In the end, the forecast was wrong. While the Merced River did rise above flood stage as it rolled through the Yosemite Valley, predictions of a crest more than 8 feet above flood stage never materialized, leaving Yosemite National Park's main destination drenched but seemingly little worse for the storm.

A mix of lethal and non-lethal approaches to remove feral animals from more than 2,000 acres in Haleakalā National Park in Hawaii has been approved by the National Park Service.

Canyonlands National Park in Utah is renowned for its rugged backcountry and wild rivers. As the following video from National Parks Traveler's Cataract Canyon float trip last fall shows, it's also great for nightly star shows.

Shale gas, that trapped within the Marcellus Formation in the Eastern United States, has grown to become a significant component of the country's energy portfolio. But it also poses a threat to national park lands in the region, with more than a few proposed pipelines that could cross the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.