You may or may not have heard, but 2016 is a special year – the US National Park Service is celebrating its centennial this year. Celebrate the National Park Centennial by sharing your best pics from some super scenic spots at some top parks. Using the Cairn app we’re showing exact spots to get a signal and post away. To help celebrate a 100 years of outdoor service, the National Park Service is offering free admission days on Aug. 25-28, Sept. 24, and Nov. 11. Here’s the scoop:
1. Arches NP – Delicate Arch is kid-friendly and short. In addition to the accessible trail, another (moderately strenuous) hiking trail climbs one-half mile (0.8 km) toward Delicate Arch and ends at the rim of a steep canyon that separates the viewpoint from the arch. Get coverage on the north side of the arch with Verizon.
2. Grand Canyon NP – The Rim trail on the South Rim from Hermits Rest to Monument Creek Vista via Pima point has good views and bad cell coverage. Decent Sprint and Verizon coverage at the village, remember to stay behind the barrier, carry water, and follow park rules/advice. The Grand Canyon is a “must-see” for the National Park Centennial.
3. Olympic NP – Head East on the Obstruction Point trail from the Hurricane Ridge visitor center for as long as the kids can manage (snowshoe in winter). Great views start immediately and don’t end. AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon Coverage at various spots. T-mobile is more spotty but possible with line of sight towards Seattle.
4. Yosemite NP – You can’t go wrong exploring the valley for the National Park Centennial. There are many okay spots of coverage near the village and campgrounds and possible to find a spot with all major carriers, Verizon has the best coverage to post a photo. The main issue at Yosemite is the high amount of people overwhelming the lines.
5. Mt. Rainier NP – Pristine lakes, waterfalls galore, glaciers, rugged peaks, and cute marmots are just a taste. You can easily spend two days exploring the trails and views at Paradise. Cell coverage gets better with height. Cairn users have found coverage with Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. Some good spots to share from are above the Paradise lodge on Golden Gates Trail and Panorama Point.
6. Yellowstone – Avoid the crowds by heading to Lonestar Geyser, at 4.8 miles round-trip the trail is still kid-friendly, and can be biked most of the way. Lone Star erupts 35-45 feet high every three hours. There is no cell coverage at the Geyser from any carrier but decent Verizon coverage at the trailhead and great Verizon (weak AT&T) a few miles up the road at Old Faithful.
7. Crater Lake – Poor cell coverage but out of dozens of points mapped someone was able to get an AT&T signal at the top of Watchman peak, stand at the summit to send your pic. There are points with nice views leading up to the lake going north with spotty coverage.
Signal Tips
Once you get to a spot with coverage on the map, improve your signal with the following tips:
- Slowly hold up your device and move till coverage improves.
- Turn off/on your device if signal is too weak.
- Once you get a signal in a spotty location, keep your device still.
- If there’s absolutely no signal with your carrier conserve your battery and try later.
Lastly remember to stay safe and away from the edge when taking selfies, keep a proper distance from wildlife and follow park rules. When posting to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram don’t forget to use the hashtags #FindYourPark and #Findingyourway.
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