's western boundary unanimously passed the US Senate.

Big Bend is already the largest national park in Texas and covers more than 800,000 acres of rugged North American wilderness.

The additional land contains the scenic Terlingua Creek, a tributary of the Rio Grande, which flows through Big Bend. It's surrounded by stunning hiking trails and lots of native wildlife.

Supporters of the move say the acquisition will help to protect nearby ecosystems and benefit the 400,000-plus visitors who come to Big Bend each year.

Senator John Cornyn, who brought the bill before the Senate, said: "There is no better example of Texas' natural beauty and vibrant wildlife than Big Bend National Park, and I'm glad the Senate has passed our bill unanimously so that all Americans can continue to enjoy it."

The Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act now needs to pass through the US House of Representatives before the land can be purchased.

Senator Tony Gonzales said: "We are one step closer to improving the National Park Service's ability to preserve and protect critical habitats, history, and geology at Big Bend for generations to come.

"I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to move this legislation through the U.S. House of Representatives."

Big Bend is one of America's most popular national parks, hosting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, who come to hike, run, camp, and climb there.

Despite its popularity, the expansion comes at a time of uncertainty for Big Bend, as parks across the nation struggle to cope with mass staff shortages and funding cuts, enforced by the Trump administration.

Thousands of temporary and full-time employees at parks across the country have lost work, while some permanent employees have been offered a buyout to leave their jobs.

The National Park Service has also been forced to contend with a proposed budget cut worth over $1 billion, the largest in the agency's 109-year history.

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Two have been confirmed dead and three more hospitalized after a massive rockslide hit multiple hikers at a popular Canadian National Park.

Officials from Banff National Park in Alberta said in a statement there had been a report of "serious rockfall" at around 1pm on Thursday, June 19 near Bow Glacier Falls, approximately 37k north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway.

A multi-agency response was launched, including teams from both Banff and Jasper National Parks, and one person, 70-year-old Calgary woman, was confirmed deceased at the scene.

A second body was discovered on Friday morning by a search and rescue dog, but has not yet been recovered due to instability at the scene.

Three more parties were seriously injured. They were evacuated from the scene by air and ground ambulance and transported to the hospital.

“We are all heartbroken by the recent tragedy at Bow Glacier Falls," says Parks Canada President & Chief Executive Officer, Ron Hallman.

Footage of the rockslide was captured and has been circulating online.

Officials from Banff announced on Friday that search operations have concluded and thermal imaging reveals no further indication of human presence in the field.

Bow Lake has reopened, and officials say it is safe to visit, however, heavy precipitation, including snowfall, is expected in the area today.

"Mountain areas carry inherent risks which may never be fully mitigated. Rockfalls of this size are rare. However, we encourage everyone in mountain areas to be aware of their surroundings, be prepared, and carry a satellite communications device," say Banff officials in a statement.

Rockslides are difficult to predict, but there are some steps you can take to help keep yourself safe:

• Avoid hiking in areas of steep, rocky terrain during spring thaw.
• Avoid hiking in areas of steep, rocky terrain following heavy rains.
• Keep your eyes open for areas showing evidence of recent rockfall and hike carefully or avoid these areas.
• Avoid hiking in the fall line (the most direct line downhill) of steep terrain when there are other hikers above or below you.
• Stay on the trail and make use of switchbacks.
• If you’re hiking downhill on a wider, rocky trail in a group, hike side-by-side in parallel lines rather single file.
• In narrow areas like canyons and ravines, move through one at a time.
• Take care not to dislodge rocks and boulders when crossing scree or boulder fields.a

You can learn more in our article on rockslides.

• Best hiking boots: find the perfect footwear for any terrain

Hikers love Grand Teton National Park for its majestic alpine vistas and pristine lakes that give opportunity for unforgettable wild adventures. You can work up a sweat on some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the US, then cool off on a rafting trip or wild dip.

A new project at Taggart Lake, a much-loved area of the wildlife-rich park, aims to "create a more welcoming, accessible, and sustainable experience" by improving trails, access and facilities. Ground has been broken on the $8.5 million project, which will create smoother dirt trails, accessible restrooms, new parking and improved connections (such as transitions between trails and wooden bridges) for people with mobility challenges.

A post on Facebook revealed: "With universal access in mind, this project is a powerful example of how we strive to fulfill the NPS mission to preserve and share the parks for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of all people."

Both photos in the post feature local Jackson resident Joe Stone and his service dog, George. Stone was injured in a gliding accident which left him relying on a three-wheeled bike to explore trails. However, he was regularly stopped, with rangers citing that his bike wasn't suitable for the trails. He's one of the crew spearheading the improvement project.

“We’re trying to work with the trails that already exist or new trails being built to make them work for everyone,” he told KHOL 89.1.

Back in October 2024, the National Park Service called for visitor input as staff considered how to improve the Taggart Lake experience. The trailhead supports adventures year-round for activities such as hiking and backcountry camping in summer and skiing and snowshoeing in winter.

Growing visitor numbers had led to a lack of parking, deteriorating trails, trail crowding, vegetation loss and too much demand on facilities.

The National Park Service and the Grand Teton National Park Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to fund projects that enhance the park, are providing the funds for the improvements.

The improvements also include breaking and moving rock to widen trails and bridges, expanding the parking lot, redesigning the trailhead and adding new viewpoints.

The Foundation still needs to raise more than $1 million for all improvements can be realized. The entire project set for completion by summer 2027.

