National Park Changes 2026: What Every RVer Needs to Know Before You Reach the Gate

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Hey, welcome to Learn to RV the podcast where we know what's notes and what's a picture. I am Tasha and I have Jennifer with me. And today we are here to talk to you about national parks. And what's really funny is that I just tried to pull up my notes about what we're gonna tell you about national parks, and instead I pulled up a picture of my family and I at a national park. So that was a good time. But I do know the difference and I do have the right thing in front of me. So we're gonna dive right in. So, Jennifer, I want to get started. Do you know the last national park that you guys went to? I know, right? Ours was the I'm pretty sure was Garden of the Gods. It was the first time that we had gone. It's not a national park, are you sure?

SPEAKER_01 0:50

I am actually pretty sure on that one.

SPEAKER_00 0:52

I think it's actually a state-run park. It might be. Well, then that was not the last national park that I went to. But it is an amazing spot. It's an amazing spot. It's beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

Garden of the gods is not a national park, it's a registered national natural landmark. Okay. It's a free city park maintained by the city of Colorado Springs.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Okay, then the last national park that I went to was the Rocky Mountains National Park. I got that out. So pretty. It's really pretty. Did you have a favorite national park? Well, I haven't been to very many. I have not been to as many as I would like to have been to. Joshua Tree was very special for me. That was something that I had always wanted to see. And so going there was like just really, really, it was like a life dream. But so was the Grand Canyon. I had always wanted to see that. And we actually went to the Grand Canyon in the same trip that we went to. It's gonna get sad for a second. We went to um Sedona, where my grandmother's ashes had been scattered because we hadn't been able to make that trip. Um, we went afterwards, um, and my aunt like texted me the spot to be able to find it. And so we went and did that. And then like the next day, we drove to the Grand Canyon. So it was it was nice to have those like back to back and kind of like follow that kind of like moment of remembrance with this moment of awe. It was it was just kind of beautiful. I think that my grandma would have really appreciated it. It was really special for us. What about you?

SPEAKER_01 2:36

So, Grand Canyon. I should, I, I just have to tell you the story. So, my 26-year-old, when he was two years old, we went to the Grand Canyon, South Rim. Uh-huh. And uh I avoided the South Rim from that point forward because he called it a big rock. And so my 24-year-old now, a couple years back, said, you know, Justin ruined it for everybody because all you said was it was a big rock and nobody ever went back. But two years ago, we went to the North Rim, and that was absolutely magical. And it was before it was devastated by the fire, and it's reopening, like right now. It's in the process of reopening. And so the North Rim is, I would say the North Rim is magical. Yeah. It's very different than the South Rim. And I had never been to the North Rim, but you know, the North Rim, there were trails right out up and over the canyon. It was just absolutely amazing. But no, my favorite national park, I have a very soft spot in my heart for Joshua Tree because we lived really close to it for a lot of years. But my favorite is actually Yosemite. I've never been able to drive into Yosemite without tearing up. Yeah. Ever. Yeah. As you come over the crest and you see El Capitan, you know, there's just something really special about the majesty that you see in Yosemite. And the valley is very small. The park is very big, but there's just something really special about Yosemite as a whole. Yeah. Although, after, you know, two trips out to Yellowstone, one of those being an entire summer, I do have a big soft spot for Yellowstone. But I tell people for me, Yellowstone is like not love as first sight. You know, I mean, there's some things that you just absolutely love and you know this is it. That was, it was kind of a slow burn. You know, it was all the things we got to do that summer that makes it so memorable for me.

SPEAKER_00 4:09

Yeah. I often forget that when I was a kid, we went to Yellowstone. My my grandfather had moved to Seattle and my cousins and I, hi Michael. She's like a she is such a supportive cousin. I love her so much. And maybe my aunt and uncle, if they're listening, hello, Uncle Mike and Aunt Sandra. We all went, my family and their family, and my other cousin Jared, who I don't think listens, but just in case, give him a call out too. We went to visit my grandfather in Seattle. And on the way, we went to Yellowstone National Park. And there are a few memories that I have of Yellowstone because I think I was like about 10. And the memories that I have are of Old Faithful watching that kind of like extinguisher. I thought it was beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

I was just my Vegas too many times. I mean, I thought it was very underwhelming.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

