Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

10/21/2026

Exploring Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is a great way to see some wildlife and connect to our history. If you search along the ground, you may see a broad-headed skink, one of the first North American species recorded by the English.

As the largest skink species in the eastern United States, the broad-headed skink is bigger than many expect. Adults can reach up to 12 inches in length. The adult males develop striking orange-red heads during the breeding season. Meanwhile, juveniles display vivid blue tails that help distract predators. Their ability to climb trees and their remarkable color changes aren't the only reasons we love them. The broad-headed skink also holds a special place in Fort Raleigh's history.

When John White arrived on Roanoke Island in 1585, he was responsible for painting what the English came across in the New World. He documented the plants, animals, and people he encountered through watercolor paintings. Among these observations was a depiction of the broad-headed skink. This provided one of the earliest European illustrations of a North American species.

Over 440 years later, visitors can still find skinks on Roanoke Island. Their existence stretches back far beyond the skinks John White illustrated in 1585. Their presence offers a bridge between the present and the experiences of the first English explorers of Roanoke Island.
Have you spotted any unique species during your visit to a National Park? Share your photos and sightings in the comments!



Image 1: A watercolor painting of a tan colored lizard with an orange-red head.
Image 2: A tan lizard with an orange head lying on bark.

10/19/2026

On Oct. 19 at 9 a.m., Fort Raleigh National Historic Site will reopen to the public.

For updates on the status of operations at Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Wright Brothers National Memorial, visit: https://www.nps.gov/caha/learn/news/operational-updates-for-cape-hatteras-ns-fort-raleigh-nhs-wright-brothers-nmem-oct-19-2026.htm

10/17/2026

National Park Service Announces Weather-Related Closures at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial.

10/12/2026

The story of humans on Roanoke Island was unfolding for hundreds of years before any European colonists stepped foot in the Outer Banks. The Roanoke people, part of the larger Carolina Algonquian culture, settled on Roanoke Island and the nearby mainland before anyone else and developed a thriving culture centered on the waters of the Outer Banks. The Roanoke tribe traded with other Algonquian groups such as the Chowanoke, Croatoan, and Secotan in the areas surrounding Roanoke Island. They all shared a language family and were able to communicate even if the way they spoke was not the exact same. Take a look at the picture and see what else you can figure out about the Native Algonquians!



Image Description: A painting by John White of two Algonquian people sitting around and eating from a shared dish.

Image Courtesy of the British Museum

10/05/2026

Today’s homework: thank a teacher.

National parks are places where students can learn about history by standing where it happened, explore science by observing nature, and discover stories that help us better understand the people and places that shaped our world.

Behind those experiences are teachers helping students ask questions, make connections, and learn about the world around them.

On World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the educators who inspire curiosity, encourage exploration and remind us that learning can happen just about anywhere. (Including places with a really good view.)

Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/teachers/index.htm

NPS Image

10/05/2026

Today, we celebrate World Teachers' Day by highlighting teachers from the Freedmen's Colony!

After the Battle of Roanoke Island in 1862, hundreds of newly self-emancipated people took refuge here. While enslaved, attending school and receiving an education was not an option. However, arriving on Roanoke Island meant they could receive an education. The Freedmen's Colony not only supported education; they actively encouraged it.

For the five-year period the colony was here, thirty-three teachers taught the colonists. In fact, three of the four teachers who arrived first had been enslaved themselves. The ten schools on the island made the goal of learning a reality. That impact, made by Freedmen's Colony teachers, goes far beyond the shores of Roanoke.

Today, and every day, we are grateful for the work done by teachers both past and present. Happy World Teachers' Day!



Image Description: Historic photo of a Freedmen's School with the class and teachers standing in front of the building

📷: Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture

10/05/2026

Every day from October 12 to November 5, 2026, visit Mission San José's granary during park hours (9am-5pm) to view the mission descendant community's family ofrendas.

Ofrendas are an essential part of Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead. The word ofrenda means offering in Spanish. They are also called "altares" or altars, but not for worship. These altars are not only full of family pictures, but of symbols and meaning, honoring the ancestors who have passed, and offering them items of the celebration such a "pan de mu**to" and marigold flowers.

NPS Photo

10/04/2026

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” — Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables

And we’re rather glad there are national parks to experience them in. Fall is a great time to get outside and enjoy the spectacular spectacle (say that five times fast) of changing leaves. There is plenty of room for imagination when you find yourself surrounded by forests painted in brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. In our experience, you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. So consider this your invitation to find a little wonder, a little enchantment, and perhaps a kindred spirit among the trees.

Forests, woods, and shrublands in national parks put on their autumn colors from September through December. There’s a whole world of beauty waiting to be explored!

Image 1: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Image 2: Great Smoky Mountains NP
Image 3: Great Sand Dunes NPP
Image 4: Rocky Mountain National Park
Image 5: TheodoreRooseveltNPS

10/03/2026

“On October 3rd, he asked what day it was.” — Cady Heron

It’s October 3rd.

October is kind of a big deal around here. The autumn months splash many national parks with a rich array of fall colors, while cooler temperatures have wildlife getting ready for winter. Some are migrating. Some are gathering food. Some are putting on extra layers.

Same, honestly.

So whether you’re here for the foliage, the wildlife, or simply to judge the leaves on their color palette, national parks are a pretty fetch place to experience fall. Fetch? We’re making it happen.

And if you want to keep up with what’s happening in parks this season, you can find more ways to connect with your national parks at the link below.
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/fall-season.htm

Image: Red Osier Dogwood leaves stand out against aspen trunks at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. NPS/Patrick Myers

10/02/2026

10/02/2026

Wherever military life takes you, there’s likely a park adventure nearby.

Active-duty military members, Veterans, and Gold Star families can get a free America the Beautiful Pass, providing access to national parks and federal recreation sites across the country.

