Melanie S.
@ocparkbuilder.bsky.social
Geographer. Environmentalist. 30x30 Activist. Chronic Illness. National Park Lover. Weekend Camper. Cat Mom.
Reposted by Melanie S.
I am very excited to welcome @cnhamoab.bsky.special as our special guest host for next Wednesday. Please go ahead and follow them now as your #ParkChat welcome. @naturetechfam.bsky.special
November 13, 2025 at 3:00 AM
I am very excited to welcome @cnhamoab.bsky.special as our special guest host for next Wednesday. Please go ahead and follow them now as your #ParkChat welcome. @naturetechfam.bsky.special
Reposted by Melanie S.
How do you fell about tonight’s Qs from @blackhillsparks.bsky.social? #ParkChat
November 13, 2025 at 2:42 AM
How do you fell about tonight’s Qs from @blackhillsparks.bsky.social? #ParkChat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Please show your gratitude for @blackhillsparks.bsky.social for his excellent hosting of #ParkChat tonight and for all he does for the Parks. We really appreciate you! @naturetechfam.bsky.social
November 13, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Please show your gratitude for @blackhillsparks.bsky.social for his excellent hosting of #ParkChat tonight and for all he does for the Parks. We really appreciate you! @naturetechfam.bsky.social
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q11: To quote an internet meme, “what if the most important part of park transportation is the friends you make along the way?”
Tell us a good story about a family or friends road trip, flight, park shuttle or other (weirder) transpo experience that you still remember to this day.
#parkchat
Tell us a good story about a family or friends road trip, flight, park shuttle or other (weirder) transpo experience that you still remember to this day.
#parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Q11: To quote an internet meme, “what if the most important part of park transportation is the friends you make along the way?”
Tell us a good story about a family or friends road trip, flight, park shuttle or other (weirder) transpo experience that you still remember to this day.
#parkchat
Tell us a good story about a family or friends road trip, flight, park shuttle or other (weirder) transpo experience that you still remember to this day.
#parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q10: Death Valley has horeseback rides, Grand Canyon the mules, Denali’s got dogsleds, and Big Thicket’s famous for their canoe/kayak trips.
What’s your oddest / most unique transportation experience in the parks?
#parkchat
What’s your oddest / most unique transportation experience in the parks?
#parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Q10: Death Valley has horeseback rides, Grand Canyon the mules, Denali’s got dogsleds, and Big Thicket’s famous for their canoe/kayak trips.
What’s your oddest / most unique transportation experience in the parks?
#parkchat
What’s your oddest / most unique transportation experience in the parks?
#parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q9: Some parks don’t just require transportation, they’re ABOUT transportation. Have you been to one that preserves or interprets something to do with transportation of goods or people?
(Bonus points if you know why this Junior Ranger book is important to recent NPS history) #parkchat
(Bonus points if you know why this Junior Ranger book is important to recent NPS history) #parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Q9: Some parks don’t just require transportation, they’re ABOUT transportation. Have you been to one that preserves or interprets something to do with transportation of goods or people?
(Bonus points if you know why this Junior Ranger book is important to recent NPS history) #parkchat
(Bonus points if you know why this Junior Ranger book is important to recent NPS history) #parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q8: Did your answer to Q7 include sustainable, inclusive, and accessible aspects of transportation to make our parks “parks for all”?
It's okay, here's a 2nd chance: how can parks build transportation that is environmentally friendly, economically friendly, and disability friendly?
#parkchat
It's okay, here's a 2nd chance: how can parks build transportation that is environmentally friendly, economically friendly, and disability friendly?
#parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Q8: Did your answer to Q7 include sustainable, inclusive, and accessible aspects of transportation to make our parks “parks for all”?
It's okay, here's a 2nd chance: how can parks build transportation that is environmentally friendly, economically friendly, and disability friendly?
#parkchat
It's okay, here's a 2nd chance: how can parks build transportation that is environmentally friendly, economically friendly, and disability friendly?
#parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q7: Lets keep playing “superintendent for the day”!
If you could design a dream way to get to and around in a park (realistic or not), what would it be? #parkchat
If you could design a dream way to get to and around in a park (realistic or not), what would it be? #parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Q7: Lets keep playing “superintendent for the day”!
If you could design a dream way to get to and around in a park (realistic or not), what would it be? #parkchat
If you could design a dream way to get to and around in a park (realistic or not), what would it be? #parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q6:The Mission 66 cultural shift had a dark side: overcrowding. Regale us with your most epic parking / traffic fail in a park.
Then play “superintendent for the day” and explain how you would fix it. #parkchat
Then play “superintendent for the day” and explain how you would fix it. #parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Q6:The Mission 66 cultural shift had a dark side: overcrowding. Regale us with your most epic parking / traffic fail in a park.
Then play “superintendent for the day” and explain how you would fix it. #parkchat
Then play “superintendent for the day” and explain how you would fix it. #parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q5: The “scenic grandeur” parks aren’t the only ones with driving tours. Some (especially battlefields) have interpretive history drives. And most have audio tours with them.
Tell us about one that stands out to you as a favorite or maybe one that needs more love. #parkchat
Tell us about one that stands out to you as a favorite or maybe one that needs more love. #parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Q5: The “scenic grandeur” parks aren’t the only ones with driving tours. Some (especially battlefields) have interpretive history drives. And most have audio tours with them.
