National Parks Traveler Podcast | Trail of the Lost

National Parks Traveler Podcast | Trail of the Lost

Author: Kurt Repanshek October 20, 2024 Duration: 42:58

The National Trail System in the United States spans many thousands of miles of foot trail. The crown jewels of that system, of course, are the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail.

While the adventurous might look at those long trails and set their sights on hiking one end from end, not all manage to complete the journey. Many become disillusioned after days spent hiking in the rain, or because they become homesick, or because of the blisters that sprout on their feet.

And some simply vanish. Today we're joined by New York Times Bestselling author Andrea Lankford to talk about her book, Trail of the Lost, the Relentless Search to Bring home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail. It's an incredible story Andrea has researched and woven together around three young men seemingly determined to go end to end on that trail. 


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 | 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…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Shrinking Mount Rainier [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:49
Gazing up at mountains from their valleys down below, it's hard, if not impossible, to detect any change on the top of the mountains. But change is ongoing, especially in recent history as the climate continues to warm.…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Park Friends Under Pressure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:40
The government shutdown has been record-setting in terms of its length. So, too, has been the time that many employees of the National Park Service have been furloughed without pay. How has the shutdown affected the park…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | November NewsMatch Fundraiser [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:24
What is a "typical" day at the National Parks Traveler like? When you surf over to the website there's always content there, ready to update you on news from around the National Park System. How is it generated, and who…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | The Battle of Saratoga [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:27
Though the Revolutionary War didn't officially end until September 1783 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, a key turning point in the war for independence occurred six years earlier in a small corner of today's New…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Government Shutdown Blues [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:09
The federal government is shut down, but the national parks – most of them, anyway – are open. Back during his first term in office President Donald Trump also kept the parks open during the government shutdown that stre…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Kansas Road Trip [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:46
Kansas is a big place, and not one particularly well-known for national park destinations. But that doesn't mean you should overlook the Sunflower State. In the closing days of September, as the country seemed destined f…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Rebuilding the Appalachian Trail [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:23
Nearly 700 volunteers, including some from as far away as Japan, descended on the Appalachian Trail in the past year in an unprecedented effort to recover a landscape forever scarred by Hurricane Helene. The storm in Sep…