Top three national park adventures revealed for late spring and early summer

(WASHINGTON, May 3, PRNewswire) -- GORP.com (www.gorp.com), the leading resource for outdoor travel and recreation throughout the world, today launched Park Finder, a new tool that allows travelers to quickly search more than 850 national parks and forests, state parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands within the United States.

"There are hundreds of breathtaking national parks and other public lands across the United States, each of which has unique characteristics and attributes," said Eric Brodnax, General Manager of The Away Network, GORP's parent company. "The new Park Finder tool makes the searching and planning process a lot easier and helps outdoor enthusiasts find a park that perfectly suits their interests."

Key features of the new Park Finder tool include:

• More than 850 robust park guides, including travel tips, overviews, photo galleries, and in-depth feature articles.
• Parks categorized by nearly 20 special interests, such as biking, hiking, backpacking, snorkeling, sailing, and nature viewing.
• List of top parks around the country, making it faster to access the most popular getaways.

To access the new Park Finder tool, visit: http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/index-sp.html.

GORP.com's Top Three National Park Vacations

Looking for a unique vacation experience? GORP.com editor Nathan Borchelt provides three not-to-miss national park getaways for late spring/early summer travelers.

Death Valley National Park, Death Valley, CA: For a true burst of spring, head to Death Valley National Park. Before the mercury spikes and the park earns its foreboding name, this California desert land is blessed with moderate spring temperatures and bursts of brilliant wildflowers that stand brightly against the otherwise barren landscape.

Dry Tortugas National Park, Southern Florida: To get a leap on the summer scene, hit Dry Tortugas National Park. This low-key Florida hot spot lies only 70 miles from Key West and boasts some of the most beginner-friendly snorkeling in the United States, with healthy coral reefs and copious aquatic creatures, from star fish to manatees.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, CO: For a true taste of America's robust wilderness, head to Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park, only a two-hour drive but a world away from Denver. As the snow melts the rivers transform into season-long paddle-friendly rapids, while the hike and bike trails bloom with dense greenery and acres of wildflowers. The more hardcore can also penetrate the dense backcountry to climb, camp and even backcountry ski—some peaks retain their snow through all of June.

About GORP.com
Founded in 1995, GORP.com (www.gorp.com) is the leading online resource for outdoor travel and activity throughout the world. Used by the serious mountaineer and trekker to the casual campground adventurer, GORP provides consumers a wide array of easy-to-find information online about the outdoors, including travel guides to the world's national parks and public lands, regional camping information and hiking trail maps and guides, gear reviews, and Weekender Guides, which profile the top weekend outdoors activities nearby the world's biggest cities. GORP.com is a brand of The Away Network (http://away.com/reg/network.html).

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Network Sites and Company Information:

Away.com: The Web's best travel and vacation-planning resource. Great expert reviews and trip ideas for your travel interests and all the flights, hotels, and attraction information to get you there.

GORP.com: Comprehensive resource for adventure travel, outdoor sports and gear, national parks, and more.

OutsideOnline: America's leading active-lifestyle and adventure-travel magazine dedicated to covering the world outside, with great features, gear reviews, online exclusives, and more.

AdventureFinder.com: AdventureFinder.com (formerly GORPtravel) is an online travel directory of active vacations, tour outfitters, and adventure lodges, providing travelers with a one-stop shop to research and plan their next adventure.

Trip.com: Free travel search site designed to help travelers like you find the cheapest flights, cheapest hotels, cheapest car rentals, and cheapest vacation packages across all of your favorite travel websites with one easy click.