National Parks Traveler

A need to remove some hazardous trees in Cades Cove at Great Smoky Mountains National Park will require the temporary closure of the cove's loop road for a number of days this month. The road will be closed to all pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists January 6 through January 8 and January 13 through January 15.

A new year is just beginning to shed its first blush, so the time couldn't be better to compile a list of things we'd like to see happen across the National Park System in 2015, so let's jump right in!

Florida panther's existence is threatened, as 30 animals died in 2014, the majority on the state's highways.

A layer of snow can add a special dimension to the scenery in parks anywhere, but the contrast with colorful rock formations can be especially striking in places like Arches, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon National Parks. That's expected to be the case for start of the New Year in several parks in the high desert, but park officials are asking visitors to use caution—and common sense—on icy roads and trails.