• There's no need to splurge on the most expensive walking gear: check out our roundup of the best cheap hiking boots
• Keep your feet cool in summer with a pair of the the best hiking shoes

A Boston man is lucky to be alive after plunging off a cliff at a Hawaii National Park. Officials say he ventured off a popular hiking trail to get a closer look at a volcanic eruption.

According to a report by the National Park Service, the 30-year-old man fell around 30 feet after leaving the Byron Ledge Trail at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the evening of June 11.

"He told search and rescue rangers that he wanted a closer look at the Kīlauea volcano eruption and got too close to the sheer cliff edge. He did not have a flashlight or headlamp."

The park's search and rescue team was already on the scene to manage eruption traffic and crews were able to respond quickly, performing a "high-angle rescue that involved rappelling down the steep, heavily vegetated cliff face and hoisting the man to safety".

Rescue crews discovered that the man's fall had been broken by a tree, and without it, he could have fallen another 100 feet, which officials say could have resulted in his death.

Kīlauea volcano has drawn a surge of visitors to the park since it began erupting on December 23, 2024. On June 11, eruptions caused lava fountains that reached more than 1,000ft. The eruption can be viewed from many overlooks along the caldera rim, and sunset and nighttime are the most popular viewing times.

The incident prompted the NPS to remind all HVNP visitors to remain on the trail at all times, observe signage and closures and keep an eye on everyone in the group, including children – earlier this year, we reported on a close call when a toddler wandered towards a cliff edge as families gathered to watch the eruption.

Officials also recommend everyone to carry a headlamp or flashlight and wear sturdy footwear such as hiking boots on the trail.

• Stay warm on night hikes with the best fleece jackets

After half a decade of closure, hikers in the US and Canada can finally return to the iconic Chilkoot Trail, but there's a catch.

The 33-mile (53.1km) trek, which includes sections in Alaska, USA, and British Columbia, Canada, had been out of action since 2020, due first to COVID-19 restrictions and then severe flood damage.

The trail has finally been restored and reopened in both countries, but hikers won't be able to complete the journey in one go due to a continuation of pandemic-era border procedures.

These restrictions dictate that anyone wishing to make the crossing must do so through a designated port of entry. There are no ports along the trail, and the nearest one is in the town of Skagway, 11 miles (17.7km) from the American trailhead.

Hikers eager to make the crossing must instead travel to Skagway or "turn around at the border," according to Parks Canada, which oversees the Canadian wilderness.

In a statement to CBS News, the agency said it's "continuing to prohibit entry to Canada along the Chilkoot Trail, as there is not an effective way to monitor who is crossing the border and what they are bringing with them at this remote location".

America's National Park Service has agreed to the policy and will limit hikers to the 16.5-mile (26.5km) American section.

Prior to 2020, trekkers from both nations could register beforehand and cross the border with the proper documentation.

The Chilkoot Trail began life as a key route for gold seekers in the 1890s. Until 2020, it was one of Alaska's most popular trails, leading hikers through miles of rough mountain terrain and serene North American wilderness.

Its continued closure comes amid sour relations between the US and Canada, after President Trump suggested that America's northern neighbors should become the '51st state', and imposed eye-watering tariffs on Canadian goods entering the US.

Chilkoot isn't the only trail affected by border restrictions. Thru-hikers on the iconic Pacific Crest Trail have been forced to make a 30-mile (48.2km) detour to cross the border and complete the 2,650-mile (4,264.7km) trek.

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The bodies of two women have been pulled from the water in Wales’ Eryri National Park, formerly Snowdonia.

They were discovered in the waters of the Nant Gwynant valley, near the challenging Watkin Path up Yr Wyddfa, otherwise known as Mount Snowdon.

North Wales Police and workers from the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team arrived at the scene on Wednesday night (June 11), following reports of a woman in the water. A second woman was also discovered, and both were pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Gibson has confirmed that an investigation is underway and asked for information from anyone "who may have been walking in or around the Watkin Path area between 6pm and 9pm" on Wednesday.

Social media spots

The pools and waterfalls near the Watkin Path have become a popular destination in recent years, due in part to the influence of social media.

Videos on platforms like Instagram and TikTok show trekkers stripping off for a dip in the clear mountain pools.

But recent heavy rainfall across North Wales has turned the formerly gentle waters violent and created a dangerous undercurrent. The water is also extremely chilly and can cause cold-water shock. It's not yet clear how the two women died.

Local councilor June Jones told the BBC: "Social media encourages people to go to these wonderful places and, of course, the water can be extremely cold."

Open water swimming safety

With the right equipment and proper preparation, open water swimming can be a safe, enjoyable way to cool off and exercise.

If you're eager to take a dip in mountain waters, like the ones in Eryri, check out some of our expert safety advice.

• Don't swim solo - You can mitigate the risks of open water swimming by taking an experienced friend or going with a group, who can help out in an emergency situation.
• Look out for pollution - Rivers, lakes, and even fresh water pools can be susceptible to pollution. You can check the water quailty using the the How's My Waterway map in the US and the Surfers against Sewage map in the UK.

• Watch out for dangerous currents - Currents and undercurrents can be life-threatening in open water. Learn how to spot one, and if you're caught in a current, swim parallel to the shore until it peters out.
• Don't jump in - Open water is often home to debris and plenty of wildlife, so keep yourself safe by wading in slowly. Don't jump in.
• Wear the right kit - Reliable gear is essential for swimming in open water, which is almost always colder than open-air and indoor pools. If you're feeling chilly, get out and wrap yourself in something insulating like a warm robe.

