NEWS: Nat'l Parks Told To Remove "DEI" Merchandise, Grand Canyon Closes Services, New State Parks

Parkography

RV Miles Network

History, Nature, Society & Culture:places & Travel, Society & Culture, Science, Places & Travel

4.9 • 870 Ratings

🗓️ 11 December 2025

⏱️ 14 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Grand Canyon's South Rim has closed lodging due to significant waterline breaks, while Theodore Roosevelt National Park completed a $51 million road rehabilitation project. The Interior Department is reviewing park merchandise to remove DEI themes, and the 'American Products in Parks Act' was introduced to mandate that all products sold in National Park Service gift shops be American-made. Additionally, Arkansas is creating a new state park at Blanchard Springs, and Florida State Parks need $760 million in repairs. New Jersey is rebranding its state parks in preparation for the USA's 250th birthday. Finally, there are concerns about reduced wildfire mitigation efforts on US Forest Service land. Find the Slinky Stove that's right for your next adventure at: https://www.slinkystove.com/?ref=PARKography Join the PARKography Facebook group to discuss this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/parkography The video on explaining passes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBfqPOoEu4w&t=357s Check out our other channels focused on RV travel: @RVMiles @RVMilesPodcast 00:00 Introduction00:07 Grand Canyon Waterline Issues02:05 Theodore Roosevelt National Park Road Rehabilitation02:59 National Park Service Merchandise Review04:29 American Products in Parks Act05:55 Sponsored Segment: Slinky Stove06:33 Arkansas's Newest State Park: Blanchard Springs07:22 Florida State Parks Infrastructure Needs08:07 New Jersey State Parks Rebranding09:15 Wildfire Mitigation and Forest Service Staffing10:59 National Helicopter Repel Program Achievements14:11 Conclusion and Farewell

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Jason Epperson. This is parkography, and it's time for the latest in National Park and
0:04.5	Public Lands News. First up, Grand Canyon National Park has closed lodging on the south
0:11.3	rim of the park due to a series of significant breaks in the 12-5-mile Trans-Canion water line
0:17.8	that supplies water from the canyon for use in the park.
0:24.7	Since mid-November, the park has faced challenges with water supply, and currently no water is being pumped to the south rim.
0:26.8	They have cisterns that hold a lot of water, but there's no water being added to them at
0:31.6	the moment.
0:32.3	Effective this past Saturday, December 6, all park concessions have halted overnight
0:36.6	accommodations.
0:37.8	Again, this is the south rim, not the North Rim, where the fire was earlier this year.
0:42.2	The North Rim is already closed for the season.
0:44.7	Only dry camping is permitted at the park's campgrounds.
0:48.0	However, faucets and bathrooms and the camper services dump station remain operational.
0:53.3	Park residents are being asked to help conserve water by limiting showers to five minutes or less
0:58.0	and flushing toilets selectively, and hikers in the backcountry must carry all necessary water
1:03.5	or methods to treat water.
1:05.6	Originally built in the 1960s, the Trans Canyon waterline provides potable water for facilities
1:10.4	on the south rim and inner canyon.
1:12.6	The waterline has exceeded its expected lifespan and experiences frequent failures, which require expensive and continuous maintenance work to repair leaks.
1:22.6	The National Park Service started construction in 2023 on a multi-year,208 million rehabilitation of the Trans-Canion
1:29.8	water line and upgrades to the associated water delivery system. It includes lots of things like a
1:35.1	water treatment plant and a helipad and more. The supply of drinking water for most of the park
	...

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