Well, I was also a child who grew up in Kansas City, and so, you know, I had no frame of reference for what I was seeing. I was just like, this is the most magical thing I've ever seen. And then my other my other uh memory that's like really clear in my mind of Yellowstone National Park, I am ashamed to say, is of the gift shop. I was looking at a uh jewelry box. It was wooden and it it was carved around it and had one of those wind-up things when you opened it, it played a tune. And I don't even remember what the song was, but I remember that it it was just so pretty to me. Um, it was just a wooden box. There wasn't anything fancy about it. But those are my most vibrant memories. But I know that, you know, national parks are so important for those great moments for families. They build such beautiful memories of jewelry boxes or geysers, you know, it's it's really whatever rocks your boat or big rocks. But today we want to walk you through some of the major changes that have happened at national parks for 2026 so that you're not caught off guard at the gate because there have been some changes over the last year or so. You know, we just don't want you to get to the gate for whatever park you're planning on visiting this summer and then go, I didn't know that, and have your whole trip thrown off by whatever you didn't know. Hopefully, this will get to you in time and you'll be a little prepared. First thing that I want to tackle is the America the Beautiful Pass. So, Jennifer, for people who do not know what the America the Beautiful Pass is, can you give us a really quick rundown of what that is?

SPEAKER_01 6:49

So the America of the Beautiful Beautiful Pass is a like all-in-one stop shopping item. So it's a card that gets you into all the parks across the country. Now, you can pay individually for each park to go in them, but if you're doing two parks, buy the America. It's already paid for itself. It just makes sense. Yes. Yeah. And so, you know, we're fortunate military members can get it for little to nothing. And then there's the fourth graders that still can get their pass for free. So if you have a fourth grader, you can also do the every kid in a park instead of the America the Beautiful Pass. And I think seniors get it for a very deeply discounted price. What the America the Beautiful Pass is not, is it doesn't pay for your camping. And I think a lot of the people think that it does. And so just because you have the entry into the park does not mean you can camp for free.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

Right. So for RVers who might be planning to visit multiple parks in a year, the pass is a no-brainer. The pass costs $80. And it is not just the big parks, it gets you any into any national monument. Your $80 pass covers entry to all of the federal lands for 12 months. And that pass covers everyone in your vehicle. So here are some key changes for 2026. The first thing is that that $80 used to be for both US and non-US citizens. So our Canadian and Mexican neighbors could also get it for $80. This last year, for our neighbors, that price has gone up to $250 for non-US residents. So it's more than triple than its cost previously. The other thing is that to be aware of is that if you are getting the pass and you want a physical copy of your pass, if you request for that pass to be shipped to you, there is a $7.50 shipping and handling fee. However, you can pick up a pass in person at one of the parks, and that's free to do. That shipping and handling fee is waived. The other thing is they do now have digital passes available. So you can get a digital pass, put it on your phone, then you don't ever have to worry about where did I put my pass, like sometimes we have done.

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Well, Frank has that thing that they gave him, you know, the thing in the winner window. And he puts his pass in there. But then he always, so a lot of times when we're going to a park, the what's nice about the digital pass is Frank will leave his pass in in a drawer at home. And so I can more than once. And so, you know, with the digital pass, you don't have that problem, which is also really nice to have. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:32

Now they have changed up the motorcycle rules on the pass, which is a really great perk for our motor motorcycle friends out there. Used to that pass only allowed one motorcycle per pass. Now keep in mind it's one vehicle going in was $80 for the pass. So one motorcycle. Now two motorcycles per pass. So that's right.

SPEAKER_01 10:03

That's fantastic. Yeah. They may ask for your ID at the gate. Keep that in mind if you're both named on the pass. Because with Frank, you know, he has to be in the car in order for his pass to work because he was the active duty member. I am not on Frank's pass, so I can't go to a national park without him. Yes. Interesting piece of information.

SPEAKER_00 10:24

That brings up another thing about passes. And, you know, you mentioned making sure that you have your ID with you. The other thing is that kind of a pro tip to let you guys know is that they have changed the designs on the cards. Previously, the designs were a lot of them were like pictures of wildlife and they were photography that visitors had taken while visiting the national park and they had submitted it for a photo contest, photo contest. So the photos were very beloved. The images have changed, and some people had created like covers for their cards or stickers to go over the new art on the cards. What we want you to know is that the new policy at the National Parks is that if you cover the art on the card, they will take your card at the gate and you will be responsible for purchasing a new $80 pass. So do not cover your artwork on the card. It has to stay the original artwork on the card. You cannot cover it with any stickers or deface the card in any way. It has to look like the America, the beautiful pass as it was sold to you. So that's really important to know.