For more open water swimming safety guidance, check out our full guide.

• The best water shoes: fast-draining, quick-drying and ready to take you from the shore to the sea
• The best wild swimming gear: what to wear and what to take

Grab your best camping tent – Yosemite National Park has announced it will open all of its campgrounds to the public this month for the first time since 2019.

The announcement from the National Park Service on Wednesday confirmed that all 13 campgrounds at the iconic California park will open, adding approximately 500 campsites, all of which require a reservation from April through October.

"Camping in this park is truly a magical experience, and we want to provide the opportunity for as many visitors as possible," says Acting Yosemite National Park Superintendent Ray McPadden.

Tioga Road's White Wolf Campground, which closed at the end of 2022 for work on water and sewage lines, will reopen on June 20. However, park officials warn that drinking water is not available, so you'll want to carry a water filter or purifier, and only portable toilets are provided.

Also on Tioga Road, Tamarack Flat Campground, which remained closed in 2024, will open on June 23. Potable water is also not available here, though the campground does have vault toilets.

Reservations for both campgrounds will be released daily starting on June 15 at 7am Pacific time and become available two weeks in advance at Recreation.gov.

Additionally, the following temporary reservation on-sale date changes have been announced:

• June 15: Reservations for arrivals from September 15 through October 14 for Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona, and Hodgdon Meadow will release.
• June 15: Reservations will begin releasing daily (two weeks in advance) for White Wolf (no drinking water; portable toilets only) and Tamarack Flat (no drinking water; vault toilets). White Wolf opens for the season on June 20. Tamarack Flat opens for the season on June 23. We will announce soon when reservations for Tuolumne Meadows Campground will release (after June 15).
• June 17: Reservations will begin releasing daily (two weeks in advance) for sites 1–40 in Yosemite Creek (no drinking water; vault toilets), which opens July 1. 
• July 15: Reservations for arrivals from October 15 through December 14 for Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona, and Hodgdon Meadow will release through their reservation season dates. As of July 15, we will be back on our regular release schedule.

The announcement follows Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's April 3 Secretarial Order, which mandated all National Park sites to "remain open and accessible" despite crippling staffing shortages caused by the administration's hiring freeze and budget cuts. The cuts have seen Yosemite scientists forced to clean restrooms to make up the staffing shortfall.

Despite these difficulties, McPadden says: "We're very excited to have these campgrounds open to the public as we enter the busy summer season."

Even with the additional availability, the park warns that reservations remain extremely difficult to secure. Park officials recommend you set your alarm and log in to Recreation.gov before 7am Pacific for the best chances.

Read our article on navigating the National Park system's reservation system for tips on visiting busy parks this summer.

• Stay cozy in the wilderness with the best sleeping bags
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Staff at Zion National Park have officially reopened the historic Emerald Pools Bridge, an important link for hikers accessing the iconic Emerald Pools Trail system. The bridge has been closed for a two-year period of construction in which is was relocated 100ft (30.5m) upstream from its original position.

The lengthy project involved lifting the historic bridge off its original foundations, which were deemed unstable when the concrete was found to be shifting and crumbling as the ground moved around them. The ground movement was occurring because of Zion's unpredictable environmental pressures, which include flash floods and landslides.

Experts surveyed the area and found that the steel bridge itself was still safe, as was ground nearby, outside of the known movement area. Instead of building a whole new bridge, they decided to move the original.

New concrete supports were built to provide a more stable, resilient base. The supports are designed to adapt to increased flooding, erosion and visitor numbers.

Watch construction teams move the huge bridge

Delighted hikers have taken to social media to voice their excitement at being able to use the bridge again.

"Nice!! I am hoping this means the Kayenta trail will be less busy," writes Rachel Jean, while Evan Pederson says: "Wonderful! I have fond memories of that bridge."

The bridge connects Zion Lodge (Shuttle Stop #5) to the Emerald Pools Trail system, which offers spectacular views and unique desert landscapes just steps away from the main canyon road.

The entire project was funded through entrance and recreation fees.

Watch the full Zion National Park YouTube video about the project:

As summer temperatures remain high, hikers are advised to visit early to avoid midday heat and crowds. Rangers are reminding visitors to carry sufficient water, cover up from the sun and to wear practical footwear. For more information on trail conditions and shuttle schedules, visit the Zion National Park website.

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The National Park Service has issued an update on the teenage hiker who was swept to his death after falling into a popular waterfall in Olympic National Park, revealing that they have been unable to recover his body due to significantly high water levels.

Grant Herridge, 18, was seen slipping and falling more than 50ft after attempting to cross the upper river at Sol Duc Falls on Sunday, June 8. A multi-agency response was launched immediately, and the park closed the area to conduct searches.

On June 9, a ranger located a submerged body, presumed to be that of Herridge, pinned between the first and second falls. Despite lowering "multiple responders" into the narrow canyon, attempts to recover the body have been unsuccessful due to "high river flows " caused by recent warm temperatures and rapid snowmelt.

"The park’s priority is to safely complete this recovery as soon as conditions allow. Rangers will continue to monitor the target area, natural hazards, and changing conditions. Recovery operations will resume when it is safe to do so," reports the NPS.

Crews say the area where the body is located is at "a constriction point beneath the main falls" where the speed and force of the water increases. They are also contending with vertical rock walls covered in slick algae and moss.

