Program schedules and descriptions are available on-line at each park’s website: Fort Raleigh NHS, www.nps.gov/fora; Wright Brothers NMEM, www.nps.gov/wrbr; and Cape Hatteras NS, www.nps.gov/caha. Program schedules are also listed in In the Park, the National Park Service Outer Banks summer newspaper, available at any park visitor center and Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Welcome Center.

From May 24 through Labor Day, the visitor center and museum at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse are open on extended hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse will be open on extended hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during those same dates. The Bodie Island Visitor Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Bodie Island Lighthouse tours run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. The visitor centers at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Wright Brothers National Memorial, and Ocracoke Island on Cape Hatteras National Seashore are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site are offering many programs throughout the summer including two special kids programs-Faster Than a Flyer? at Wright Brothers National Memorial and Playing the Part at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.

Recreation programs such on surf fishing, seining, crabbing, cast netting, and snorkeling are only part of the offerings at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Beach walks and special kids programs are complimented by programs such as: Coast Guard Station Tour will provide an up-close look at Coast Guard operations and vessels at the Hatteras Station; Old Days at the Hatteras Weather Station relays the history of this recently restored building and U.S. Weather Bureau operations on Hatteras Island; Night Climb – a guided night tour of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is offered twice every Thursday evening (a pre-registration program – see the park website for details); and Village Walking Tour is a discovery of Ocracoke’s historic sites.

The Full Moon Tour of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse will also return this year on May 24, June 23, July 22, Aug 20, and Sept 19–watch for details to be announced!

-NPS-

Program schedules and descriptions are available on-line at each park’s website: Fort Raleigh NHS, www.nps.gov/fora; Wright Brothers NMEM, www.nps.gov/wrbr; and Cape Hatteras NS, www.nps.gov/caha. Program schedules are also listed in In the Park, the National Park Service Outer Banks summer newspaper, available at any park visitor center and Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Welcome Center.

From May 24 through Labor Day, the visitor center and museum at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse are open on extended hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse will be open on extended hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during those same dates. The Bodie Island Visitor Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Bodie Island Lighthouse tours run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. The visitor centers at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Wright Brothers National Memorial, and Ocracoke Island on Cape Hatteras National Seashore are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site are offering many programs throughout the summer including two special kids programs-Faster Than a Flyer? at Wright Brothers National Memorial and Playing the Part at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.

Recreation programs such on surf fishing, seining, crabbing, cast netting, and snorkeling are only part of the offerings at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Beach walks and special kids programs are complimented by programs such as: Coast Guard Station Tour will provide an up-close look at Coast Guard operations and vessels at the Hatteras Station; Old Days at the Hatteras Weather Station relays the history of this recently restored building and U.S. Weather Bureau operations on Hatteras Island; Night Climb – a guided night tour of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is offered twice every Thursday evening (a pre-registration program – see the park website for details); and Village Walking Tour is a discovery of Ocracoke’s historic sites.

The Full Moon Tour of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse will also return this year on May 24, June 23, July 22, Aug 20, and Sept 19–watch for details to be announced!

-NPS-

The worker bee is the only bee that most people will ever see because they are the ones that forage for food (pollen and nectar from flowers), build and protect the hive, clean, circulate air by beating their wings, and perform many other societal functions. Worker bees are females that are not sexually developed.

Drones are male bees and several hundred live in each hive during the spring and summer, but they are expelled for the winter months when the hive goes into survival mode. The hive lives on stored honey and pollen all winter and cluster into a ball to conserve warmth. The larvae are fed from the stores during this season and by spring; the hive is swarming with a new generation of bees.

The queen has a simple job, lay the eggs that will spawn the hive’s next generation. In a hive there is usually one queen and if she dies, the workers will create a new queen by feeding one of the worker females a special diet of a food called “royal jelly.” This food source enables the worker to develop into a fertile queen. The queen also regulates the activity of the hive by producing chemicals that guide the behavior of the other bees.

Mr. Earl Carter had honeybees on the farm that he used to help pollinate his crops. He also cultivated the honey from the hives and sold it in the commissary store.

Program schedules and descriptions are available on-line at each park’s website: Fort Raleigh NHS, www.nps.gov/fora; Wright Brothers NMEM, www.nps.gov/wrbr; and Cape Hatteras NS, www.nps.gov/caha. Program schedules are also listed in In the Park, the National Park Service Outer Banks summer newspaper, available at any park visitor center and Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Welcome Center.

