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Have you ever wondered how a museum is built inside a national park—or what happens to the fossils once they’re discovered? In this episode of Safe Travels, we go behind the scenes at Petrified Forest National Park with Park Ranger and Museum Curator Matt Smith to explore the art, science, and storytelling behind creating a world-class paleontological and natural history museum. Matt walks us through how fossils are collected, preserved, cataloged, and interpreted, and we dive into some of the incredible museum and research collections housed at Petrified Forest National Park. From Triassic-era fossils to curated specimens rarely seen by the public, this conversation sheds light on how park collections help scientists study ancient ecosystems while educating millions of visitors. We also discuss how museum exhibits are designed to balance scientific accuracy, public education, and visual storytelling, and why national park museums play a critical role in conservation, paleontology research, and protecting public lands. Matt’s passion for paleontology, museums, and the landscapes of Petrified Forest is unmistakable throughout the episode, offering listeners a rare look at the people working behind the scenes to preserve deep time.______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

Prairie Dogs, Bats, and Pronghorn: The Living Landscape of Petrified Forest National Park Prairie dogs make their debut on the Safe Travels Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Park Ranger and Biologist Dylan Schneider to explore the vital role prairie dogs play in shaping the ecosystem of Petrified Forest National Park. Prairie dogs are far more than charismatic grassland mammals — they are a keystone species, influencing soil health, plant diversity, and habitat availability for countless other animals. Dylan explains how their burrows and behavior help maintain balance across the park’s high desert landscape. Our conversation also dives into Petrified Forest National Park’s acoustic monitoring program, a cutting-edge research tool used to study and track bat populations throughout the region. By analyzing soundscapes and echolocation calls, park biologists can monitor biodiversity and ecosystem health in ways that are both non-invasive and highly effective. We also spotlight one of North America’s most fascinating mammals: the pronghorn. Known as the fastest land animal in the Western Hemisphere, pronghorns have evolved extraordinary adaptations that make them perfectly suited to the open landscapes of the Southwest. While Petrified Forest National Park is world-famous for its Triassic-era fossils and petrified wood, Dylan reveals a lesser-known story — a park that is very much alive, supporting an incredible diversity of modern wildlife. From grasslands to badlands, the park remains a dynamic and thriving ecosystem shaped by biology, sound, and time.______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

In this episode of the Safe Travels Podcast, I’m joined by Bill Parker, Chief of Resources and Park Historian at Petrified Forest National Park, for a wide-ranging conversation that explores the historical and logistical forces that have shaped one of America’s most iconic desert landscapes. Bill takes us beyond the park’s famous petrified wood and into the human stories tied to Route 66, early automobile tourism, and the rise of roadside Americana in northern Arizona. We dive into how Holbrook, Arizona helped inspire Pixar’s Radiator Springs, the significance of the historic REO Mountaineer, and why Petrified Forest remains one of the few national parks where Route 66 still runs directly through protected land. As Chief of Resources, Bill also explains the real-world challenges of preservation—from decades of petrified wood theft to the long-term impacts of highways, railroads, and modern transportation corridors on fragile cultural and natural resources. This episode offers a rare look at how infrastructure, tourism, and conservation intersect inside the National Park Service. Bill is an institution at Petrified Forest National Park, I'm grateful that he joined the podcast! ______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

Petrified Forest National Park is one of the most significant archeological landscapes in the United States, preserving evidence of human history that stretches back over 13,000 years. While the park is often associated with petrified wood and Triassic-era fossils, its cultural resources tell an equally powerful story about long-term human interaction with the land. In this episode of the Safe Travels Podcast, I’m joined by Lead Archeologist and Park Ranger Jon Hardes for an in-depth conversation on archeology at Petrified Forest National Park and why the park plays a critical role in understanding the culture of descendent communities in the region. We also explore Jon’s area of expertise in zooarcheology, a field that uses animal remains to help interpret past human behavior and environmental conditions. Finally, our discussion touches on how human relationships with natural landscapes have changed over thousands of years and what archeological evidence can reveal about those changes.______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

