Happy 100th Birthday National Park Service 

2016 Out West, National Parks, North Cascades NP-Washington, Road Trip, States, Washington


As we walked into the North Cascade National Park Newhalem Visitors Center we were greeted with “Happy Birthday!” from the ranger at the information counter. Yes! One hundred years ago today Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act establishing the National Park Service. Later in the day the two of us watched Ken Burns’ The National Parks: America’s Best Idea Episode 6: The Morning of Creation (1946-1980) which dealt with the vast expansion of the number and types of properties under the care of the NPS and the focus of the service moving increasingly away from tourism and toward stewardship. The park we are in right now is one of the newer parks and the movie we saw, Wanted: Grizzly Bears? reflects the stewardship mission.


We did learn that Black Bears occasionally visit our campground and having our canisters of Counter Assault Bear Spray handy is not a bad idea.  Nonetheless we’re feeling blessed to be staying in this special place tonight!

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