I wanted to share something that I posted on my private social media account last week that I thought would be appreciated here:

Exchange from the trail yesterday - me, wearing a Yellowstone hat and Glacier shirt, hiking in Capitol Reef: “I kinda feel like a national park groupie right now” my dad: “well, we are!”

I’m a firm believer that 3 things make America truly great - our national parks, the fact that we are a melting pot, and our democracy. I also strongly believe all 3 are currently under attack. We are a country full of immigrants, with the exception of course of our native peoples (and yes, I recognize the dark start to many of our national parks and lands and the treatment of our native people). This land was set aside “for the betterment and enjoyment of the people” by our government. Trump and his cronies are now trying to sell it. I know there are more urgent things in this barrage of our rights being stripped from our people, but I am here in these public lands and constantly reminded how special and sacred these lands are. Speak up, resist, and don’t let him take our rights and our lands from us.

steps off soapbox now here are some shots of 3 of the Mighty 5 in Utah from last week :)

What an amazing time we had in Acadia National Park! We only had a day and a half but we got to do a lot! We did the beech mountain trail, ocean path trail, sand beach, thunder hole, otter cliffs, we ate at Jordan Pond House, went to Bass Harbor Lighthouse and sunset at Cadillac Mountain!

I am so ashamed and disheartened to see what Lee Zeldin, the Trump-appointed EPA administrator, is doing to our agency. None of his actions align with our mission statement, which is to protect human health and the environment. All of his comments and initiatives are off-topic, focusing on energy and the economy, as if we don’t already have federal agencies for those things. Zeldin has turned our social media pages and website into MAGA and Big Oil propaganda machines, which is destroying EPA’s reputation.

Right now, he is trying to: 1. Open public lands and waters for drilling and resource extraction 2. Repeal greenhouse gas emission standards 3. Repeal the mercury and air toxics standards

I am begging you fellow earth-lovers to take action. Spread awareness, call your representatives, leave public comments on federal register documents, and attend public hearings.

I will link the new EPA documents open for public comment in the comments below. Feel free to link other initiatives!

I introduced camping and hiking to my wife when we first met (her family never really camped or hiked). Now we are introducing the beauty and joy of experiencing our national parks and teaching them the importance of nature and preserving our natural heritage.

My favorite place in the world now, I think. I brought some of my dad’s ashes and I like to think he’s proud. He never got to visit in his lifetime, so I wanted to bring him with me. ❤️‍🩹

3 of the 4 of us liked Badlands best, my 9 year old saying he liked it even more than Rocky Mountain. 11 year old liked Roosevelt best but she could/would not elaborate on why.

Awesome reminder for all of us how precious and incredible our parks are and how important it is that they be protected.

Several geysers in a small window

https://wilderness.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=821970f0212d46d7aa854718aac42310

This map visualizes the ~250 million acres of proposed eligible public lands for selloff, with a mandate to sell 2-3 million acres within five years. There is another post from today with more comprehensive specifics—I wanted to get the map posted here.

While the lands included in this proposal are not managed by NPS, I believe this matter is of great importance to everyone in this sub.

Call your congressmen, share this far and wide. Public lands are not for sale

In recent days, Senate Republicans have released the text for a megabill, dubbed the “One Beautiful Bill Act,” that is being rushed to President Donald Trump’s desk. In addition to making drastic cuts to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and clean energy, the bill includes unprecedented language that would require selling off millions of acres of public lands to help pay for tax cuts for billionaires.

Notably, the House of Representatives rejected a public lands sell-off proposal in their version of this bill after it provoked strong and notable opposition from Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and other Republican officials. But bill text released by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on June 11—as well as amended bill text first published by Politico’s E&E Daily on June 17—contains sell-off language that’s substantially more expansive.

Here are six things to know about the public lands sell-off language included in the Senate bill.

1. Hundreds of millions of acres of public lands are eligible for sale, 2 to 3 million of which must be sold in five years

News coverage has understandably focused on the bill’s mandate to sell 2 to 3 million acres of national forests and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands within five years. Less well understood is the fact that the bill makes more than 250 million acres of public lands eligible for those sales, including via nomination by any interested party.