A woman named Jill Dorman posted in the Friends of Olympic National Park Facebook page, identifying Herridge as her cousin and revealing he had planned to attend Baylor University in the fall.

"The son of a Pastor, he was out in the world for the first time in his life and paid with his life for a tragic mistake," writes Dorman.

Sol Duc Falls is one of the most popular attractions at Olympic National Park, splitting into as many as four channels as it cascades nearly 50ft into a narrow canyon that is less than 8ft (2.4m) wide.

In 2016, a Washington man miraculously survived after walking out onto the rocks at Sol Duc Falls, slipping and being swept away.

When hiking around waterfalls, it's important to wear proper footwear such as hiking boots or shoes with good traction, as the trails themselves can be slick. Always stay on the trail, out of the water, and observe any safety signs. You can learn more in our article on waterfall safety.

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The National Park Service has confirmed that the deaths of two backcountry campers at one of the country's most remote National Parks were not wildlife-related, as the FBI assists in the investigation.

The campers were found dead near Greenstone Ridge trail at Isle Royale National Park, Michigan, after rangers received two separate reports late on the afternoon of Sunday, June 8. Two park rangers hiked overnight for 11 miles to the campground, where they confirmed the deaths early on Monday morning.

In a June 12 update, park officials said both individuals have been identified, and next of kin have been notified.

Isle Royale has been the subject of a successful wolf reintegration program and is currently home to about 30 wolves, according to the National Parks Conservation Association, but park officials say the deaths are not wildlife-related, adding: "There is no known threat to the public at this time."

The 45-mile-long island park sits 15 miles off the mainland in Lake Superior and can only be reached by plane or boat. Due to the remote nature of the campground, the NPS says a fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter were deployed to assist with the investigation. No further details have been provided on the case.

Isle Royale was named the best National Park in the US by the Wall Street Journal in 2024 and is popular with backpackers who can camp on one of the island's 36 rustic campgrounds with a permit.

The ferry to the island takes three hours, and there is no reliable cell service there, so it's advised to carry a satellite communicator like a Garmin InReach if you plan to go backpacking there.

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Yosemite National Park has banned climbers from rigging large flags to wilderness fixtures in the park, after a series of protests in the past few months.

An update to the Yosemite Superintendent’s Compendium, which lists park guidelines, says visitors are no longer allowed to "hang or otherwise affix to any natural or cultural feature, or display so as to cover any natural or cultural feature, any banner, flag, or sign larger than 15 square feet".

The update says the ruling is needed to "preserve the value of wilderness character" and "maintain public safety".

The ban applies to all designated wilderness areas, which make up 94% of the park in total.

The move comes days after a group of climbers from the LGBTQ+ community unfurled a 55ft by 35ft (16.8 x 10.7m) Trans Pride flag on Yosemite's El Capitan.

Activists from the Trans is Natural campaign group say they hung the flag in solidarity and resistance after references to transgender and intersex people were removed from government websites.

On Instagram, organizer Pattie Gonia said: "They tried to erase us from government websites and education systems and libraries, so we raised this flag higher than ever before so every trans person knows that they have people that love them in their corner."

In February, climbers pulled a similar stunt to protest large-scale government cuts to the National Park Service, unveiling a similarly huge upside-down American flag near El Cap's Horsetail Falls.

And in June 2024, the site was used for hang a sizable 'Stop the Genocide' banner, displayed in protest of ongoing Israeli military action in Palestine.

The move has been met with anger from activists, who say it's unnecessary and politically motivated.

Climber Miranda Oakley, who helped display the 'Stop the Genocide' flag, told Climbing.com: “It’s hard to believe that it would actually cause any safety issues greater than what we see every day in Yosemite."

"I wonder if there would be the same ban if those flags or banners were less controversial, like if they said ‘Go Rangers’ or ‘Go America.'”

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Foreign visitors to America's national parks could soon be asked to pay more than their US counterparts for entry, following drastic new proposals from the Trump administration.

The 2026 Department of the Interior budget proposal asks the National Park Service to "establish a surcharge for foreign visitors that is estimated to generate more than $90 million."

The proposal doesn't specify how much this surcharge would be per visitor, but says it would be used to "keep national parks beautiful".

The charge is part of a major cost-cutting operation driven by Trump's Interior Secretary, Doug Burgum.

Should the proposal pass Congress and receive presidential approval, the NPS budget would fall from $3.122 billion to $2.1 billion in 2026, with huge cuts made to maintenance and infrastructure projects at America's 63 national parks.

"The Budget prioritizes funding for park unit operations, proposing savings from project-specific funding and narrowly focused activities and changes in externally driven costs," reads the proposal.

"Public lands are home to some of America’s most iconic species and landscapes. The Budget supports the protection and management of America’s resources for current and future generations to enjoy."

The plan for more budget cuts come as a major blow to a service already deep in crisis.

The NPS has been grappling with drastic job losses since Trump's inauguration in January. Thousands of temporary and full-time park employees have lost work, while some permanent employees have been offered a buyout to leave their jobs.

The National Parks Conservation Association, which advocates for the parks and their workers, claims that the NPS has lost roughly a sixth of its workforce and has hired less than half of the seasonal and temporary workers required to meet its own goals.

"The Park Service is in a full-blown staffing crisis," reads a statement from NPCA President and CEO, Theresa Pierno.

"Even national parks like Yosemite are struggling to provide basic visitor services with overwhelmed park staff."

Without adequate staff, some parks have been forced to close campgrounds and trailheads. Shortages have become so dire at Yosemite National Park that even scientists have been asked to clean bathrooms.