From May 24 through Labor Day, the visitor center and museum at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse are open on extended hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse will be open on extended hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during those same dates. The Bodie Island Visitor Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Bodie Island Lighthouse tours run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. The visitor centers at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Wright Brothers National Memorial, and Ocracoke Island on Cape Hatteras National Seashore are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site are offering many programs throughout the summer including two special kids programs-Faster Than a Flyer? at Wright Brothers National Memorial and Playing the Part at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.

Recreation programs such on surf fishing, seining, crabbing, cast netting, and snorkeling are only part of the offerings at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Beach walks and special kids programs are complimented by programs such as: Coast Guard Station Tour will provide an up-close look at Coast Guard operations and vessels at the Hatteras Station; Old Days at the Hatteras Weather Station relays the history of this recently restored building and U.S. Weather Bureau operations on Hatteras Island; Night Climb – a guided night tour of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is offered twice every Thursday evening (a pre-registration program – see the park website for details); and Village Walking Tour is a discovery of Ocracoke’s historic sites.

The Full Moon Tour of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse will also return this year on May 24, June 23, July 22, Aug 20, and Sept 19–watch for details to be announced!

-NPS-

On Saturday, May 25 at 7:00 p.m. join park ranger Sue Langdon to explore Rocky’s black bears and their lifestyles. Rocky has a relatively small population of black bears compared to many other national parks. Yet, these forest roaming bears still make an impression to visitors in the most surprising places throughout the park!

Bears can completely surprise people with their activities and it is easy for people to mis-interpret what a bear is about to do. Does a bear standing upright on its hind feet mean it is ready to attack? What do bears prefer to eat? Is it humans or ants? Find out the truth about black bears and what they need to survive and thrive in Rocky Mountain National Park.

What’s up with these forests? Mountain pine beetle impacts in Rocky Mountain National Park

On Saturday, June 1 at 7:00 p.m. learn the latest about the mountain pine beetle and their impacts on our forests. The recent mountain pine beetle outbreak has left a vast number of dead trees in its wake. From a distance it can appear as though entire forests are dying, but research suggests that many trees and seedlings have survived. This presentation will discuss mountain pine beetle ecology, impacts in the park, and how forests may change in the future as a result of this disturbance.

Join Katie Renwick, a PhD candidate at Colorado State University who spent last summer in the Rocky Mountain Nature Association fellowship program. Her research focuses on understanding how climate change and disturbance affect landscape-scale patterns of forest composition. She has been conducting research in Rocky Mountain National Park since 2010.

These programs are held at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and are free. For information about Rocky Mountain National Park please call the park’s Information Office at (970) 586-1206 or visit www.nps.gov  

This season the contractor will focus on drainage improvements, repair/stabilization and reconstruction of historic rock retaining walls, localized milling and leveling of the existing asphalt surface and resurfacing with new hot-mix asphalt. Work also includes minor repair of two road tunnels west of Box Canyon. At this time visitors should again anticipate maximum 20 minute delays through each segment Mondays through Fridays until project completion, scheduled for mid-September.

Stevens Canyon Road connects the east and west side of the park, extending for 19 miles from SR 123 at the east end to intersect with the Nisqually to Paradise Road at the west end, two miles south of Paradise. Visitors wishing to avoid delays are encouraged to access the Paradise area from the southwest via the Nisqually Entrance at the east end of SR 706. Visitors traveling from the east via SR 410, SR123, and/or US 12 who wish to visit the Paradise area are encouraged to seek alternate routes. Bicyclists are strongly encouraged to avoid Stevens Canyon Road this summer due to frequent construction delays and need for escorted traffic through specific areas. Those who do choose to bicycle or ride motorcycles on this road should take extra care in maintaining slower than normal speeds as loose gravel and/or tack oil surfaces will be encountered throughout the construction areas.

While the construction and associated traffic delays present an inconvenience, the rehabilitation work will not only improve the driving surface of the roadway, but ensure its longevity.

Updated information on this project may be obtained by calling Mount Rainier National Park at 360-569-2166. Information on this project, as well as general park information, is also available on Mount Rainier National Park’s website.

