Parks and Points

18/07/2024

This state park truly stuns with its natural beauty! Find our more in "Park Pass" on Robert H. Treman State Park located in state.

A lovely mix of waterfalls, hiking, camping, and swimming makes this New York state park the ideal summer getaway.

01/07/2024

The program connects the fishing tradition across generations while teaching children skills they can apply in the future, either at a clinic or while earning their badge.

Junior anglers can learn how parks conserve their fish habitats and about fishing regulations (most units are catch and release), and help build relationships within the outdoors with local communities.

24/06/2024

Cool down in the summer heat or soak your tired muscles at these twelve gorgeous swimming holes in the US National Parks and National Forests.

22/04/2024

Happy Earth Day and also National Park Week along with National Poetry Month! We're pausing our poetry series for one year, though please click through and enjoy the many incredible and stunning poems from the past series.

A collection of all of our Parks & Points & Poetry Series

25/03/2024

A look at Unicoi State Park begins our new "Park Pass" series! "Park Pass" will be your guide on an unforgettable journeys through America's most treasured and interesting state parks.

Unicoi State Park is comprised of 1,050 acres of protected land in northeast Georgia’s Blue Ridge corridor, and the 53-acre Lake Unicoi is the crown jewel at the heart of the park. A walk around the lake is an intuitive, meditative way to begin a visit, as is a hearty breakfast at the Unicoi State...

03/02/2024

Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande running through Elana Canyon. The canyon walls reach to 1,500 feet high!

10/01/2024

To escape the heat of NYC in the summer, Columbia College (now University) moved their engineering school to northwestern Connecticut at the end of the 19th century. A summer educational facility from the late 1800’s until 1983, Camp Columbia is now part of Connecticut State Park and Forest system, purchased using a Natural Heritage Trust Fund grant. Today, the nearly 600 acres hosts hiking, hunting, and a wonderful view from the stone tower (a gift from the class of 1906.)

Dwight D. Eisenhower (then the president of Columbia) frequented the camp in the late 40’s for hunting and playing football. Local legend has it that the New York Giants once held their preseason practices at Camp Columbia!

03/01/2024

Happy new year! We closed out 2023 with a beautiful walk at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge in Gulf Shores, Alabama, meandering through hardwood forest and coastal sand dunes toward the Gulf of Mexico - tranquil and beautiful. What trails are you looking forward to approaching in 2024?

18/12/2023

Sunset at Gulf Islands National Seashore, in the Perdido Key Area, specifically at Rosamond Johnson beach. Winter sunsets here are early, brisk, and truly stunning!

📍Perdido Key Area, Gulf Islands National Seashore.
📷 Derek Wright

08/12/2023

A big change to three national trails today! New England, Ice Age, and North Country National Scenic Trails are now officially NPS units/parks.

WASHINGTON – Three national scenic trails have become the country’s newest national parks, raising the total number of existing parks from 425 to 428. The Ice Age, New England, and North Country national scenic trails, all previously established by Congress and administered by the National Park ...

22/11/2023

Gillette Castle State Park at sunset!

22/09/2023

A brand new (and amazing!) website is live to help you explore and celebrate Connecticut State public lands! From Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP)

With 142 state parks and forests covering more than 255,000 acres of pristine coastline, rolling hills, and enchanting forests, Connecticut’s natural beauty, historical treasures, and adventure are always in reach.

31/08/2023

Find the best activities, lodging, dining, tours, and hiking for Mesa Verde National Park. With this guide, there are also many fantastic side trips listed, with rugged trails, long stretches of highway, vast canyons, history and more within public lands in the Four Corners region.

10/08/2023

Explore Colorado Springs and the Front Range of the Rockies with these 15 incredible places.

Where to Climb, Trek, Wander, Hike, Eat, and Relax along the Front Range of the Rockies in Southern Colorado.

09/08/2023

The Outer Banks of North Carolina are a fantastic vacation destination. Here are 4 coastal parks you must visit!