SPEAKER_01 11:46

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Yes. That has been a development that has come over this last season. So originally it was just in a couple places, but now it is being enforced nationwide.

SPEAKER_01 12:00

Well, and I think what's sad about some of these changes, maybe bittersweet is the right word for it, but you know, I've worked near a national per park twice on purpose. And I lived near Joshua Tree. So, like on purpose, obviously, because we had a house down there. But you know, in 2016 we worked near Yosemite for a whole season. And then in 2022, we worked near Yellowstone. And what I think the most disturbing part is the price for our visitors that are not American visitors. Because what's magical about any national park is the amount of languages that you hear at the same time all over the park. And like for me, that like I feel so at home when it's like that. I feel like, I don't know, I feel like we all belong somewhere when you're surrounded by all these people that speak all these languages and we're all enjoying the same thing. I just think there's something really beautiful about that.

SPEAKER_00 12:49

I also am nervous a little bit about how it's going to affect tourism through our parks. I hope that there's not a negative effect. We have a lot of people who travel to our country specifically to see our beautiful parks. And so I I really hope that that doesn't discourage people who maybe can't afford that extra fee because it is such a great way for us as a country to reap the benefits of that tourism. So, you know, I just hope that we don't see an adverse reaction that way. But yeah, yeah, it's a bummer. Okay, so the next thing to talk about are the fee free days. So the dates have changed for fee free days. And this is important to know because they've kind of been standard. Everybody kind of has had, you know, if you take advantage of the fee free days, and that's like a tongue twister. I have not because as soon as we bought, like as soon as we went to the first one, whenever we went R Ving, it it was like, okay, well, we're buying our pass because that's a no-brainer for us. And so it was like right after we started RVing, and we haven't needed to go on a fee-free day, so we kind of let the people who wanted to use that day have that extra space.

SPEAKER_01 14:10

And that's a good choice because those those parks get absolutely insane on fee-free days. Oh, yeah, I can't imagine. People do all sorts of bad things in parks on fee-free days.

SPEAKER_00 14:20

Oh no.

SPEAKER_01 14:21

You know, and and being a good and that's part of the reason that that probably the national parks are enforcing some of these rules because there's a lot of parks you can't park on the shoulder, or you're blocking traffic, or you're, you know, hurting the wildlife or the vegetation. And the problem is, is on fee-free days, it's kind of a I don't want to say there's less rules. I would say that less people, you know, decide to follow the rules on those days. Yeah. Yeah. So I think that's what makes it hard, you know. So be mindful, you know, when you are going on a fee-free day to still be respectful of the space. You know, I think that's super important to consider. But if you're going on a fee-free day, go in early because the park's going to be busier than usual. But yeah, I mean, they're a great way to see the park on a very small budget.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

Well, the good news is that the number of fee free days has gone up from last year was six. There's now 10. So that's great. Oh, that's nice. Uh yeah, the the difficult news is that they're almost all entirely different dates. So get ready to write these down. The dates that are no more are Martin Luther King Jr. Day is no longer free, Juneteenth, no longer free, National Park Week is no longer free, and National Public Lands Day is no longer free. The new Patriotic, yes, the new what they have deemed what they are calling the Patriotic Fee-Free Days include President's Day on February 16th, the National Park Service's 110th birthday on August 25th, Constitution Day on September 17th, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday on October 27th, which is pretty cool because he's, you know, pretty instrumental in the existence of the national park system. And Veterans Day.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

The National Park Service would not be what it is at all if it weren't for Teddy Roosevelt.

SPEAKER_00 16:19

Exactly. And then Veterans Day on November 11th. The caveat is the Department of Interior has said that fee-free days are for U.S. residents only. They do not apply for international visitors, they do not qualify. The other thing. Yes, yes. Welcome to the country.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

Sorry, I gotta edit something. I am just I am just blown away by that. Honestly, I am just so surprised. You know, you'd think fee-free days were just kind of an open invitation, so to speak, an act of goodwill. And so that's kind of what I would think fee-free days would mean, whether you're from the United States or not. So especially to like our neighbors, you know. But I mean, so many people spend so much money in national parks that come from overseas on their holiday. So you think that that would be encouraged, not discouraged. Yeah. I'm just blown away by that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:13

Yeah, I know. The the other thing that I want to throw out there regarding fee-free days is that I want to make sure everybody knows fee-free days only waives the entrance fee. So this does not include camping fees, reservations, and parking fees. You still have to pay for all of those. So make sure you're budgeting accordingly and book your site early because free entry days always spike foot traffic and those spots fill up fast.