The park's funding crisis has been heavily protested. Thousands have taken to the streets in recent months to demand an end to the cuts.

About 300 million people visit America's national parks every year to run, camp, and hike in the unspoiled North American.

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Visitors to one of England's largest and most popular national parks could soon be charged an entry fee, for the first time ever.

Officials from the Peak District National Park Authority are seeking government support to implement the fee, which they say would help revitalize the park's finances after multiple government cuts.

The Peak District National Park is visited by millions of hikers, campers, and runners each year, but claims to be in dire financial straits. Its authority has been forced to make multiple redundancies and cuts in recent months to fall in line with government cost-cutting measures.

Chief Executive Phil Mulligan says a charge of only 10 pence per person would "more than make up" for government cuts, while a £1 charge would all but eliminate the need for the government grant that currently funds the park.

He told DerbyshireLive: "We have had ten years of real terms government cuts in the grants that go to English National Parks, with nearly nine per cent cut from this year’s revenue grant alone.

"In the Peak District National Park, we have around 20 million visitors a year. If we had 10p from each visitor, that would more than make up for the cuts the government is making to our core grant.

"If we were to make it £1 per person, then we would not need any core government grant."

Official figures indicate that the park, which covers 555 square miles (1,437km²) of idyllic Northern English wilderness, is visited by roughly 13 million people each year, not 20 million.

National Parks in Britain and Northern Ireland don't currently have the power to charge visitors, so any change would need to come through the British government.

"The future sustainability and sufficiency of the current funding model is in question so we need to be asking the bigger question: how does the nation want to pay for National Parks to remain here for everyone, forever?" continued Mulligan.

The Peak District was officially recognized as the UK's first National Park in 1951 after a hard fought campaign that included the Kinder Trespass.

It's home to many miles of stunning wild landscapes, including broad moorlands, steep valleys, and rolling hills. Visitors can enjoy hundreds of pleasant hiking trails and plenty of scenic camping spots.

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Campaigners say they have been "let down again" after the Scottish government announced it would be abandoning plans to create the nation's third national park.

Proposals for a park in Galloway, Southwestern Scotland, were scrapped after they received a mixed reaction in a public consultation.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said the Scottish government came to a decision after considering both sides of the argument, and wants to continue supporting Scotland's two existing national parks.

"The Scottish Government remains committed to our existing National Parks and the vital leadership role that they play in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises, promoting sustainable land management and supporting the economic and social development of local communities," reads a statement.

Galloway would have joined the Cairngorms, and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs as the nation's only national parks. The expansive Galloway wilderness would have received protected status to preserve its idyllic Scottish wildlife from future construction.

"This is a big loss for our countryside and wildlife, for everyone living in the region and for our entire country," Rob Lucas, chair of the Galloway National Park Association (GNPA), said in a statement.

“Our disappointment is not just for the loss of a National Park, but for the whole future of Galloway, which has been badly let down once again.

“Galloway and its fragile environment, communities, and economy face huge challenges that must be overcome."

Without the protected status of a National Park, the GNPA fears the area will be 'smothered' by wind turbines and other infrastructure projects.

“It is now absolutely clear that big business has set itself against the communities, the wildlife, and the future of our region," Lucas said in an earlier statement.

“We have already done far more than our fair share of the heavy lifting when it comes to accommodating windfarms – but these companies want to fill their wallets by smothering our countryside in ever bigger turbines."

Talking to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland, Scottish Renewables CEO Claire Mack described the area as "strategically significant for onshore wind," although any investment "could very well go elsewhere."

The proposals ignited a tense local debate in Galloway, with advocates on either side attending marches and demonstrations.

Liz Hitschmann of the No Galloway National Park campaign group told the BBC that the park would have cost millions "on another layer of bureaucracy which could override local wishes, and the many government-funded organisations in the area need to deliver that investment".

Galloway is home to hundreds of miles of outstanding wilderness, including the expansive Galloway Forest Park, which is visited by around 800,00 people each year.

Visitors come year-round to hike, run, swim, and camp among the 300 square miles (777km²) of unspoilt forest.

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Hikers enjoying the peaks in England's largest national park are being asked to keep their eyes on something other than the spectacular views this summer.

Wildlife experts at charity Butterfly Conservation are asking trekkers in the Lake District to keep a look out for England's only butterfly that lives in the mountains, the mountain ringlet.

The attractive insect is so hard to find that conservationists can't do it alone. They need boots on the ground to count numbers while they try to work how the species is being affected by climate change.

It's easier said than done though, as the winged creatures usually emerge in June and only fly for up to three weeks. This window is affected by weather and there have been sightings as early as end of May, and as late as mid-July.

The species is more commonly found in Scotland than in England, where it is so hard to find that scientists have yet to discover whether numbers are going up or down.

Butterfly Conservation North of England conservation manager Martin Wain said: "We would be so grateful if fell walkers could keep their eyes peeled for this lovely little butterfly and report their sightings. You might even discover a new colony. We urgently need to know more about where it is so we can learn more about how to protect it."

What does the mountain ringlet look like?

Adults are small at 3.5-3.8cm across (about 1.4in), dark brown with orange markings and only highly active in bright sunshine. They also keep low to the ground in short flights, pausing regularly to bask among grass tussocks or feed on the flowers of tormentil (yellow flowers with four petals) and heath bedstraw (low-growing plant with very small, white flowers).