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NOTE: Drivers can now get real time traffic and weather information by dialing 5-1-1 from most cell phones. This new traveler information system builds upon the highly successful Washington State Highway hotline that manages 4.6 million calls each year. Plan to call prior to driving to the park, as cell phone coverage is minimal within the park. Callers can also use 5-1-1 to get statewide construction, mountain pass condition, and state ferry system information, as well as toll free numbers for passenger rail and airlines. TTY users can call 1-800-833-6388.

-NPS-

“While damage to the Fire Island Lighthouse was minimal,” stated Fire Island National Seashore Superintendent Christopher Soller, “Hurricane Sandy heavily damaged access routes to the site, including through Robert Moses State Park, where most visitors to the Lighthouse park.” Sandy destroyed all Seashore-owned boardwalks connecting Field 5 and the Lighthouse, and damaged the bayside dock used by water taxis and other permitted vessels, as well as other boardwalks connecting the Lighthouse to the dock and the beach. The “Burma Road,” which passes in front of the Lighthouse, was also damaged during the storm. The National Park Service has received funding to repair the federally-owned boardwalks, the Lighthouse dock, and the roadway, but work will not commence until later this summer. Until the boardwalks, dock and road are repaired, visitors will need to plan for a little beachcombing in order to get to the Fire Island Lighthouse. People coming from Robert Moses State Park Field 5 are directed to walk down the beach from Field 5, a distance of about ¾ mile. Those coming from Kismet, to the east, are directed to walk on the beach, a distance of about 1 mile.

Dunes in front of the Fire Island Lighthouse were completely leveled by the storm. The area known as Lighthouse Beach, which had long been used by nude sunbathers, is no longer available as a clothing-optional area. As outlined in the park’s compendium, the National Park Service is enforcing New York State’s public nudity law at this location and on other federally-owned Fire Island beaches.

The Fire Island Lighthouse, usually open year-round and visited by more than 100,000 people annually, is operated for the National Park Service by the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society (FILPS). Closed to the public since Superstorm Sandy struck last year, FILPS will reopen the Keepers Quarters museum and gift shop, boathouse and Fresnel Lens Building on Saturday, May 25, at 9:30 a.m. “We’re really anxious to open up,” said Dave Griese, administrator for FILPS, “and we welcome back all who have been patiently waiting to get a little closer to their favorite lighthouse.” There will be no Fire Island Lighthouse tower tours until early August, due to a pre-scheduled project to undertake structural repairs inside the tower. “However,” said Griese, “FILPS annual art show will still take place at the Lighthouse, with a free shuttle provided during the opening reception on Thursday, June 27. The Sunset and Starlight Dinner Cruise is still on for June 15, although we’ll not be able to tour the Lighthouse, and the annual Barefoot Black Tie gala will be held on August 10.” All are fundraisers for FILPS, which also relies on income from tours, gift shop sales and donations to keep the lighthouse staffed and open to the public. “The Seashore couldn’t provide this level of service without the support of our partner, the Preservation Society.” said Superintendent Soller. “This is our most heavily visited site, so we have made getting our facilities back in shape at the Fire Island Lighthouse a top priority.”

Access to the Fire Island Lighthouse now involves a ¾- mile walk down the beach between Robert Moses State Park’s Field 5 and the lighthouse, and a one-mile walk from Kismet to the Fire Island Lighthouse. Pedestrians should allow at least 30 minutes walking time each way, and be prepared for a more strenuous walk through soft sand, with no shade. A hat, sunscreen and water are recommended. This route is not suitable for strollers, unless they are equipped with fat tires designed for beach use. Overwash from Hurricane Sandy provided additional piping plover habitat in the vicinity of the Lighthouse, so visitors are advised to respect the areas fenced off for nesting and foraging of these birds and other threatened and endangered species.

“We appreciate our visitors understanding and patience during this time as we continue to make repairs Sandy at the Fire Island Lighthouse,” said Soller, “and at other Seashore facilities and gradually recover from the Superstorm Sandy and in some cases, face a ‘new normal’ on Fire Island.” For additional information and updates about other park facilities, services and programs opening for Memorial Day weekend, see: www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/programs-this-week.htm

www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.

Visitors are encouraged to bring their own chairs to enjoy this hour long concert. This concert is sponsored by Friends of the Park and is part of the sesquicentennial commemoration of the American Civil War. Those visiting Point Park may also like to experience the power of Civil War artillery, as park rangers and living historians describe what life was like for artillerymen engaged in the Battles for Chattanooga. These programs will be presented at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 1:30 p.m.  