SPEAKER_01 17:43

Well, some of them will book a whole year out. So yeah, you have to be super mindful of that.

SPEAKER_00 17:47

You're gonna love the next one. Really makes you feel like yeah. Warm and fuzzy. Sorry, I'm this one just makes me feel real good. The non-resident surcharge at 11 major parks. So there is a yes, 11 select parks. So there is a new tiered pricing system, and this is relevant for our international visitors and U.S. travelers whose foreign friends might be visiting them. So, like if my friend Lucy decides to come visit, this would apply to Lucy. The new rule is that 11 of our most visited national parks now charge non-U.S. residents $100 per person at the gate if they do not have the America the Beautiful Pass. The parks include Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion. Their residency has to be verified with a U.S. government-issued photo ID at the entrance. So if you show up without your U.S. residency photo ID, you will be charged at these parks as a non-U.S. resident. So you need to make sure that you take your US residency photo ID ID with you because they will be checking it for everybody at these parks. For non-residents, 200. I know. For non-residents is for non-residents, the $250 annual pass is actually a great deal because if you visit three of these parks, you've already paid for it, you know, and and made $50 essentially.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

So this is how the audience knows that we don't pre-game any of these first starters. Let me start there. Yes. Because these reactions are very authentic. And I do not, you know, when I do the homework on an episode, I know everything.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

And Tasha's reacting in real time. To all of that, make sure that you guys are set and ready to go when you get to that gate. Um big reservation news regarding the arches, Yosemite, and Glacier for the Go Reservation Free. Um, this is one of the most practically impactful changes for RV trip planning. Um so starting this summer, 2026, Arches, Yosemite, and Glacier National Parks are dropping their timed entry reservation requirements. Yay! That's good and bad. We like and bad.

SPEAKER_01 20:40

No, actually, I think that's we like this one in the middle. So I think it's good and bad because what it's also showing is how many fewer people are going.

SPEAKER_00 20:53

Well, so the National Park Service says that this new approach focuses on real-time traffic management, leading to temporary traffic diversions and seasonal staff at high congestion points. So that's what they're not leading to, but but that's what they're trying to kind of help with is making sure that they're essentially putting their staffing where they need it when they need it there. And they do still strongly recommend early arrival, especially at Yosemite and the arches, um, because those two parks can hit capacity by mid-morning during peak season. So just things to know. And, you know, there's a lot of people who put off or have been putting off traveling to those parks because the reservation system can be a hassle. I know um we had a little bit of that before they lifted the reservation system with Rocky Mountain National Park. Ours was a a little bit different because of why we were going. It was after Matt's mom had passed and we were going. I mean, like with his family, like to remember her. It was, you know, one of her favorite places. That was something we were doing. So it was like trying to orchestrate for everybody to get to Colorado and you know, the travel and everything. That's kind of a pain whenever you're trying to orchestrate that. If people are coming in from lots of places. So I totally understand how hard that reservation service is to navigate when you're, especially if you've got multiple families trying to work together.

SPEAKER_01 22:31

So but even, you know, that I mean there's lots of things that can't cause that reservation system to hiccup. You know, going to the sunroad, you know, has a timed reservation system. And it's because you really can't have that many people on that road. But if you're experiencing snow that day and the road gets shut down on the day that you've already paid for your timed entry, you might have to wait three weeks to go back and you might not have it. So, like there's give and take on those timed entries. And so I think that maybe they're starting to see the reasons why they don't work too. Hopefully, yeah, that's kind of, you know.

SPEAKER_00 23:03

Yeah. Something to know is that even without your reservations for entry, your campsite reservation is still your golden ticket. So if you've got an in-park campsite, you need to use that entrance time strategically. You're already in the system, you know. So use that, get priority, get get where you need to get for that campaign.

SPEAKER_01 23:27

And book them a long time out. Some of those parks book a whole year in advance. So keep that in mind when you're booking reservations. So, like if you're going to Yellowstone and you know you want to be over at Canyon Village, book that a year in advance. I mean, you can always wiggle those dates, but you can't get them back a lot of times. They don't people don't realize how far out a lot of the parks book or the sight length requirements. Like if you're in Joshua Tree, your rig can't be, you know, bigger than 30 feet in a lot of those spots. So if you're planning to camp inside the park there, I can't park inside the park there. So no, you're bigger than I am now.