Butterfly Conservation is already investigating how the mountain ringlet is responding to climate change, and said sightings from the public would help to improve understanding of the species' life cycle, distribution and breeding success.

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It attracts nearly 700,000 visitors each year. But Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway, part of an iconic hiking route along the exposed Northern Ireland coast, is being irreparably damaged by visitors who are stuffing coins into gaps in the distinctive basalt columns.

Like tourists who left padlocks on the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, people are copycatting others to the point where the coins are changing the face of the rocks, which are one of the most famous natural resources in Northern Ireland.

Now the National Trust, which manages the UNESCO World Heritage Site, is urging visitors to "leave no trace" as the coins are staining the rocks and causing them to crumble.

Dr Cliff Henry, nature engagement officer with the National Trust, revealed: "On a geological timescale, this is very rapid erosion."

Following a report from the British Geological Survey, he explained that: "Fracturing and disintegration of the basalt rock adjacent to joints and cracks into which coins have been inserted is the result of the ‘expansive delamination of the coins upon oxidation’.

“In other words, the coins are rusting, and expanding to three times their original thickness, which puts huge pressure on the surrounding rock, causing it to crumble. Unsightly streaks of copper, nickel and iron oxides are also staining the stones where the coins are corroding.”

He revealed that in trying to force coins into the cracks people are using stones from the ground as hammers, sometimes missing and chipping the stone itself.

The removal of coins is expected to cost the National Trust more than £30,000 ($40,500).

Giant's Causeway, on the Atlantic Ocean, was created by an outpouring of basalt lava 60 million years ago around the time the North Atlantic was opening up as Europe was starting to rip away from North America. Approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns now remain.

However, one legend has it that it was formed by Irish giant Finn McCool. It's said he created a causeway to get across the Irish Sea to face his rival, the Scottish giant Benandonner, who tore up most of the causeway to prevent Finn from getting back to Scotland.

“We know that visitors really love and cherish the Giant's Causeway, and many form deep personal connections to this special landscape," Henry said. "We know some may want to leave a token of their visit, but the coins are causing damage and we are urging people to stop the practice and to leave no trace so this natural wonder remains special for future generations.”

Leave no trace

Leave No Trace is an initiative, originally spearheaded by a charitable organization in Colorado, that provides proven, research-based solutions for the protection of the natural world. Its roots are in backcountry settings, but the principles can be applied anywhere – from remote wilderness areas to local parks.

One of the seven principles is 'Leave what you find', which includes preserving the past by observing cultural or historic structures and artifacts and not touching them, and leaving rocks, plants, and other natural objects as you find them.

Other principles include:

• Plan ahead and prepare 
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Minimise campfire impacts
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of other visitors

Read more in our article on how to leave no trace.

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It could have been a very different vibe on Dartmoor, when hundreds of outdoor access campaigners and outdoor enthusiasts gathered around the granite rocks of Haytor to rally, rejoice and celebrate the fact that wild camping was still legal – at least in one tiny sliver of the country.

If the right to wild camp on Dartmoor had been removed by the courts last week, then the atmosphere would have been one of anger, upset and dark despair. There would have been a healthy dose of defiance, too – and it’s likely more people would have felt the need to be there, in a display of resistance like the one back in January 2023, when thousands of protesters marched across the moor, united in grief and utter disbelief that one wealthy landowner seemed able to remove the right of hikers, bikers, bird-watchers, star gazers, families, and youth groups to do something as simple and inoffensive as spend the night out in the open.

But a defeat would have been a very heavy blow, seemingly shutting the door permanently on that right, and leaving the already cash-strapped Dartmoor National Park Authority (which had courageously championed the right of people to sleep out on the land it manages) facing massive court costs.

As it was, last Thursday the Supreme Court ruled very much in favour of wild campers’ continued legal right to sleep out under the stars on Dartmoor, emphatically rejecting wealthy landowner Alexander Darwall’s claim that camping was not a recreational activity, and therefore not covered by the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985.

And so, instead of a requiem for a right lost, the rally turned out to be a joyous occasion. But more than that, Haytor became a launch pad for a much more ambitious campaign calling for the extension and improvement of access rights to wild places across the rest of England and Wales, and for an outdoor code on a par with the one in Scotland, which allows responsible wild camping in most locations.

To an enormous cheer from the assembled crowd, Lewis Winks from Right to Roam and The Stars are for Everyone campaign group extended a big thanks to Darwall for raising the profile of the issue, highlighting the fact that access rights are so limited in England and Wales, and turbo-charging the campaign to do something about it. And then one speaker after another spelled out a roadmap for positive change.

“Where Dartmoor leads, the rest of England and Wales will follow,” declared access campaigner, award-winning author and co-creator of the website Who Owns England, Guy Shrubsole. “Before the announcement on Thursday, Dartmoor was the last place in the country where wild camping was legal,” he continued. “Now it’s the first place in the country where wild camping is legal.”

Campaigners like Shrubsole and Winks, both of whom admitted they were extremely nervous about the outcome of the case, are determined to harness the energy that has built up around it to push for a Right to Roam Act and a massive expansion to access rights.

Prior to the general election last year, the Labour Party joined the Liberal Democrats and Greens in lending their support to calls for better access rights, but in government (and after an intensive lobbying campaign by land owners) their enthusiasm appears to have waned.

However, several MPs from all of those parties joined pro-access campaigners outside the Supreme Court last week, and were pictured holding a Right to Roam banner. And at Haytor, Shrubsole went on to read out a long and passionate letter of support the campaign had received from Labour MP Phil Brickle, supporting exactly the freedoms Right to Roam are calling for.

