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A surf in the park

National parks have always been top destinations for travelers, but now that many of them are online, they're attracting virtual visitors as well. Better yet, many parks now have webcams that make it easier than ever--and much more fun--to plan your summer vacation. Here are our favorite sites for the desk-chair traveler.

--K.W.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

THE SITE          WHAT YOU'LL SEE   HOW TO USE IT     FAVORITE FEATURE

Glacier National  Links to webcams  Get a sense for   A "Peak
Park Webcams      at three popular  the diversity of  Identifications"
www.nps.gov/glac  park locations;   the vistas in     link on each
/whatsnew.htm     Dave Dahlen, the  this big park     page connects to
                  park's chief of   (or check out     a labeled
                  interpretation    road, weather,    picture that
                  and education,    or atmospheric    tells you
                  says the park     conditions on     exactly what
                  hopes to add      any given day)    mountains you're
                  more cams soon.   and target your   looking at and
                                    travels           their
                                    accordingly.      altitudes.

National Park     This site links   Consult the site  The
Service Air       to air-quality    for planning day  sensitive-nosed
Quality Web       cams and info     trips--there's    (and closet
Cameras           for 16 parks,     no sense          volcanologists)
www2.nature.nps.  including 9 in    climbing a        will love the
gov/air/webcams   the West--among   mountain for a    sulfur-dioxide-
                  them Grand        great view if     level alerts at
                  Canyon, Joshua    it's hazy. It's   the link to Hawaii
                  Tree, and         also great for    Volcanoes National
                  Olympic National  people with       Park.
                  Parks.            health concerns.

Old Faithful      An image of Old   When staying      Just seeing the
WebCam,           Faithful,         nearby, check     geyser's
Yellowstone       updated every 30  when to head out  eruption on your
National Park     seconds, plus     to the            screen is plenty
www.nps.gov/yell  the next          geyser--or,       cool. The
/oldfaithfulcam.  predicted         since you can     interactive
htm               eruption time     see people in     online tour is
                  and current       the pic, spot     also well
                  temperature;      when it's so      designed and
                  scroll down for   crowded that you  chock-full of
                  a link to an      might want to     gorgeous
                  online tour.      stay away.        photos.

Virtual Yosemite  Live views from   Yosemite          Watch for waving
http://yosemite.  Turtle-back       Association       hikers; Medley
org/vryos         Dome, below       president Steve   says a few
(operated by the  Sentinel Dome,    Medley says       visitors have
nonprofit         plus movies and   "vicarious        staked out the
Yosemite          panoramas.        enjoyment" is     Sentinel Dome
Association)                        the number-one    cam. And check
                                    use. The          out the
                                    "Visitor Info"    time-lapse
                                    link is great     movies and
                                    for serious       computer
                                    travel planning.  wallpaper.

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COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group