SPEAKER_00 24:02

Okay. I I am. But I couldn't have taken Flick, you know. Flick was tiny. He wasn't tiny, but he was tinier. Um, so let's talk about this. Is not so much like a a change that's gonna hit your pocketbook, but it is a change that I think is important to mention because it will affect these changes, they are going to affect your experience at the national parks. Um, this is going to be differences in your encounters and what you should expect when you get there. So the National Park Service has lost more than 24% of its permanent workforce since early 2025. So, what does that mean on the ground is the really big question here. And what you should expect is that some of the visitor centers may have reduced hours or limited staffing. That also means that some of those visitor centers might just not be open at all. Um, certain interpretive programs, guided tours, or rang-led talks or walks may not be available like they were before, especially at smaller parks. And maintenance crews are stretched thin. So trail conditions, facility upkeep, um, some of these parks just may not be looking as great. So I think something we can do is in that case, is, you know, I think as RVers, I just think it's the golden rule that we leave things better than what we found it. And so um, you know, what I try to do anytime I take a walk or, you know, go explore places, I try to purposefully try to look for at least five pieces of trash that I can pick up and take and throw away while I'm on that walk or while I'm on that trail. Um, you know, it just think if every single person that went to a national park said, I'm going to pick up five pieces of trash while I'm at the national park today, we could we could keep our national grounds beautiful. Um I agree.

SPEAKER_01 26:19

I think that, you know, that's just uh true. I think that that's just true across the board. It's, you know, if we can take that leadership role and just be that difference. But there's going to be a lot of people that don't. So, you know, I'm not saying, you know, if any of you have ever done a junior ranger program with your kids, it is that kind of mindset going into it. You know, I think it's okay to say to somebody that you see stacking rocks, hey, we don't do that here. You know, it's against the rules in a national park or somebody that's gathering, you know, flowers. You know, I even I don't collect rocks at a national park. I mean, like, you know, just be mindful of your surroundings. But a lot of people don't realize, you know, we say all the time, you don't know what you don't know. And a lot of people maybe don't know the rules. And without the people to share those ranger-led talks and talk about why that conservation matters, hopefully we just don't see a decline in it over the years. And we won't know for 10 years, 15 years what how that impact is gonna be going forward.

SPEAKER_00 27:13

The next thing to know about or be aware of is that the National Park Service has a flat fiscal year 2026 funding, which means there should not be any catastrophic cuts to operations for the rest of the year. But that also means there will not be any growth to it either. So right now their gap is largely in staffing, not services as a whole on paper. So you see less feet on the ground.

SPEAKER_01 27:44

Well, and that's because Delaware North, and they do have some third-party companies that come in that are outside the scope of the national park, like Delaware North does a lot of the Grand Canyon stuff. And so they have a private entity that sort outsources some of that. That's true in like Yosemite and Yellowstone, and some of the bigger parks do have housing on site for that, but they're not national park funded the same way. So it's just the staff that's really mostly impacted by it. But the staff is the education side of it.

SPEAKER_00 28:12

Yeah, it is. It is. And so that leads me to my next point that some exhibits and displays at certain parks, they've been removed or they've been altered. Part of that has to do with the budget changes and part of it has to do with administration changes and review of those educational pieces. So if you visit a specific historic site, you may notice that panels are missing. Um, and that's likely why. It's not because the site has been damaged or has been taken apart by, you know, a vandalism situation or anything like that. It's because the um site has been reviewed and has been altered as a case of that or as a um response to that review. Um, so just things to know, changes that you may find whenever you get there. Some of the exhibit and display changes that visitors are knowing is like an ongoing review of history and science exhibits across national parks as part of a current executive order. Um, so panels, displays, and signage have been removed or altered at several parks. Specific parts where the changes have been uh reported this year are the Grand Canyon, the Glacier National Park, the Independence NHP in Philadelphia, um, Muir Woods in California, and um to Montgomery National Historic Trail in Alabama. Um that one is a little bit devastating.

SPEAKER_01 29:51

There have been Muir Woods is yes. Uh I can't even imagine why Muir Woods is on that list. Uh uh, they I've been there.

SPEAKER_00 30:00

There was an exhibit on women's roles in conservation and an indigenous history that was removed. Uh Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, 80 items were flagged for removal. So it's not a little bit of things, it's a lot of things. Um climate change, melting glaciers, um, indigenous tribes, these are being taken down. Panels about George Washington's enslaved people being taken down. Um, some of these things, judges are coming in and saying this needs to be restored. So we may see some things get restored back to that. Um, but for the most part, these are still down across this.