Brickle, being based in Bolton, couldn’t attend, but South Devon Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden was there in support, and she gave an enthusiastically received speech, agreeing with Winks that: ‘We owe a debt of thanks to Alexander Darwall, for spending half a million pounds on energising the campaign to improve access to the countryside.”

Voaden went on to point out that Darwall could have invested that money in repairing parts of the moor that have been damaged by over-grazing, or by paying the wages of some additional wardens to help stop illegal activity like fly tipping. Amid laughter, she concluded: “He could have given it to youth groups to pay outdoor instructors to teach kids how to behave in the countryside, he could have bought some boots and tents… but instead he spaffed it up a courtroom wall.”

But some of the loudest cheers went to Tom Usher, CEO of the Dartmoor Preservation Association, which has been protecting the moor since 1883, and for the duration of this case has been assisting Dartmoor National Park Authority by raising funds to help pay the spiralling court costs, had the judges’ decision gone the other way.

Now, with Darwall likely to be ordered to foot the legal bills, Usher explained that the fund, which stands at about £200,000 ($270,000) will be directed back into making Dartmoor “the most accessible wild place in the country”. Funds will be channelled into the DPA’s existing work, supporting the Youth Ranger Program and running projects including Nights Under the Stars (taking young people from all kinds of backgrounds camping on the moor) and Girls do Dartmoor, supporting young women to access outdoor areas. But Usher also announced plans for a new Dartmoor Public Access Fund, though which anyone can apply for assistance to advance an initiative that will help people’s enjoyment of the moor.

A hiker is facing a huge $227,000 (£168,000) fine after friends filmed him picking up and hurling a huge rock down a gorge in a popular beauty spot in Spain's Picos de Europa National Park.

The group were hiking the Cares Trail in the park, which is visited by two million people every year, when the young man threw the rock. In the video, which was later posted to social media and went viral. You can see he's clearly excited to listen to the 'boom' it makes as it crashes into the ground below, despite there reportedly being a walking path directly below.

The Spanish Civil Guard (law enforcement agency that deals with rural crimes) has confirmed they are now investigating the incident.

A spokesperson warned: “This stunt could cost you dearly. Throwing this rock could land this person with a fine ranging from €5,001 to €200,000. Why? Because disturbing the environment in the Picos de Europa National Park is classed as a very serious offence.

"Keep that in mind when visiting a national park – these are specially protected areas due to their high environmental value.”

The clip went viral when it was shared by a social media account that features videos of people throwing rocks into voids. It has since been shared on multiple platforms, garnering angry criticism.

On the popular Instagram account, @touronsofnationalparks, where the video has been shared, one commentator said: "Disgusting behavior! I can't imagine someone being down there hiking and getting crushed by that!"

Another commented: "It would have been really easy for that dingdong to trip and follow that rock right over the cliff, too."

Viewers were pleased at the thought a hefty fine might be issued:

"That's a fine worthy of the name. I wish we would have the same ones here in the US!!"

"Well done! And in addition, I would ban such a person to enter all national parks!"

Leave no trace

When hiking, we try to leave trails as unspoiled as possible for generations to come to enjoy. In our article on how to leave no trace there's lots of advice on protecting our precious wild places. It includes:

Making minimal or no changes to the environment – avoid treading on verges and make use of designated camping areas if they are available. Leave rocks and other objects, which could be acting as habitats for small animals, as you find them.

Carry in, carry out – take litter away with you, including natural items such as fruit peel.

Avoid fragile ecologies – Avoid wandering into environments where seasonal birds nest, and bring binoculars to nature-watch from afar.

Be considerate – to wildlife and fellow hikers. Don’t block other people’s access or interfere with their enjoyment of the wild space.

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A hiker has died after falling from a ridge in a popular part of North Wales' Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park.

The person, from the North Wales area, had been exploring a ridge in the Cwm Cneifion area, above Cwm Idwal, a part of the Glyderau range that's renowned for its wealth of scrambling routes when the accident happened on May 18. Off duty Mountain Rescue members witnessed their fall while working in Cwm Cneifion and triggered the rescue effort by Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team.

The two team members subsequently acted as spotters to guide the efforts of the Coastguard rescue helicopter. A rescuer was winched down to the scene, along with a stretcher, while another off-duty RAF mountain rescue member and their walking partner arrived at the scene on foot. But tragically, the hiker's injuries were fatal and their body was recovered from the mountain.

Another tragedy in the Glyderau

This week's tragedy comes after a similarly fatal fall from neighbouring Glyder Fach on Saturday May 10, when a hiker died attempting a scramble on the mountain's Main Cliff.

Scrambling is a hugely popular activity in Eryri National Park and the Glyderau range in particular has many popular routes of varying difficulty, mostly based around a trio mountains: Tryfan, Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr.

Cwm Cneifon, which is also known as the Nameless Cwm, is home to several named routes. It's flanked by two prominent Grade One arêtes: Senior's Ridge and Y Gribin – the latter forms the final part of the classic Bochlwyd Horseshoe route. More difficult scrambles include the Grade Two Tower Rib and the popular Grade Three Cneifion Arête, a steep and breathlessly exposed scramble that leads up to meet Y Gribin.

Ridge scrambling

Scrambling occupies the middle ground between hiking and rock climbing. Unlike technical rock climbs, scrambles are often attempted without the safety of a rope or other climbing equipment. This makes unroped scrambling an inherently risky activity and one that should be practised with great care and only with prior experience once beyond Grade One routes.