In this episode, we explore the world of paleontology at Petrified Forest National Park with Park Ranger Adam Marsh, the park’s Lead Paleontologist. Known worldwide for its colorful petrified wood, Petrified Forest National Park is also one of the most important paleontological sites in the United States, preserving exceptionally well-preserved Triassic-era fossils dating back more than 200 million years. Ranger Adam Marsh breaks down what paleontology is, why fossil preservation at Petrified Forest is so unique, and how the park plays a leading role in modern paleontological research. We discuss major fossil discoveries at Petrified Forest National Park, including ancient reptiles such as phytosaurs and rauisuchians, and how these finds help scientists better understand prehistoric ecosystems, mass extinctions, and the evolution of life on Earth. Adam also shares his personal path to becoming a National Park Service paleontologist and what it’s like to study fossils in one of the most scientifically significant national parks in the world. This conversation highlights why Petrified Forest National Park paleontology is critical to understanding the Triassic Period and the early history of dinosaurs and their relatives. Topics Covered: Paleontology at Petrified Forest National ParkGeology of the regionTriassic fossils and prehistoric lifePhytosaurs, rauisuchians, and ancient reptilesWhy Petrified Forest is a global paleontology hotspotFossil preservation and scientific research in national parksLife as a National Park Service paleontologist______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

In this episode of the Safe Travels Podcast, we visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park in West Texas and sit down with Interpretive Park Ranger Jake Denton to explore the park’s geology, wildlife, and human history. Guadalupe Mountains National Park is home to Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at 8,751 feet, and protects the world’s most complete example of a fossilized Permian-era reef—one of the most significant geologic features in North America. Ranger Jake breaks down how this ancient reef formed, what wildlife thrives in the park today, and why the Guadalupe Mountains are so important to conservation and scientific research. This conversation offers a deeper look into one of Texas’s most underrated national parks and highlights the rugged beauty and rich natural history of the Guadalupe Mountains. ______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

We’re back! This episode takes us to Carlsbad Caverns National Park in beautiful New Mexico, where we sit down with Park Ranger Tiffany Rugger. Tiffany serves as a Preventative Search and Rescue (PSAR) Ranger, and she joins us for a wide-ranging conversation covering the park’s incredible geology, its world-famous bat colony, surprising creatures like horsehair worms, essential park insights, and much more. It was an honor to speak with Tiffany—her depth of knowledge and passion for Carlsbad Caverns added so much to this episode. I’m grateful for her work at one of the world’s premier cave systems.______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

I'm in Bend, Oregon, sitting underneath a starry night sky with a warm fire in front of me.  It's been a month or so since i've shared an episode with you. So I wanted to let you all know what's been going on. Good news: there will be a lot more episodes to come. Thank you endlessly for supporting this podcast. ______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

Sandy Steers is the Executive Director of Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), a non-profit in Big Bear Lake, California, dedicated to protecting and preserving wildlife habitat across the 15-mile Big Bear Valley in the San Bernardino National Forest. At the heart of the valley is an active bald eagle nest—home to Jackie and Shadow. Through FOBBV’s 24/7 livestream camera, millions of viewers around the world have been able to witness the pair’s lives up close, finding joy, education, and even comfort in the process. In this episode, Sandy and I explore the incredible story of Jackie and Shadow, their eaglets Sunny and Gizmo, the challenges bald eagles face in the valley, and Sandy’s own inspiring journey to the mountains that brought her peace. Learn more about Friends of Big Bear Valley and watch the eagle livestream at friendsofbigbearvalley.org It was an honor to sit down with Sandy! I am beyond grateful for her time, and am thrilled that so many people get to connect with nature on a daily basis thanks to Jackie and Shadow. ______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