SPEAKER_01 30:48

Unwriting history has its own set of percussions. And so, you know, it's not a national park, but I will never forget we went to Utah and there was this place called Topaz. And Topaz is not a national park, it is just a concentration campsite from Japanese encampments that I didn't even know until that year existed in this country. And it wasn't the only one. There were like 14 of them across the country. So when we start a lot, and what they did was they took Topaz down, and there's this little tiny um, it doesn't even look like a uh museum, but in the city limits, there's this little tiny museum. And I remember it was the first time that I've ever watched Frank actually question why he was a Marine. Because for years he'll tell you, you know, I protect your rights, I protect what I believe in, but I protect what everyone believes in, whether I believe it or not. He believes very strongly in that. And Topaz, you could just see his whole demeanor change because you saw what it did to him to see it removed. And when you go out to the the grounds for Topaz, and it's this little tiny place in Utah. So if you're going through Utah this summer, I encourage you to go to Topaz. It's not a national park, but the grounds are gone. Like you can go out there and look, but it doesn't even exist. And so I don't want that to happen to our national parks because most of those national parks, a lot of them are on tribal lands or were at one point.

SPEAKER_00 32:12

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. There's there's a lot. I just saw a story this last week where um some tribal land, there was a monument in Arizona that um was supposed to be saved from the building of the wall in Arizona. Uh, it is a sacred ground area for an indigenous people in that area. And um it was bulldozed. Um that is that is a people's history, that is their culture. That was a spiritual sacred ground for them. And it's heartbreaking to me to see a country that is losing part of its uh roots.

SPEAKER_01 33:04

Did you ever think talking about national parks would be a heavy episode?

SPEAKER_00 33:07

You know, I specifically did. I will tell you that when I was doing my research for this episode, I very distinctly put into the search parameters in Google non-political articles. Like I I asked Google to bring me bipartisan news articles because I really want to make sure that I'm able to offer information that is accessible and speaks to everybody out there, regardless of what side of the line they sit. Um, I'd like to believe that in our RB community, there is not a line, that we're just all around the same campfire. Um and so I try very hard to present this information in a way that um gives the facts that people need, but it's also very hard to present those facts and not also counter the facts about the things that are heartbreaking in the process. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:19

And well, and for those of you just tuning in for the very first time to learn to RV the podcast, this may be the first episode you've ever experienced with us. And you know, I'm not sorry for that. But what you need to know about Tasha is she's a copywriter by trade. So she is a deep digger when it comes to information. And so you know that the information she's gonna give you is 100% solid, but she's gonna look at both sides of it. And so no matter what her personal beliefs are, she's gonna make sure that it's presented in a way that it is fair for everyone. And I think we really try to do that on the podcast on a regular basis, no matter what side of that line we're personally on. We want to make sure everybody has all the tools they need in their toolbox to make decisions for themselves.

SPEAKER_00 34:59

Yes, absolutely. And that's the bottom line is that we want you guys to be able to make good decisions that are great for you and your family. And um, you know, if you are in a place where you're like, man, I really wish that there's something that I could do to give back to the parks to be able to help the employees to, you know, we've talked about how you can help um lend a hand while they, you know, their maintenance staff is low numbers. They're, you know, they don't have enough people, enough feet on the ground to get out there and hit those bathrooms or hit those trails. Um, but another thing that you can do is every national park has a bookstore that is run by a nonprofit named Friends of the Park. And buying a book or a guide, they're joining their membership directly back. Yes, which I am a member of, um, it puts money directly back into that park. And it's one of the best ways to get incredibly rich, wonderful content and context on a park's full history, um, especially if the exhibits are limited for whatever reason, whether it's a staffing issue or a change in administration, whatever that is, you are going to find the best content in those bookstores.