Active-duty military families can also find free events, nearby outdoor opportunities, and resources for exploring national parks, public lands, and waterways through the Military Families Outdoors Program, wherever military life takes them. Visit: go.nps.gov/mfo

Whether you’re PCSing, exploring near your duty station, or looking for a weekend adventure, your next park visit may be closer than you think.

NPS Photo: Rangers at Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park recently teamed up with Blue Star Families and community partners for a day of fishing, outdoor fun, and family time at Fletchers Cove.

Blue Star Families Defense Public Health

10/01/2026

Fat Bear Week has officially lumbered to a close.

What a week. As they say, a journey of roughly 3,000 to 4,500 calories begins with a single salmon. Something like that. There might be some steps involved too.

In the end, 16 bears entered. Bear 89 “Backpack” became champion. Talk about the hunger games. And several ate their way into our hearts. Figuratively. And thousands of us humans spent an unreasonable amount of time judging bears for being excellent at being, well, bears.

It was a week of big bellies, bigger appetites, and absolutely no regrets. We shared some science, learned about the Alaskan ecosystem, stood around for hours watching large mammals eat, and found multiple way to incorporate “chonk” in everyday vocabulary.

Now the bears have more important things to do, such as eating then sleeping, a bit more eating, sleeping, and finally preparing to sleep after eating. As for the rest of us, we all return to our regularly scheduled programming.

Must we?

We must.

We will miss you, Fat Bear Week. Until next year: stay chunky, stay hungry, and remember: there’s always room for one more salmon.

NPS Images

10/01/2026

10/01/2026

Now that Fat Bear Week is over, it's time for Chunky Puppy Day! Tune in to the Puppy Cam tomorrow, Thursday, October 1, at 2pm AK time to find out how big the America's Best Idea litter got this summer.

How much do you think they weigh now? Share your guesses in the comments below.

NPS Photo: Graupel from the Weather litter during a weigh-in last year.

09/30/2026

This is the ideal marmot body. You may not like it. You may not understand it. But this is what peak performance looks like.

Now that Fat Bear Week is over, we’re returning to our regularly scheduled programming: other fat mammals.

The tundra-dwelling yellow-bellied marmots have been preparing for hibernation for the last couple of months. Since marmots spend more than half their lives hibernating, they’ve developed some impressive adaptations for surviving the winter:

✅ First, they’ve been building up healthy fat reserves (sound familiar? Bears. Us too, but that’s another post) to sustain them for up to eight months. Basically, a nice winter savings account.

✅ When they finally enter hibernation, they become true hibernators, slowing their heart rate from around 200 beats per minute to as low as 30. It’s an impressive energy-saving strategy.

✅ Speaking of saving, they also save on utilities by cuddling up with the colony in a communal burrow. Because heating is expensive, and roommates are the answer. Was that on the lease?

NPS Photo: A rotund marmot standing on a rock at Rocky Mountain National Park

09/30/2026

The Eastern Cottontail Rabbit is one of the park's most recognizable wildlife residents and plays an important role in both the natural environment and the cultural history of the region.

As herbivores, Eastern Cottontails feed on a variety of grasses, wildflowers, and young woody plants. They also serve as an important food source for many predator species, including hawks, owls, foxes, and snakes. Their presence helps support a healthy and balanced ecosystem, making them a key part of the natural landscape visitors experience today.

Rabbits have also held cultural significance for centuries. Many Native American tribes featured rabbits in stories, traditions, and folklore. For European settlers
and colonists, rabbits were valued both as a source of food and for their fur. They also served as symbols of fertility, renewal, and the arrival of spring.

Today, Eastern Cottontails continue to connect us to the landscapes, wildlife, and
cultural traditions that have shaped the history of the Outer Banks for
generations. Keep an eye out along grassy edges, fields, and wooded areas, you
may catch a glimpse of one of these remarkable animals quietly going about its
day.





Image Description: An Eastern Cottontail in green grass.

📷: NPS Photo

09/25/2026

National Public Lands Day is one of the biggest volunteering days each year and we hope this year is no exception! If you are looking for a volunteer activity this Saturday, Fort Raleigh is hosting a Visitor Center beautification event to help clear weeds from around the visitor center and headquarters area. From 10 AM to 2 PM, volunteers are welcome to drop in and help for as long as they would like! Hopefully we'll see you here!

Image Description: Two volunteers outside the Fort Raleigh visitor center in their tan volunteer uniforms.

09/23/2026

It's almost National Public Lands Day! Fort Raleigh will have an assortment of ongoing landscaping projects, and we would love your help. On Saturday, from 10 AM to 2 PM, volunteers are welcome to drop in and help for as long as they would like! We hope to see you there!



Image Description: A group of young people with buckets and grabbers cleaning a beach.

📷: NPS Photo

09/16/2026

Have you been looking for a way to help give back to Fort Raleigh? Do you love volunteering? If the answer to both these questions was yes, come celebrate National Public Lands Day with us on Saturday, September 26. From 10 am to 2 pm, Fort Raleigh will have a few landscaping projects available to work on. Volunteers are welcome to come by and help for any amount of time during those hours. We hope to see you there!



Image Description: Three volunteers at a beach cleanup. Above them is text reading, "Spend National Public Lands Day in the Parks!" Below them is text reading, "Come volunteer at Fort Raleigh!"

📷: NPS Photo

09/03/2026

Have you noticed how great the grounds of Fort Raleigh have been looking lately? That is due in part to some dedicated local volunteers who are assisting with grass mowing and general grounds keeping. This has been so successful, we are looking to expand the volunteer team!

Interested in joining? Follow the link below. No housing is available for this opportunity, and volunteers are only asked to donate a few hours a week.