Celebrate American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® in Shenandoah National Park on Saturday, June 3. In partnership with Shenandoah National Park, the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club invites new hikers and experienced backpackers to learn new trail skills at PATC Trail Patrol’s “Beyond the Trailhead” event at Byrd Visitor Center (milepost 51 on Skyline Drive) from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Come join guided hikes and hands-on demonstrations throughout the day.

Roughly 24 hours remains for you to comment on the future of Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, with the Interior Department set to shut down the comment period on Friday.

The serene shores of Glacier Bay have become even more meaningful with the raising of two spectacular Tlingit totem poles in Bartlett Cove. In a heartwarming day of friendship and collaboration, the Hoonah Indian Association and the National Park Service joined together in the spirit of Woosh ji.een and raised the 20-foot, 2,000-pound red cedar totems into place. Elaborate carvings on the Eagle and Raven poles were designed by HIA to represent the various clans associated with Hoonah and Glacier Bay homeland.

Memorial Day is the traditional start of the summer tourism season. In places like the Four Corners region, it may be the busiest time of the year as people try to visit the national parks before the summer heat arrives. I love the region but I dislike crowds. So, when I found time for a week off at Memorial Day last year, the challenge was clear: could I visit a Southwestern national park without the crowds? As a lover of wilderness, the challenge was even greater: could I find solitude in that park?