SPEAKER_01 36:26

I was gonna say the books that they have in those bookstores too are a lot of like real authentic books and stuff that you can't find anywhere else. And so I think that that's a great way to talk about that, you know. So a lot of them are gonna be that richer history, and you know, it's and it and they have local writers a lot of times in those smaller stores. So there's a lot of extra stuff, and a lot of times they have really great sales and you get a discount on all the books in there once you become a member. So I mean, the money goes back to the park, but yeah, so absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 36:57

The other thing to know is that, you know, we have talked about fewer feet on the ground. So download that National Park Service app. There is so much information in there. You definitely want to make sure you download it before you leave cell phone range. Okay, do not wait until you get to the park to download it because you will not be downloading anything when you get there. Um, but it has offline maps, it's got trail info, it's got information about um just basically the it's like a park guide in your pocket. And if you download the information before you get to the park, it will work without a signal. Um, it's wonderful if the visitor center is closed. It's a great backup to get you wherever you want to go when you arrive. Um, I love that thing, and it it's just a wealth of information. Um, it'll tell you if there's any special exhibits running or special events running or things for the kids, places that they recommend to go walk to or hike, or you know, beautiful views to go look from, great picture spots, everything that you want to know about the park that you're visiting is in that app. It is great.

SPEAKER_01 38:07

Speaking of kids, do you know if the junior ranger books are still free at most parks? I know, like Yellowstone, you actually have to pay for your junior ranger book, but I'm just curious, did you did you find any information on that?

SPEAKER_00 38:19

I did not see anything about that, but I will try and look and see if I see it. Well, you know what? We'll be writing see it.

SPEAKER_01 38:29

Well, again, we'll write a companion blog like we do for so many of these podcasts. We'll definitely cover that there. So we'll check into that and see if you know some of the parks are not doing. I don't know. And so it would be interesting to know if that's one of their budget cuts. Because I mean, it would cost a lot of money to print all the books.

SPEAKER_00 38:46

That would be heartbreaking. I really hope not. That's such a valuable thing for those kids. Well, and it's because you can be 99 years old and do them because there's you know an age limit of 99 on them. Yes, you can still be a junior ranger. I know. Um, you know what my favorite find in one of those bookstores was? What's that? I found a, and I've not started it yet, but it's still my favorite. I found a knitting the national parks book. And it literally teaches you how to knit a beanie hat specific for every single national park. And the design is specific to like what that national park's features are. I'm so excited. I did not know you knew I don't, but I'm gonna learn, dang it. And then I'm gonna have a beanie for every national park. That is my goal. One day I'm gonna have time to do that. I feel like you can't make the national park. You can't do the national park hat until you go to the national park. That's the plan. Is that every time I go to one, I'm gonna make the hat, but I have to learn to nip first.

SPEAKER_01 40:00

Luckily, the the park So what year is Learn to RV going on tour to all the national parks?

SPEAKER_00 40:07

Uh, hopefully very soon, because this book is very heavy. And so it would be really great if I could get through it quickly so that I could gift it on to someone else and get that weight out of my RV. Um who needs to knit a hat for all of the national parks. Yeah. Um, well, the hats would be lighter, I think, than the book. It's a very beautiful, very hardbound book. Um, so Jennifer, we have an event coming up in July for Learn to RV. Um, do you know what that event is?

SPEAKER_01 40:44

So it's it's the event where I lose my mind one week at a time.

SPEAKER_00 40:48

And it's it's it's based on something though, but what is our event? Can you tell me the name of it?

SPEAKER_01 40:55

It's the Learn to RV 2026 Great American Scavenger Hunt. Um, we never did a great American one, but America's turning 250 years old. Yes. And so, what better way to celebrate that than a scavenger hunt? And so this is not your normal scavenger hunt. You have to go to learn to rv.com. There's a link right off of the main page that you can learn all about the scavenger hunt and what it entails. It's kind of a thing. And there's actually a YouTube um trailer thing that you can watch to learn more about how to get a, I don't know, friend to bring along for the ride, you know, a mascot of some kind. And so Learn to RV the scavenger hunt is quite the it's the place to be. It's a thing, it's just an amazing thing. Yeah. Yeah. And there's prizes. Like we have over $3,000 in prizes already from vendors and sponsors. It's crazy. It's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 41:48

Well, listen, I don't want to say that like our America 250 is the best America 250 celebration. But I mean it's up there. But it's gonna be pretty. So in 2026, um for your RV travels, while you're doing the scavenger hunt, the great American RV scavenger hunt in July, there are some National Park Service celebrations happening that might be able to help you get your things for the scavenger hunt. So July 4th marks the United States' 250th anniversary, and national parks across the country are planning special events, especially at battlefields, memorials, and historic sites. It's a once-in-a-lifetime travel opportunity for RVers visiting historically significant parks in a year when they're being celebrated in a big way. So parks to consider for America's 250th significance would be Valley Forge at Gettysburg, Independence NHP in Philadelphia, the Colonial NHP in Williamsburg, and Minuteman NHP in Massachusetts. So that's a good ones.