Dr. Morgan Cable is a research scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Her mission is to help answer one of humanity’s biggest questions: are we alone in the universe? In this episode, we explore how NASA uses national parks as analog sites to study the landscapes of other worlds. Dr. Cable explains how these environments provide testing grounds for new technologies designed to operate on different terrains and in alien atmospheres. Named to the American Chemical Society’s “Talented 12” in 2018, Dr. Cable has contributed to some of NASA’s most exciting missions, including Cassini-Huygens, the Mars Perseverance Rover, Europa Clipper, and the Dragonfly mission to Titan. Our conversation also dives into the mysteries of the ocean worlds Europa and Enceladus—their habitability, potential for life, and why they captivate planetary scientists. And beyond her work, we talk about Morgan’s adventurous hobbies, from surfing to mountain unicycling. It was an honor to host Dr. Morgan Cable on the podcast. Her passion, expertise, and energy are truly inspiring, and her contributions to planetary science are nothing short of remarkable. ______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

Will Deacy is the Large Mammal Ecologist at Rocky Mountain National Park, where he plays a key role in managing some of the park’s most iconic wildlife. With a background that includes grizzly bear research on Kodiak Island in Alaska, Will brings a wealth of experience to his work with Rocky’s booming elk and moose populations—species that have flourished in the absence of natural predators. In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of large mammals at Rocky Mountain National Park. Will shares insights into the ecological challenges of managing these populations and what it takes to maintain a balanced and healthy ecosystem in one of America's most beloved parks. We also chat through the importance of wetlands and riparian areas and the negative effects that large moose and elk have on these fragile ecosystems.  Will is an incredible human who has accomplished so much in his role as a large mammal ecologist. I am grateful for his work and thankful for his time on this podcast. ______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

In this episode, we sit down with Mike Lukens, who has dedicated over 15 years to Rocky Mountain National Park and currently serves as the Climbing and Wilderness Program Supervisor. Mike oversees critical aspects of the park's operations, including Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts, ensuring visitor safety across its vast wilderness. Beyond his administrative role, Mike is an accomplished climber. In 2016, alongside Quinn Brett and Max Barlerin, he completed the first ascent of the "Colorado Route" on the south face of Fitz Roy in Patagonia—a challenging 500-meter climb rated at 5.11c . What You'll Learn: The diverse recreational opportunities within Rocky Mountain National Park, from technical climbs to serene backcountry adventures.Insights into the park's SAR operations and the importance of preventative measures for visitor safety.Mike's personal experiences and stories from his climbing expeditions and rescue missions.Why Listen: Gain a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty and challenges of Rocky Mountain National Park through the eyes of a seasoned ranger and climber. Whether you're an avid adventurer or a casual park visitor, Mike's insights offer valuable perspectives on safety, exploration, and the spirit of the wilderness.______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com 

Kyle Patterson is the Public Affairs Officer at Rocky Mountain National Park. For the past 23 years, she’s served as a Park Ranger, dedicating her career to community engagement and media relations. In this episode, Kyle and I dive into what makes Rocky Mountain one of America’s most iconic national parks. We explore the park’s rich history, how visitors experience its vast landscape, and the unique challenges and joys of protecting such a beloved place. Kyle’s passion for Rocky Mountain is undeniable. Her deep love for the park is infectious, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of our conversation.______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com   

In this episode, I’m joined by Carole Graham and Laura Brumbaugh, two archaeologists from Mesa Verde National Park. We explore their roles within the park, what makes the Mesa Verde region such a culturally rich and significant place, and the deep, continuous human history that has unfolded here over thousands of years. I'm incredibly grateful to have had both Carole and Laura on the podcast. Their knowledge and passion for archaeology—and for sharing the stories of the people who lived in this remarkable landscape—make this a special conversation.______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com   

Satchel Martin is an Indigenous Ranger Intern at Mesa Verde National Park. Satchel is a part of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona and shares with us his special and personal perspective of the ancestral history and significance of Mesa Verde.  I am so thankful for this conversation with Satchel. His personal stories and experiences are so special to listen to. His insight will help lead people towards a more connected and respectful experience when they're visiting Mesa Verde National Park.______________Follow us on social!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspodYouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspodSafetravelspod.com