Ridge scrambling often involves sections where a fall could be fatal and there are sadly deaths on popular mountain ridges every year. Here are our expert tips on how to stay safe on mountain ridges:

1. Do your research: Read up on the specifics of the ridge you plan to tackle.

2. Check the weather forecast: Find out what the conditions will be like and decide on the best course of action.

3. Avoid high winds: A strong gust has the potential to blow you off a narrow arête.

4. Choose the right footwear: Quality hiking boots, approach shoes or mountaineering footwear will provide more stability and better grip.

5. Never push your grade in challenging conditions: If you’re upping the difficulty, do so in kind conditions.

6. Don’t climb anything you wouldn’t be confident downclimbing: You could climb yourself into a trap.

7. Hire an instructor: A mountain guide will help you traverse more difficult ridges safely.

8. Know how to call for help: In case of an emergency, know how to call mountain rescue.

9. The mountains will be there another day: If in doubt, turn back and find another, safer way.

The countdown is on to Memorial Day weekend and more US vacationers than ever are gearing up to get away as forecasters predict a 20-year record.

With gas prices declining, 45.1 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday, May 22 and Monday, May 26. And the US's most beloved National Parks are gearing up for an influx of visitors.

The desert National Parks especially, including Zion, Arches and Canyonlands, expect huge numbers of travelers. In 2024, Zion recorded 92,000 visits between the Friday and Monday of the memorial holiday weekend. That's more than the annual number of visits of over 150 National Park sites. Will there be more this year?

Staff are posting advice on websites and social media channels on how to plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable trip.

Zion National Park is warning that visitors should expect: long lines at entrance stations, trailheads, visitor centers and restrooms; lengthy waits to board park shuttles in Springdale and Zion Canyon; intermittent, temporary closures at the park’s east and south vehicle entrance stations; heavy traffic in Springdale and throughout Zion Canyon.

Also in Utah, officials at Arches and Canyonlands National Parks are telling visitors to expect heavy traffic, limited parking and crowded trails. Arches and also Rocky Mountains have started using timed entry systems, so check before you visit if there are slots available.

There's information in our article on navigating the National Parks reservation system on how to get into a park if slots are full, such as entering the park very early in the morning.

There's also plenty of advice on visiting National Parks in our expert guide, and follow the quick-tips for this weekend, below.

How to avoid congestion

To beat the crowds, arrive before 7am or after 4pm. Use the free shuttle buses to get around the park or to enter the park after leaving your car in the nearest town. Have payment methods ready as well as IDs and reservation QR codes ready when reaching entrance stations. Credit cards are preferred for payment.

How to stay safe

Check conditions before you go. Hot weather and busy trails can be a recipe for heat-related illnesses. Cover up, take your time on trails and bring gallons of water.

Be careful with fire in campgrounds or picnic areas. Don't leave burning embers unattended.

Know your limits. The National Park Service has suffered thousands of job cuts to crucial services such as search and rescue, which has led to authorities warning hikers not to rely on rescue teams. Avoid injury by not pushing yourself on hikes and climbs and bring your own emergency medical equipment.

Give animals a wide berth. Follow our wildlife safety tips to keep you and the local fauna safe from harm.

How to enjoy your time

Be patient with rangers and other visitors. National Parks have been ordered to stay open despite drastic staffing cuts. Expect areas to be more chaotic than usual and try to be kind.

Park only in designated parking areas to protect flora and fauna and avoid being ticketed or towed.

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A group of activist climbers from the LGBTQ+ community have unfurled the Trans flag on El Capitan, the iconic rock formation in Yosemite National Park.

The flag, measuring 55ft by 35ft (16.8 x 10.7m) flew for 90 minutes on May 19, before it was taken down. It's said to be the largest flag ever to be displayed on the world-famous rock-climbing destination.

Trans is Natural, a group of trans, queer and allied climbers, is said to have hung the trans pride flag in an act of solidarity and resistance following the removal of referrals to 'transgender' and 'intersex' people from US government websites. This includes the National Park Service Stonewall Monument website. The Stonewall Monument is the first US monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights and history.

They displayed the blue, pink and white flag beneath Heart Ledges.

Pattie Gonia, drag performer and environmentalist and one of the demonstration’s lead organizers, revealed in an Instagram post on her feed that they did it "to prove a point that trans is natural".

"The Trump administration and transphobes would love to have you believe that being trans is unnatural. But species that can transition sexes can be found on every continent and every ocean on planet Earth," she says in an emotive reel.

"So, call it a protest, call it a celebration. We are bringing elevation to liberation. They tried to erase us from government websites and education systems and libraries, so we raised this flag higher than ever before so every trans person knows that they have people that love them in their corner.

"The people united will never be defeated."

The demonstration comes as funding cuts to the National Park Service continue to impact operations. Earlier this month former NPS directors raised serious concerns about the future of the national parks in a letter to the US Department of the Interior after threat emerged of further cost-cutting measures.

And in the Grand Canyon, trekkers have been warned not to rely on rescue teams due to staff shortages.

What is the Trans flag?

The Transgender flag, designed in 1999 by trans woman Monica Helms, is one of the three flags recognized by the LGBTQ+ community. It is made up of three horizontal stripes: light blue, pink, and white.

The pink and blue colors are those traditionally associated with boys and girls, while the white represents people who are intersex, transitioning, or who don't identify with a traditional gender.

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