Four majestic, historic, and scenic parks on the Outer Banks of North Carolina are a quick journey from one other, and can easily be combined into long holiday weekend exploration or enjoyed over several summers.

07/08/2023

It's summer and time for swimming in the national parks and forests! [and one swimming spot to bookmark for winter!]

Cool down in the summer heat or soak your tired muscles at these twelve gorgeous swimming holes in the US National Parks and National Forests.

31/07/2023

Mesa Verde National Park draws the largest numbers of visitors to the area, nearby Hovenweep National Monument and Canyon of the Ancients National Monument both offer abundant evidence and understanding of Ancestral Puebloan culture.

While Mesa Verde National Park draws the largest numbers of visitors to the area, nearby Hovenweep National Monument and Canyon of the Ancients National Monument both offer abundant evidence and understanding of Ancestral Puebloan culture.

25/07/2023

Yellowstone National Park!

03/06/2023

Happy everyone! Thanks to American Hiking Society for creating such a great day!

18/05/2023

We're thrilled and excited to announce that we are partnering with Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) Outreach & Education to present "Words from the Trails: Poetry and Nonfiction Inspired by Connecticut’s Recreational Trails." We'll share more details as the project unfolds!

's recreational trails are about to get even better! Thanks to Governor Ned Lamont's announcement of state grants for 50 trails, there will be more opportunities than ever to get outside & explore. Lace up your hiking boots or grab your bike, a trail is waiting! https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2023/05-2023/Governor-Lamont-Announces-State-Grants-For-50-Recreational-Trails

24/04/2023

We're thrilled to announce the start of our 2023 Parks & Points & Poetry series! The first few poems are here https://www.parksandpoints.com/poetry-2023 will continue to be published throughout the month of April in honor of

Submit your poems about nature, the outdoors and exploration to our spring poetry series.

25/03/2023

Submissions (no-fee!) remain open for this year's Parks & Points & Poetry series.

Submit your poems about nature, the outdoors and exploration to our spring poetry series.

12/03/2023

We are excited to announce that our annual poetry series Parks & Points & Poetry is once again open for submissions! More details are in the link. We are excited to read your poems which reflect upon nature, outdoor exploration, and accompanying moments of adventurousness or self-reflection.

Submit your poems about nature, the outdoors and exploration to our spring poetry series.

23/02/2023

Our next national park will be....

With White Sands and New River Gorge in as National Parks #62 and #63 respectively, we’re taking a look at the contenders for #64. Here’s a brief rundown on how they stack up. We’re giving you a bit of each site’s story, and a score as to their chances, on a scale of John Muir beards!

20/02/2023

The National Parks Service also offers a Night Explorer Junior Ranger patch with activities suited for ages 5-12. Over 100 park units offer the Night Explorer Junior Ranger patch!

Many national parks are accessible long after the sun goes down, creating a unique opportunity to be in park environs— desert, wilderness, and mountains—under dark and vast skies.

17/02/2023

Count down the top 10 smallest with us!

16/02/2023

You can visit these D.C. NPS parks sites by either by walking, using public transportation, or taking a quick taxi ride!

There’s so much to see in Washington, D.C.! We’re going to do a quick two-sentence and two-part guide to each of the National Park Service units in the Washington D.C. area, which does also includes a few sites in Virginia and Maryland. Here in part one, we’ll be exploring NPS units that you c...

08/02/2023

Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande running through Elana Canyon. The canyon walls reach to 1,500 feet high.

07/02/2023

Could Tennessee get another National Park Service unit? "National Park Service transmits James K. Polk Presidential Home study to Congress"

WASHINGTON – The National Park Service (NPS) today transmitted the James K. Polk Presidential Home Special Resource Study (SRS) to Congress, concluding that the 11th president’s Columbia, Tennessee residence and adjacent property meet three of four criteria for potential inclusion in the Nationa...

07/02/2023

Mark your 2023 calendars for these days when ALL the national parks are free to enter!

Discover the 2023 dates when entry to all National Parks Service units will be FREE!