If you want to know more about what happened along the historic slopes of Lookout Mountain 150 years ago, park rangers will lead guided tours through the park at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. Please meet the park ranger inside the Point Park entrance gate for the tour.  

The only fee required to participate in these programs is the regular entrance fee to Point Park ($3.00 per person ages 16 and older; free for those ages 15 and younger).

A significant yet lesser-known chapter of the history of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (NHP) has recently come to light, in large part thanks to the Friends of Cumberland Gap non-profit group. A park supporter had noticed a Civil War letter for sale earlier this year, and purchased it. The Friends of Cumberland Gap NHP then learned of the letter and offered to buy it for the park’s archives.

Written by Lieutenant Colonel James F. Wade of the United States Colored Troops (USCT), 6thCavalry, the letter is dated November 28th, 1864, and originates from Cumberland Gap. In the letter, designated “General Order No. 1,” Wade “hereby assumes command of the 3rdBrigade, consisting of the 5thUSC Cavalry 13thKy Cavalry – 30th, 37thand 43rdRegts. Ky Mtd. Inf.”

“This is a part of the Gap’s Civil War history that is only just beginning to be explored,” shared Superintendent Mark Woods. “Thanks to the generosity of our Friends Group, we are able to have this tangible link to the presence of the USCT here at Cumberland Gap.”

Friends Chairman John Brown remarked, “The purchase and donation of this letter fits well with the mission of the Friends group, formed in 2009, as we strive to ‘strengthen awareness of and assist the National Park Service in its mission to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural and cultural resources of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.’ We are pleased to be able to bring this important historical find back home where it belongs.” 

For more information about Friends of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park visit their website at: www.friendsofcumberlandgap.org or find them on facebook at: www.facebook.com/friendsofcumberlandgap

Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
   
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2013               13-039    

Al Nash or Dan Hottle
(307) 344-2015
YELL_Public_Affairs@nps.gov

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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK NEWS RELEASE
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Beartooth Highway Opens For Memorial Day Holiday Weekend

The Beartooth Highway, the scenic high elevation portion of US-212 linking Red Lodge, Montana, with the communities of Cooke City and Silver Gate, Montana, and the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park, is scheduled to open for the season at 9:00 a.m. Friday morning, May 24. Spring road clearing and maintenance is conducted by the Montana Department of Transportation and the National Park Service.

Inside Yellowstone, the road over Dunraven Pass linking Canyon Village, Tower Fall and Tower Junction also opens for the season Friday morning. 

All other park roads and all park entrances have already opened for the season.

Most seasonal visitor services in the park open in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Saturday also marks the opening of fishing season in the park. Details are available online at http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit, by consulting the park newspaper handed out at entrance stations, or by asking the staff at visitor centers and information stations in and near the park.

The National Weather Service forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a chance of afternoon or evening thunderstorms for the three day holiday weekend, with high temperatures in the 50s and low 60s, and overnight low temperatures near freezing. Spring visitors to the park are encouraged to have flexible travel plans and to be prepared for a wide range of weather conditions.
 
All communities near and on the way to Yellowstone are open all year, offering a wide range of recreation opportunities, activities, and services for visitors to the region.

Information on lodging, camping, services, and activities near the park in Montana including the towns of Gardiner, West Yellowstone, Cooke City and Silver Gate, is available by contacting their respective Chambers of Commerce or from Travel Montana at 800-847-4868 or http://visitmt.com. Information on visiting Wyoming including the communities of Cody and Jackson is available from their Chambers of Commerce, or by contacting Wyoming Travel and Tourism at 800-225-5996, or on the web at http://www.wyomingtourism.org. Idaho travel information is available by calling the Idaho Tourism Division at 800-VISITID or online at http://www.visitidaho.org.

There will be no daytime travel delays or overnight road closures due to road construction during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Starting Tuesday morning, May 28, visitors should expect construction delays of up to 30 minutes on the road between Tower Fall and Canyon. This section of road will also be closed every night between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. due to construction.

Updated Yellowstone National Park road information is available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2117. Information on current conditions in the park is also available online at http://www.nps.gov/yell/conditions.htm.

- www.nps.gov/yell -

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