After three weeks on the road and some disruption to my weekly writings, I'm back on track and trying to process some of what I saw. Here's this week's Taking Bearings essay, reflecting on quiet moments and what's really at the center. www.adamsowards.net/at-the-cente...

1/n Radical hypothesis: If you're a reporter or even a columnist (umbrella 'journalist' camp), generally *least* useful thing you can do with your time and platform is tell political parties what their "messaging" should be. -Reporters have the privilege of seeing things other people can't ...

Redwood National and State Parks offer a little bit of everything. Although it was sunny all day, everything was damp!

Point Reyes National Seashore is pretty special. I only got a taste but look forward to another trip (not during a shutdown).

I have found Yosemite to be jaw-dropping, a scale that has to be experienced to be understood.

Kings Canyon National Park this afternoon, touched with autumn.

Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park. Yesterday, a weekend, it was swamped. And clouds were thick enough I couldn't see the top. This morning, I arrived at the top, after 350 steps, to have it entirely to myself.

Found my way to Sequoia National Park today. Quite a place!

Although weekend busy, Pinnacles National Park has been worth exploring.

Rock art (look for the bighorn sheep) in the Mojave National Preserve and Joshua's Trees in their namesake park. It was the last desert day.

From Death Valley badlands to the Mojave National Preserve today. Forming a greater appreciation for the Mojave.

Manzanar on the way to Death Valley today. Two types of inhumanity. (That's probably not fair to the Mojave.)

A glimpse of Half Dome and a stroll through Tuolumne Meadows made for a good day.

Good national monuments today, Lava Beds and Tule Lake. Captain Jack's Stronghold from the Modoc War and what remains of the concentration camp, appropriately behind barbed wire.

Field research again. Crater Lake and Lava Beds today. Hard at work, I promise.

This land is your land. You own it. Never forget it. Always protect it. Public lands are a public good.

Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE

This commentary by @nslaughtergraham.bsky.social published with @poynterinstitute.bsky.social is really thoughtful on the importance of history to journalism. www.poynter.org/commentary/2...

Join SmokeLong for a mysterious month between November and December we’ve christened Promptember! We’ll be meeting several times a week online with live write-in and open mic events at various times to suit participants around this spinning globe, 100% free. www.smokelong.com/ready-for-pr...

On this Monday morning, I found the thoughts of @nijhuism.bsky.social about conservation now to be useful. Maybe you will too. conservationworks.substack.com/p/what-to-do...

NEW: ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the Trump administration’s cuts to an aid program.

We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.

Some reflections on Wounded Knee in my weekly essay. www.adamsowards.net/a-time-for-s...

So many reasons to study history. One is so we know where we actually live, rather than some fantastical idea of where we live.

Everyone who follows me can do something to support federal workers and the people and places they serve and protect. Please discover what that is and then do it. #ShutdownStories

Why are farmers in the United States "facing very difficult times," Secretary Rollins?

In 2019, I visited Capitol Reef National Park. I'm glad to see it remains stunning in 2025.

Bryce Canyon National Park in morning light is outstanding.

For my newsletter I wrote about the history behind the Roadless Rule. Today is the final day for public comments! Go make your voice heard.

First time in Zion. Beautiful (but crowded).

Then, along came a desert bighorn sheep.

I'm on the road, but the newsletter must go on. This week, my essay is about First Impressions. www.adamsowards.net/first-impres...

Always Grand.

I expected to like Hovenweep National Monument but not as much as I did. Wonderful morning hike.

In addition to being my guest on @writingwestward.bsky.social, @adamsowards.net interviewed me for Taking Bearings. Access to the full interview requires a (very reasonably priced) subscription. Come for the history talk, stay for the embarrassing 1994 photo. www.adamsowards.net/developing-e...

Mesa Verde sparks the historical imagination like few places.

Paid subscribers get a treat this month with my interview of @brendenwrensink.bsky.social. A real pleasure to dig in deep on his history and thinking about empathy. Preview is available for anyone. www.adamsowards.net/developing-e...

Being on them is best.

Morning light's nice too.

I've spent a fair amount of time in Colorado but traveled through some new regions today, ending up here at the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

I was featured for this month's @writingwestward.bsky.social podcast. It's always good to think about writing and the West. I enjoyed the conversation with @brendenwrensink.bsky.social and think you might find some of it useful.

Kind words from Brenden. Thank you. I hope others find something of value from our conversation.

Unusual National Park Historic Site visit today.

Something good: a new, nonprofit newsroom run by some wonderful, experienced folks (core crew from Outside mag's glory days) dedicated to journalism about American public lands! Looks like the plan is to collaborate a fair bit with other outlets.

My first visit to the nation's first national monument.

Heck of a day in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Thinking about getting enough in the #forests. My weekly essay... www.adamsowards.net/finding-enou...

Got to this spot today just as the sun was hitting the rock in the streambed, shining like a beacon. Nature is a balm.

I genuinely think one thing that trips up folks on the left is that they can't imagine not sharing certain core values. Lemme explain. Here's an intuition pump: Say you're in negotiations with counterparty X. And there are two possible deals on the table ...