Celebrate America’s National Parks: From Trails to Your Walls!

July 16, 2025

There’s nothing quite like the majestic beauty of America’s national parks to help you disconnect and recharge. July is National Park and Recreation Month, making it the perfect time to explore the many outdoor activities within the National Park System. You can also bring the awe-inspiring beauty of these natural wonders into your home.

The GPO Online Bookstore offers a fantastic collection of vibrant posters that capture the essence of these cherished landscapes. Many of these stunning prints are by the renowned artist Charley Harper, whose unique style brings the parks to life with bold colors and captivating designs.

Featured National Park Posters:

  • The Rocky Mountains Poster: Dive into the vibrant ecosystem of the Rocky Mountains with this captivating poster by Charley Harper. His distinctive artistic take on the park’s animal and plant life, set against glaciers, crystal-clear streams, and a busy beaver, will inspire your next adventure.
  • Canyon Country Poster: Another masterpiece by Charley Harper, this poster showcases the breathtaking “Canyon Country” parks spanning southern Utah, northern Arizona, eastern Nevada, and western Colorado. The rich, multi-colored illustration depicts striking pinnacles, buttes, spires, mesas, and canyons teeming with wildlife, making you feel like you’re standing on the edge of a primeval wonderland.

The GPO Online Bookstore features many more posters by Charley Harper. These high-quality prints are perfect for adding a touch of natural beauty to any home or classroom.

We hope you enjoy National Park and Recreation Month, whether exploring a trail or admiring a national park from your favorite armchair!

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Visit our Retail Store: To buy or order a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up(s).

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Art, Department of the Interior, National Park Service | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Gift ideas from the Federal Government

December 12, 2023

The holidays are fast approaching. If you’re still searching for that special gift, let the Federal government help. From national parks to American history and more, the Federal government offers stunning prints and wall posters that make great stocking stuffers for your loved ones, colleagues, or friends. Whether shopping for someone who appreciates the outdoors or looking for something educational to display in a child’s room, there is a poster for everyone on your Christmas list.

Tips for choosing a poster:

  • Consider the recipient’s interests. What are they passionate about? What kind of art do they like?
  • Choose a high-quality poster. The poster should be made from thick, durable paper and have high-quality printing.
  • Think about the size of the poster. The poster should be large enough to make a statement but not so large that it overwhelms the space.
  • Frame the poster. A framed poster looks more polished and professional.

Below are a few ideas for outdoor lovers available from the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) U.S. Bookstore.

Atlantic Barrier Islands (Poster) is a National Park Service commissioned poster by famed nature artist Charley Harper. This poster is printed on heavy paper with the print quality of a lithograph.

Yosemite National Park (Poster). Looking down Yosemite Valley from west to east, an alpine panorama depicts Yosemite National Park’s wondrous rock forms, hanging valleys, waterfalls, lakes, and streams, with El Capitan and Half Dome forming the central spectacle with Bridalveil and Yosemite Falls.

A Photographer’s Path: Images of National Parks Near the Nation’s Capital is a stunning coffee table book with colorful photographic images of nature and history in Greater Washington DC.

We also offer American history posters for the history buff and much more here.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger Trudy Hawkins is the Senior Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Office supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (https://bookstore.gpo.gov).

Leave a Comment » | Art, Art and Architecture, Gifts, National Park Service, National Park Service, Teachers and teaching, Travel and Tourism | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Discover U.S. National Park Service Posters

March 8, 2019

In the 1990s, National Park Service (NPS) commissioned Charley Harper, an American Modernist artist, to design 10 posters of wildlife. They wanted the art to capture the diversity of public lands in America; “from the lava flows of Hawaiian Volcanoes . . . to the icebergs of Glacier Bay, Alaska, . . . from the heights of the Rocky Mountains . . . to the depths of the Coral Reef.” Harper, an experienced traveler, drew inspiration from nature and used his unique style of minimal realism.

The poster with Hawaii’s volcanoes shows a typical volcanic eruption that destroys everything in its path but Harper also gives the audience multiple perspectives. Upon closer inspection, the art illustrates how life is created through a destructive force. The archipelago of Hawaii was formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. The image of Hawaii that we know of today is a lush, tropical island with volcanoes. The greenery is direct result of volcanic soil which is rich in nutrients. “[The soil] are light and fluffy, low density and have remarkable water-holding capacity.” Another view is that lava is flowing into the ocean thus creating more land. The island of Hawaii, also known as Big Island, is continually growing and providing more habitats for life. Harper’s artistic style maybe minimalistic but is by no means simple.

Can you find multiple perspectives in the Rocky Mountains poster?

Several of the commissioned posters are available for purchase at the GPO Bookstore. The Catalog of Government Publications (CGP) is another GPO resource that can be used to discover Government posters. For example, the University of Iowa digitized Harper’s Glacier Bay poster, and it’s available through the CGP. The CGP can also be used to learn more about the extensive research Federal agencies have conducted about natural wonders in the U.S.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Visit our Retail Store: To buy or order a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up(s).

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Vanathy Senthilkumar is a Systems Librarian at GPO.

2 Comments | Art, Art and Architecture, Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Travel and Tourism | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Travel to National Parks with These Charley Harper Posters

August 4, 2016

Thinking of traveling to a national park this summer? In addition to being prime time for outdoor exploration, August is American Artists Appreciation Month and the National Park Service’s (NPS) centennial month. Even if you can’t swing a national park trip, Charley Harper’s nature-oriented prints can take you there.

West Virginia-born, Cincinnati-based artist Charley Harper (1922-2007) is beloved for his highly stylized interpretive artwork. In the 1980s and early 1990s, NPS commissioned him to illustrate the wildlife of our parks. Based upon his cross-country travels and the stimuli of nature, Harper produced a 10-poster series in his trademark minimalist, geometric style. Four of those eye-catching renderings—Alpine Northwest, Atlantic Barrier Islands, Canyon Country, and The Rocky Mountains—are available through GPO.

024-005-01047-5Alpine Northwest—a bald eagle lords over his dominion, representing Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades National Parks.

Atlantic Barrier Islands024-005-00982-5—marine birds skirt along shifting bodies of sand and white-tipped tides that one could find on Fire Island, Assateague, Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout, Cumberland Island, and Biscayne National Park.

024-005-01064-5Canyon Country (Large Version)—the American Southwest’s dizzyingly high pinnacles, buttes, and mesas are a signature of the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, and the like.

The Rocky Mountains (Large Version)—a beaver drinks at a pond that reflects the landscape of the great Continental Divide. 024-005-00967-1

It’s quite remarkable how Harper’s compositions use shapes to imaginatively depict an entire ecosystem. Bold colors and whimsical lines will brighten a schoolroom, playroom, breakroom, workroom, any room. Each one takes you to a corner of our country’s public lands. Celebrate American artistry and the past 100 years of national parks with Charley Harper’s tribute to wild, enchanted America.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE CHARLEY HARPER POSTERS?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

 Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Chelsea Milko is a Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.

Leave a Comment » | Department of the Interior, Libraries, National Park Service, Travel and Tourism | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins