National Parks Traveler Podcast | Introducing St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

National Parks Traveler Podcast | Introducing St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

Author: Kurt Repanshek December 22, 2024 Duration: 45:05

There are across the country more than 430 units of the National Park System. And no doubt, most of us are only familiar with the so-called name brand parks. Places like Shenandoah, Acadia, Everglades, Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon… But just because you're not already familiar with a park unit doesn't mean you should write it off your to-do list.

While I am familiar with the names of most park units due to my day job, I haven't had the chance to visit them all just yet. Being a lover of water and paddling, when I consider going for a break from the keyboard, I often have a requirement that water is required. And while I haven't been there yet, I am intrigued by St. Croix National Scenic Riverway in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and its two rivers. 

Today I'm going to learn a little bit more about this interesting park and share with you my conversation with Nate Toering, the park's Director of Communications and Education. 


There's a world of stories waiting beyond the park entrance sign, and the National Parks Traveler Podcast is your audio guide to them. Led by Kurt Repanshek, this series goes deeper than trail maps and visitor statistics. It connects the natural wonder you experience firsthand with the crucial, often unseen work happening behind the scenes-the science informing conservation, the cultural histories embedded in the landscape, and the policy decisions that will shape these places for future generations. As the audio companion to the editorially independent nonprofit media organization, this podcast delivers a thoughtful blend of on-the-ground reports, interviews with researchers and park staff, and nuanced discussions about the challenges and triumphs in managing protected areas. You'll hear the sounds of the parks and the voices of the people dedicated to them. Each episode is an invitation to better understand the complex tapestry of ecology, history, and society that makes every national park far more than a scenic destination. Tune in for a regular dose of insight that will deepen your appreciation and perhaps even shape your next journey into America's most treasured public lands.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

National Parks Traveler Podcast
Podcast Episodes
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Florida Coral Reef Rescue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:20
The Florida Reef stretches from Biscayne National Park south past Everglades National Park and down to Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida. It's roughly 350 miles long, and is the only coral reef in the continental Uni…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Saving Whitebark Pines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:21
Whitebark pines are a Western icon that the National Park Service has designated as a "vital sign" species because they are critical to ecosystem functions. But they are at risk of extinction due to climate change, beetl…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:09
What is the fate of the critically endangered Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle? This smallest of the sea turtle species glides among the sea grasses and coral reefs of the Gulf of Mexico, and nests predominantly along the shores…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Yellowstone's North Entrance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:17
During a typical summer day at Yellowstone National Park roughly 3,000 vehicles enter through the North Entrance and head down to Mammoth Hot Springs so their passengers can begin their park adventure. Up until June 2022…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | The Fate of the Honeycreeper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:09
A dramatic battle is being waged on the flanks of Halealakā National Park to save rare Honeycreeper birds that exist only in Hawaii. It's believed that the 50-odd known living or extinct species of honeycreepers all evol…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Year in Review [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:31
This year, 2025, likely will go down as the most transitional for the National Park Service. We've seen the loss of nearly a quarter of the permanent workforce, efforts to whitewash history in some parks, and the loss of…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Historic Preservation in the Parks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:27
A century of seasons has worn the appearance of the log cabin Roy Fure built in present-day Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, but his care of the small cabin, and later National Park Service restoration effort…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Endemic Haleakalā [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:14
Haleakalā National Park is deceptively wonderful and rich in biodiversity. But if we're not careful, we could lose some of that biodiversity. Located on the island of Maui in Hawaii, the first thing you notice about this…