SPEAKER_01 43:34

Um, they're not in none of Frank's favorites have been on any of your lists. I'm gonna say that.

SPEAKER_00 43:40

Well, and I don't think that these five are kind of like I mean, Gettysburg, that's where we're gonna be next in our next travels. We'll be at Gettysburg next. But like Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:52

So so we did Gettysburg last fall, so I guess that's my last national park officially. Um, and I would say be prepared.

SPEAKER_00 44:00

Yeah, we've been there once. Um and so I I know what to expect. It is very, very heavy. Um but I I don't think we've been to Valley Forge yet. Um we've definitely not been to independence. No, we've not been to Independence Colonial or Minuteman. Even though we've been to Massachusetts like 25 times, because I love me some Massachusetts. I love Massachusetts. That is just y'all, that is one great state. In the summer. You would not make it really. I don't know. I might. If someone gave me a warm enough place to stay, I could make it work. But you know, so key takeaways to remember, okay? Let's we're gonna hit this fast. The the America the beautiful past is now digital. $80 for your car, but you need to have your IDs because if you do not live in the United States, the cost has gone up for you. It is $250 for the America the Beautiful Pass, and it is $100 at the 11 parks that I mentioned earlier. Um so plan accordingly. If you are traveling with friends who are visiting from out of the country, um, or if you are traveling from outside of the country, or if you're planning and you found this uh episode and you're hoping to, you know, get a leg up on what you need to know, that's what you need to know. Um, the 10 free days in 2026, there's more of them, but the dates have changed significantly. So make sure you know those days, and they're a little different. Like some of them are, you know, maybe on some days that maybe you're at school or you know, maybe they're more likely to be an RV travel weekend or like a big RVing weekend, but also that might mean that there's more traffic that weekend. So keep that in mind. And then um Arches, Yosemite, and Glacier no longer required timed entry reservations starting this summer. Expect potentially reduced staffing and services at some of the parks and download the app and plan ahead. Get that information in your pocket before you go. This is a really big year to visit um historic parks because of America 250. Um, booking for the areas around the national parks for RV sites, hotels, and Airbnbs for this summer is higher than last year and the year before.

SPEAKER_01 46:58

And a lot of places, uh keep in mind that a lot of places like, you know, a lot of people are always surprised by how much more it is to camp here at places like Yellowstone. You have to understand that like Yellowstone KOA that we worked at in 2022, they opened the week before Memorial Day and they closed by October 1st. So they're very short season. Their prices have to increase to reflect the number of visitors that are coming or not coming. And so they have to charge accordingly because they have to make most of those businesses need to make a whole year's salary in three months.

SPEAKER_00 47:32

I want to look up. Hold on, let me see if I can find this stat because I want to get it right because it made my mouth drop, my jaw drop. Stays near national parks are up 35% already for this summer. So the summer is going to be very, very busy. Planning ahead matters more than ever before. So make sure that you are ready to go, that you've got everything booked months in advance and you know where you're going and what you're doing. Um, I hope that everything in this episode was useful for you. If there's anything that you know that maybe I missed during my research, please, please, please put it in the show notes so that we can pass the information along. But if you want more information about the national park system, you can visit nps.gov. Um, that's got all of your information about planning your visit, getting the app, all of that. So it's a great resource. Jennifer, talk to me about RV Roofing Solutions. You know, I am just so grateful that um they have just been there from day one of the podcast. It's just been such a blessing.

SPEAKER_01 48:47

So, you know, our primary sponsor is so it's funny, I hate talking about RV Roofing Solutions because it's my company. But the reality is, is we back it up. Um, we back up the podcasts, you know, and we want to be there for the community and the RV community at large, not just the podcast, but all the other vendors that are out there, which is why we feel so strongly about it. But RV Roofing Solutions is a nationwide RV roofing company with competent installers that professionally install a product and come to you. And so if you're looking to not have to worry about your RV roof the same way you used to, and you want a maintenance-free system that you just wash twice a year, give them a call, 888-847-7010, or visit RVroofingSolutions.com.

SPEAKER_00 49:30

Perfect. Was that a good elevator pitch? That was wonderful. Well, we will see you down the road and around the campfire. And this year in 2026, make sure you know what's waiting for you at the gate. Get ready for those national parks, and we'll see you next time. Bye bye.