Blog

Students Engage in the New Citizen Science TRACK Trail at their Elementary School

On April 17, Kids in Parks celebrated the grand opening of the Haw Creek Elementary School’s Citizen Science / STEM TRACK Trail in Asheville, N.C. The celebration was held in conjunction with the school’s Earth Week, and coincided with the North Carolina State Science Festival. The trail materials were overlaid on the school’s existing half-mile hiking trail. Throughout the week, teachers and their students flocked to the trail to learn about science found in nature through hands-on activities performed at a series of experiment stations.
by Jason Urroz, May 1st, 2017

Kids in Parks Invited to International Seminar for Kids in Nature

As Americans, it’s easy for us to recognize the issues surrounding children and their lack of connection to and interaction with nature here in the United States; but the problem of children disconnecting from nature is truly a global challenge. In March, Kids in Parks Director Jason Urroz attended the Salzburg Global Seminar’s session titled, “The Child in the City: Health, Parks, and Play,” to work with 50 leaders representing 23 countries to address the multiple facets of this important issue.
by Jason Urroz, May 1st, 2017

Patients, Doctors, and Rangers Brave Weather on National Park Rx Day

On April 23, the Kids in Parks program joined the National Park Service, National ParkRx initiative, and several other park prescription programs from across the country in celebrating the second annual National Park Rx Day. The annual ceremony takes place on the last day of National Park Week, and doctors nationwide prescribe the events to their patients to get them active outdoors and connect them with the health benefits associated with spending time in parks.
by Jason Urroz, May 1st, 2017

First Wyoming TRACK Trail Opens Big!

The community of Laramie and surrounding areas turned out in big numbers for the opening of the Fort Laramie NHS TRACK Trail. As the speakers engaged the crowd, the sense of pride in the natural and cultural riches of the park became evident. Park Superintendent, Tom Baker, emphasized the parks ties to the people of the community and the dedication to broadening the range of opportunities for visitors to experience the amazing resources at the Fort and bring kids outdoors...
by Adam Roades, October 27th, 2016

N.C. State Parks Celebrates 100th Anniversary with 23rd Trail

The National Park Service and North Carolina State Parks share a birthday this year. Both agencies turned 100! To celebrate the BIG one, the North Carolina State Parks department and Kids in Parks cut the ribbon on a new trail atop Mount Mitchell, the state's first park and the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River. The trail marks the North Carolina State Park's 23rd TRACK Trail and the 80th TRACK Trail in the state!
by Jason Urroz, September 27th, 2016

TRACK Rx Expands into Maryland

The TRACK Trails at the C&O Canal National Historical Park, Catoctin Mountain Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, and Antietam National Battlefield are about to be inundated with Trail TRACKers. That’s because Kids in Parks has formed a partnership with Meritus Health, a hospital system in Washington County, Maryland, to expand their TRACK Rx program.
by Jason Urroz, September 27th, 2016

San Diego County Parks Get Fourth and Fifth TRACK Trails

Three years ago, Kids in Parks installed three TRACK Trails in partnership with San Diego County Parks. One of the trails, the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Preserve, has been the program's most registered TRACK Trail three years in a row. Because of this success, the county recently partnered with Kids in Parks to install two new TRACK Trails, giving kids and families from the region a total of five locations to get outdoors and active in parks!
by Jason Urroz, September 27th, 2016

Public Lands Day 2016

National Public Lands Day is on September 24th and we're really excited about it. Not only are public lands the reason programs like Kids in Parks can exist, but they are the public connection to the natural world. They are places we can go to see plants, animals, rocks, and history that we might not otherwise get to see. We can visit high peaks or deep canyons and everything in between. It's easy to take these places for granted. 
by Adam Roades, September 20th, 2016

National Park Service Centennial

Today, the National Park Service celebrates its 100th birthday! For 100 years, our parks have proved again and again why they are America's "best idea." Not only do they provide opportunities for people from around the country and world to immerse themselves in beauty and rich heritage of our natural resources, but they work diligently to protect and preserve those resources for the future. To celebrate, every National Park is inviting you to visit for free from Augus 25-28! This is the perfect opportunity to visit that park you've always wanted to visit or hike that TRACK Trail you've been dreaming of.
by Adam Roades, August 25th, 2016