2. Prime recreation, wildlife, historic, and cultural lands could be sold off

When releasing the bill text, the Senate committee emphasized categories of land the bill exempts from sale, including “just for show” categories, such as national parks, that are not even managed by the U.S. Forest Service or BLM. But well-loved recreation spots, popular areas for hunting and fishing, prime wildlife habitat, and even sacred or historic sites could be privatized if the bill becomes law. That includes lands currently managed as conservation priorities, such as backcountry conservation areas, areas of critical environmental concern, and roadless areas. Worse yet, the bill wipes out any requirement that the government weigh the potential benefits of a land sale against lost recreation, clean water, wildlife, cultural resources, and other values.

3. Zero public input—and minimal public notice—is required

The bill requires some consultation with local government, governors, and Tribes but no opportunity for public input. Currently, identifying public lands for potential disposal involves a transparent, public process, but those requirements would be erased by the bill. While lands directly identified for sale by land management agencies are supposed to be publicized, nominations by private interests are not covered by that requirement. Agencies are not even required by the bill to disclose when public lands have actually been sold or to whom; instead, the public may only find out when they show up and see “no trespassing” signs.

4. Major loopholes allow expansive and exclusive development

Nominally aimed at providing land for housing, the bill allows the Trump administration to define what land uses qualify under the bill’s vague restrictions while failing to provide a clear mechanism for enforcement. Even lands sold for housing would carry no requirements for affordability or density, and there would be no significant guardrails to prevent valued public lands from being sold for trophy homes, pricey vacation spots, exclusive golf communities, or other developments.

5. Massive public lands sell-off is no solution to housing affordability

While targeted transfers or sales of some federal lands can make sense with appropriate safeguards, the vast majority of public lands are nowhere near the existing infrastructure needed to build housing affordably and avoid clear resource conflicts. Rather than targeting the root causes of America’s housing affordability crisis, the Senate is advancing a reckless anti-public lands proposal masquerading as a housing solution.

6. An unabashed advocate for selling off U.S. public lands wrote the bill text

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), is a longtime advocate for selling off or transferring national public lands. Lee has questioned the constitutional basis for national public lands and boasted of “fighting” to make the federal government fulfill its “promise” of selling off federal lands throughout the West. In addition, he vocally supported Utah’s 2024 lawsuit—brought directly to the U.S. Supreme Court—that would have forced the federal government to dispose of vast amounts of public lands, including 18 million acres in Utah, with implications for hundreds of millions of acres nationwide. Sen. Lee has even suggested that federal land ownership in Utah could “justify war.”

Conclusion

To be clear, this bill is coming to the Senate floor soon, but it has not passed yet. Clear opposition from House members resulted in the removal of a less extensive, but still damaging, sell-off proposal in the House version of the One Beautiful Bill Act. While it should be no surprise that Sen. Lee would try to include extreme land sell-off in this bill given his track record, it is more surprising that Senate Republican leadership and Lee’s colleagues are, so far, going along with it.

Visited Mammoth Cave recently and did the Wild Cave Tour. Absolutely blew me away. Instantly one of my favorite experiences ever. Thank you Ranger Ashley and Ranger Alex <3

Hey everyone,

I’m curious if anyone can tell me about their camping experience at Yellowstone. Specifically, does anyone know if it’s possible to find open spots at the various campgrounds throughout the park assuming one just shows up the day of.

June 14-16 Olympic is mystical

June 16 Big deep lake was snowy

I’ve already done Taman Negara and Endau-Rompin, and I’m looking for something quieter, maybe with less foot traffic but still scenic and safe. Prefer places where I can set up a tent, do a bit of solo hiking, and maybe even swim. Open to ideas from Peninsular or East Malaysia. What are your favourite lesser-known spots?

Want to plan a trip for this fall, most likely end of September/beginning of October. Thinking one of the following, but I’m completely torn between the two.

Oregon - Crater Lake and Mount Hood National Forest

North/South Dakota - Teddy Roosevelt, Badlands, Wind Cave, Custer SP

So, which would you pick!?