| The Trust for Public Land

Frog Town Park, St. Paul Minnesota, October 4, 2018.
Andy Richter Photography
There's a new #1 for city parks in America
Check out the findings from our 2019 ParkScore® index, and see how your city's parks compare!

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This constitutes a good day at school. Glen Helen Nature Preserve in Yellow Springs, OH.
Kelly Fortener
Notes on (saving) camp
Across the country, grown-up camp kids are rallying to protect the places they remember.

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Mary Ann Twitty
In a "forgotten" vacant lot, neighbors dream of a new park
For decades, residents of Chattanooga’s Oak Grove neighborhood have made the most of the empty space on Lynnbrook Avenue.

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A view of the landscape of the Stillwater property in Montana.
© Steven Gnam
Water comes first as this small town grows
In Whitefish, Montana, long-time locals are saving the streams that will guarantee their community a sustainable future.

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August 9, 2019

Inside Bozeman's a-maze-ing new park

Last month, we threw a great big party to celebrate the grand opening of the brand new Story Mill Community Park in Bozeman, Montana. The ...

A man carries a woman in a backpack on a hike through a green field

August 2, 2019

This "dream team" relies on each other to explore the wilderness

If you like getting outside, you know how important it is to find an adventure buddy: someone who’s as excited as you are to hit the trail ...

July 12, 2019

True-blue conservation in Maine

Around this time of year, a strange condition starts to spread among the inhabitants of central Maine. During long summer days outside, ...

June 28, 2019

Five threats to the Pacific Crest Trail, and how we’re fighting back

UPDATE: Great news! We're proud to announce we've protected 17 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail at ...

May 30, 2019

The mother-daughter duo making great strides on the North Country Trail

Laurie and Andrea Kass are on a mission. The mother-daughter duo from Marquette, Michigan, aim to hike at least 100 miles on the North ...

March 28, 2019

On these trails, it's not whether you win or lose—it's how you run the race

Ever watch the Olympics on TV? You notice how nervous tension builds before a race: In the moments just before the starting gun, the camera ...

A person snowshoes through fresh powder in a forest

January 30, 2019

Trailblazers: this small town has a big dream for its open space

Tucked into the rugged mountains of western Maine, the tiny village of Bethel is a quintessential mountain town. “Getting outside is part ...

December 26, 2018

Seeking a winter wonderland? We’ve got you covered.

Winter can be a grind. Dark days of dodging puddles, shoveling driveways, and misplacing mittens—it’s enough to make you want to curl up ...

Liz Thomas on a hillside swing above San Francisco

December 4, 2018

This master thru-hiker is trekking across a city near you

The veteran of more than 20 long-distance wilderness hikes, Liz Thomas knows how to navigate the ...

A man in a wheelchair on a high mountain trail

July 11, 2018

Whatever the trail throws at him, “4-Wheel Bob” pushes through

To reach Kearsarge Pass in the southern Sierra Nevada, you’ll need to ascend 2,600 feet in 11 miles, over big boulders and through loose ...

A train platform at the Appalachian Trail

June 19, 2018

New York commuters’ next stop: the Appalachian Trail

On weekdays New York City’s commuter trains are all business, shuttling briefcase-toting commuters between Manhattan and the suburbs. But ...

June 14, 2018

Once nearly lost to sprawl, the Columbia River Gorge remains a timeless escape

Summer is the high season in the Columbia River Gorge, backyard playground for millions of people in the Pacific Northwest. When spring ...

May 31, 2018

California voters: here’s what people are saying about Prop 68

UPDATE: California voters pass Prop 68! “Pretty much anybody at this point can ...

April 17, 2018

When private golf courses land in the rough, communities tee up public parks

In many parts of the country, golf courses are struggling to turn a profit: by some estimates, 800 have closed down in just the past decade ...

March 28, 2018

Earthly miracles: preserving a pilgrimage in New Mexico

The road to the village of Chimayo winds through the foothills of New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It’s usually a quiet highway, ...

December 22, 2017

On the Appalachian Trail, a summit reached and a promise kept

Mount Katahdin marks the end of many long journeys. The 5,267-foot peak is Maine’s highest point, the summit of a formidably steep and ...

July 27, 2017

Protecting a park that’s ‘so L.A.’

In a city as enormous and diverse as Los Angeles, it’s debatable whether there’s any such thing as the quintessential park experience. But ...

A young man rides a bike on a muddy trail

July 20, 2017

Momentum for this new park comes from a young bike racer not afraid to go big

Like a lot of high school students, Brandon Robinson had a hard time getting excited about math class. “He’d sit in the back and grumble—I ...

July 14, 2017

Take it “SLO” along the Central California Coast

San Luis Obispo—or SLO, as it’s known to locals—is a town of about 50,000 people tucked into the rolling hills on the Central California ...

A woman and her son walk on a trail above a valley

June 8, 2017

All across the country, budget cuts put conservation at risk

When it comes to the federal budget, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers. But behind every proposed cut are real communities—including ...

Sun shines on a valley viewed from a mountainside

June 1, 2017

A Vermont town takes matters—and a mountain—into its own hands

Mount Ascutney rises 3,000 feet above the town of West Windsor, Vermont. For generations, the ski resort at its base was the community’s ...

May 22, 2017

Solving the puzzle of sustainable growth in the real Twin Peaks

It’s a big week for fans of the TV show Twin Peaks: after a 25-year hiatus, the series wrapped up its third season on Sunday night ...

Denver skyline from Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

May 12, 2017

When the park across the street is a world away

There's a big blank spot on the map of the Denver metro. In the city’s northeast corner, the grid ends abruptly in an open prairie. Instead ...

A view of Napa Valley from Oat Hill Mine Trail

April 11, 2017

Wine-country conservation: bold start, sweet finish?

Mention California’s Napa Valley and most people think wine country, not wilderness. But beyond the vineyards and tasting rooms you’ll also ...

February 23, 2017

Up for a challenge? Consider the Continental Divide—the over, around, and thru-hike

Thanks in part to movies Wild and A ...

There's a new #1 for city parks in America

Notes on (saving) camp

In a "forgotten" vacant lot, neighbors dream of a new park

Water comes first as this small town grows