Tell us about one that stands out to you as a favorite or maybe one that needs more love. #parkchat
Tell us about one that stands out to you as a favorite or maybe one that needs more love. #parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q4: Rangers dismissively call it “windshielding the park,” but some parks’ scale and vistas lend themselves to cruisable (or cursable?) scenic roadways. Tell us about your favorite (or least favorite) park scenic drive experience. #parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Q4: Rangers dismissively call it “windshielding the park,” but some parks’ scale and vistas lend themselves to cruisable (or cursable?) scenic roadways. Tell us about your favorite (or least favorite) park scenic drive experience. #parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q3: Automobiles and the NPS’s embrace of them through the Mission 66 program made parks car-dependent. 1st car question of four: which park has the best drive TO the park? What makes it special? #parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Q3: Automobiles and the NPS’s embrace of them through the Mission 66 program made parks car-dependent. 1st car question of four: which park has the best drive TO the park? What makes it special? #parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q2: Trains were instrumental in early development of the National Parks. There's still a few railroads that serve national parks, including Grand Canyon Railway, Alaska Railroad and of course Amtrak. Ever ride the rails during a park trip? Or stay in one of the lodges the early RRs built? #parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Q2: Trains were instrumental in early development of the National Parks. There's still a few railroads that serve national parks, including Grand Canyon Railway, Alaska Railroad and of course Amtrak. Ever ride the rails during a park trip? Or stay in one of the lodges the early RRs built? #parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q1: In honor of our air traffic controllers getting paid for the first time in 6 weeks soon, first Q goes to airplanes: have you ever flown commercially specifically for a park visit? How’d it go with your gear? Or if you deliberately keep your wheels on the ground, why not? #parkchat
November 13, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Q1: In honor of our air traffic controllers getting paid for the first time in 6 weeks soon, first Q goes to airplanes: have you ever flown commercially specifically for a park visit? How’d it go with your gear? Or if you deliberately keep your wheels on the ground, why not? #parkchat
Reposted by Melanie S.
Welcome to a special “planes, trains, and automobiles... and ferries, kayaks, mules...” edition of #ParkChat featuring @blackhillsparks.bsky.special Let’s quickly take advantage of our valet parking and get this thing on the road. If you got here tonight anyway besides auto, we’d like to hear how.
November 13, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Welcome to a special “planes, trains, and automobiles... and ferries, kayaks, mules...” edition of #ParkChat featuring @blackhillsparks.bsky.special Let’s quickly take advantage of our valet parking and get this thing on the road. If you got here tonight anyway besides auto, we’d like to hear how.
Reposted by Melanie S.
Let’s thank our rangers today at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. When you go, make an effort to stay for an evening bat flight. There’s nothing like it really. We at #ParkChat hope that all National Park Service employees are being paid by the time we reconvene next week.
November 13, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Let’s thank our rangers today at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. When you go, make an effort to stay for an evening bat flight. There’s nothing like it really. We at #ParkChat hope that all National Park Service employees are being paid by the time we reconvene next week.
Reposted by Melanie S.
#ParkChat now has hosts scheduled through the end of February, 2026. That’s a good sign. Thanks to all that helps us with guests. @naturetechfam.bsky.special
November 13, 2025 at 2:02 AM
#ParkChat now has hosts scheduled through the end of February, 2026. That’s a good sign. Thanks to all that helps us with guests. @naturetechfam.bsky.special
Day 7 & 8 - Thur., Oct. 2 - Fri., Oct. 3, 2025
📍Trinidad, CA
📍Sue-meg SP, CA
We left Prairie Creek Redwoods SP and headed down the coast to the recently renamed Patrick's Point SP. Now called Sue-Meg SP honoring the Yurok Tribe's generations of history on this land.
1/6
📍Trinidad, CA
📍Sue-meg SP, CA
We left Prairie Creek Redwoods SP and headed down the coast to the recently renamed Patrick's Point SP. Now called Sue-Meg SP honoring the Yurok Tribe's generations of history on this land.
1/6
November 12, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Day 7 & 8 - Thur., Oct. 2 - Fri., Oct. 3, 2025
📍Trinidad, CA
📍Sue-meg SP, CA
We left Prairie Creek Redwoods SP and headed down the coast to the recently renamed Patrick's Point SP. Now called Sue-Meg SP honoring the Yurok Tribe's generations of history on this land.
1/6
📍Trinidad, CA
📍Sue-meg SP, CA
We left Prairie Creek Redwoods SP and headed down the coast to the recently renamed Patrick's Point SP. Now called Sue-Meg SP honoring the Yurok Tribe's generations of history on this land.
1/6
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q11 #ParkChat Some folks use well-known internet sites, such as the NPS websites/app, to research their upcoming park trips. What are some lesser-known websites/apps or places where you have found good info on parks you were planning to visit? @59nationalparks.bsky.social @myhikes.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Q11 #ParkChat Some folks use well-known internet sites, such as the NPS websites/app, to research their upcoming park trips. What are some lesser-known websites/apps or places where you have found good info on parks you were planning to visit? @59nationalparks.bsky.social @myhikes.org
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q10 #ParkChat How do you personally discover hidden gems — do you research, ask rangers, explore off the main trails, or rely on word of mouth?
November 6, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Q10 #ParkChat How do you personally discover hidden gems — do you research, ask rangers, explore off the main trails, or rely on word of mouth?
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q6 #ParkChat Some parks have unique features like caves, dunes, or old-growth trees — what's the most unexpected landscape you've encountered?
November 6, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Q6 #ParkChat Some parks have unique features like caves, dunes, or old-growth trees — what's the most unexpected landscape you've encountered?
Reposted by Melanie S.
Q4 #ParkChat Have you ever stumbled upon a hidden spot (trail, overlook, lake, etc.) inside a popular park that most tourists miss? If so, what was it?
November 6, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Q4 #ParkChat Have you ever stumbled upon a hidden spot (trail, overlook, lake, etc.) inside a popular park that most tourists miss? If so, what was it?