Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

10/09/2026

World War II Across America’s National Parks: Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

During World War II, Port Chicago Naval Magazine played a vital role in supplying the Pacific Theater. On the home front, young sailors, many of them African American and serving in segregated units, loaded massive quantities of am******on around the clock, often without the training or safety measures this dangerous work required.

On the night of July 17, 1944, an enormous explosion shook the region. In seconds, 320 service members and civilians lost their lives, hundreds more were injured, and the nearby town of Port Chicago was devastated. The blast shattered windows miles away, rattling homes as far as San Francisco. Most of the men who died in the explosion were young Black sailors, leaving lasting grief within their families and communities.

In the weeks that followed, survivors were ordered back to the same hazardous conditions. Their refusal to return without proper training led to the largest mass mutiny trial in naval history. Today, these men are remembered as the Port Chicago 50, a reminder of how the war on the home front wrestled with issues of fairness, safety, and equality.

Today, Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial preserves the site of this tragedy and honors the men whose lives were forever changed. Visitors can reflect on how the explosion reshaped local communities, influenced the movement toward desegregation in the military, and broadened our understanding of wartime at home.

Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/poch/learn/historyculture/the-port-chicago-story.htm

Next, we travel across the country to Fort Monroe National Monument to discover how the war transformed a historic fortress into a vital hub of coastal defense.

NPS Photo: Black-and-white historical photograph of service members loading a ship at Port Chicago Naval Magazine. POCH 2.078

10/09/2026

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial proudly joins sites nationwide in the World War II Across America’s National Parks series. Follow to discover stories from parks across the nation.

World War II Across America’s National Parks: An Introduction

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation, we embrace the story of America from our founding to today. National parks help preserve many chapters of that story, including one of the most defining events of the 20th century: World War II. Sixteen million Americans served under arms, more than 400,000 were killed, and countless millions more supported the war effort at home. The war touched every part of American society, and little was left unchanged—including national parks.

For the next 16 weeks, leading up to the 85th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the National Park Service will take you across the country to explore America's experience in World War II through the lens of national parks. These sites preserve different parts of America's wartime story, including both triumphs and tragedies. This list of parks is by no means exclusive, nor are the stories that will be shared. They represent just a fraction of the war's impact on our parks and the nation, with many of those impacts still felt today.

To follow the series, use . Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, a new park will share its story and point you to the next stop in the journey.

The series begins here at .

Image Caption: WWII enlisted visit Grand Canyon National Park.
Image Credit: NPS/Emily Welch

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

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

07/22/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year's Port Chicago Commemoration. Your presence and support helped honor the lives and legacy of those impacted by the tragic explosion 82 years ago.

We appreciate our community, partners, and visitors for coming together to commemorate this important moment in our nation’s history.

07/18/2026

On July 17, we pause to remember the 1944 Port Chicago explosion, a tragic event that claimed the lives of 320 sailors and civilians.

Today, we honor those who lost their lives and reflect on the events that followed this moment in history.

We invite you to join us in commemorating their memory and learning more about this significant chapter in our nation’s story.

Learn more about visiting the memorial and its history: https://www.nps.gov/poch.

NPS Photo/Luther Bailey

Photo description: Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial. A U.S. flag on a tall white pole waves in the wind beside a shoreline. In front of the water are several interpretative wayside panels. Wooden pilings extend into the bay, and distant mountains are visible under a blue sky with clouds.

06/21/2026

We’re less than a month away from our annual Port Chicago Commemoration.

This year marks the 82nd Anniversary of the Port Chicago disaster, and we invite you to join us in honoring the 320 men who lost their lives in the largest WWII home front disaster.

Join Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, the Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial, East Bay Regional Park District, and the U.S. Army’s 834th Transportation Battalion on July 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. for this ceremony.

For event details and registration visit: https://go.nps.gov/5w382h or https://www.nps.gov/poch

NPS photo

05/25/2026

On this Memorial Day, we honor and remember those who lost their lives in service to our country.