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Summer Getaways: National Park Service The Park Service manages nearly 400 parks across the country — everything from Yellowstone and Yosemite — to national battlefields and historic homes. There are more than 84 million acres in the National Park system — covering mountains and deserts, glaciers, swamps and city blocks.
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Summer Getaways: National Park Service

From Yellowstone and Yosemite, there are more than 84 million acres in the National Park system.

A Brief History: The Smallest National Park Site

Forget the walking shoes and bug repellant. The Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial is a mere 0.02 acres and is inside a Philadelphia row house. Kosciuszko, an American Revolutionary War hero, spent seven months in the room that serves as the main exhibit area.

A Brief History: The Smallest National Park Site

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Cast Of Thousands Keeps Grand Canyon Humming

Grand Canyon National Park may be one of the planet's Seven Natural Wonders, but few realize how many people help keep its 4.4 million annual visitors safe and happy — from the cowboys who lead mule tours, to the dispatchers who make sure campground toilets work.

Cast Of Thousands Keeps Grand Canyon Humming

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National Parks' Civil War Relics Tempt Thieves

Many historical artifacts can be found in national parks, which are often tempting to thieves. Some say stealing these relics may help preserve history rather than hurt it. As part of our series on national parks, NPR's Laura Sullivan has the story.

National Parks' Civil War Relics Tempt Thieves

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Tale Of Lost Love Haunts White Sands

When the wind blows at White Sands National Monument, legend has it that the centuries-old ghost of a Mexican maiden can be seen in the shifting sands. It is said that the maiden is still searching for her betrothed, whose body was never found.

Tale Of Lost Love Haunts White Sands

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Watcher Eagle-Eyes Flames From Tower

The number of active fire lookouts has dwindled to fewer than 1,000 over the past 70 years, but fire tower watcher Margee Kelly maintains her perch on Sequoia National Monument. Kelly carries a torch for the job she's done for 21 fire seasons.

Watcher Eagle-Eyes Flames From Tower

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Global Warming Threatens Everglades, Residents

Few places in the U.S. are more threatened by global warming than Everglades National Park in Florida. Park officials say the national park as well as the water supply and flood control for 6 million people who live in south Florida are at risk.

Global Warming Threatens Everglades, Residents

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A Paiute Take On Bryce Canyon's Hoodoos

The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.

A Paiute Take On Bryce Canyon's Hoodoos

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Mount Rushmore Now Offers Pre-Carving History

Visitors to Mount Rushmore expect to see the carved faces of four U.S. presidents. But a new exhibit of a Native American village may come as a surprise. The exhibit describes life in the Black Hills, land sacred to the Lakota Sioux, before the stone carvings.

Mount Rushmore Now Offers Pre-Carving History

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Glacier Bay Park's Gravity Shifts As Ice Melts

The ice sheet in Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska has receded so much that the Earth's crust is rebounding. Alaskans who live in the area have grown used to expanding properties, brown bears — even a slight drop in gravity.

Glacier Bay Park's Gravity Shifts As Ice Melts

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Dancer, Artist Enlivens Death Valley Junction

In 1967 a flat tire led dancer and artist Marta Becket to Death Valley, an opera house — and her life's work. Today, she no longer dances, but she continues to attract an audience.

Dancer, Artist Enlivens Death Valley Junction

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Grand Canyon On The Cheap

Judging from this summer's big crowds, Grand Canyon National Park is clearly a destination of choice for vacationers in tough economic times. Some visitors might be Americans trying to save a buck, but others are coming from far away.

Grand Canyon On The Cheap

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Nature, Neighbors Guide Composer's Notes

Phillip Bimstein blends the voices and sounds of his hometown and Zion National Park in southern Utah to create songs. A "Half Moon at Checkerboard Mesa," is a musical hike through the sounds of the park.

Nature, Neighbors Guide Composer's Notes

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