There’s been a lot of National Parks in the outdoor blogosphere this week – and now it continues.

The National Geographic Traveler web site published their Essential Guide to Ten American Classics this week, which gives a ton of information, photos, maps, and tips on visiting ten of the “Big Ones” of the National Park System. These are the parks you probably already know a lot about – Yosemite, Death Valley, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, etc. – but it’s a great read and a nice way to inspire yourself to get outside. There’s also a section of classic photos from Yosemite and Yellowstone, which should be of interest to like-minded historical types.

If that and the earlier-posted National Parks Owner’s Guide aren’t enough to get you to book some campsites at a National Park, maybe a chance to win some prizes will motivate you?

The National Parks Foundation is sponsoring the Your Parks Video Challenge from now through September 14th. Just take some video of yourself at a National Park, telling everyone what the National Parks mean to you. Edit it to less than 2 minutes and send it in, and you can win some great prizes – including Federal Recreation Land Passes and cameras — and a grand prize of an Olympus PEN camera kit and an all-expenses-paid trip for 2 to the National Park of your choice!

There are only two entries up right now, so you’ve got plenty of time. I expect you Hollywood-type Modern Hiker readers to excel at this contest. I mean, you have to know how to edit video to live in L.A. county, right? I also expect whoever wins to take me as their plus one on that all-expenses-paid trip.

So get travelin’ and start shootin’!

Tags: contest, national geographic, National Parks, ten american classics, Video, your parks video challenge