A Must-Visit Website for Anyone Considering a Trip to a US National Park This Summer

Arches National Park (Photo by James Cameron)

I just spent the last 20 minutes chatting with Kurt Repanshek, the author of several Frommer's guides to the National Parks and the founder of the website National Parks Traveler. What I enjoy most about Kurt is that, while he himself is an accomplished outdoorsman, he understands that other travelers don't necessarily share his skills and inclinations and so does his best to give advice that works for all sorts of Park-bound travelers.

For those who likely won't stray far from their cars, he's warning the the Great Smokey's won't be the top place for a driving vacation this summer, due to a number of roadwork projects which will slow traffic down to a crawl. He's recommending, on the site, a number of alternate routes, all perfect for "windsheild tourists".

On the opposite end of the spectrum are folks eager to go deep into the backcountry. For them, he has an in-depth piece on how to choose the best backcountry guides.

The news pieces Repanshek posts are also a fascinating window into the Parks system, from useful pieces about the current avalanche problems in Grand Teton National Park to reviews of the latest books on the Parks.

Take a look, I think you'll enjoy it.