Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is home to a wide variety of wildlife, both above and below ground. Most commonly-seen above ground are squirrels, and deer. Rarer sights include coyotes, black bears, and bats. Below ground live some 160 species ranging from cave crickets to pale, eyeless fish, to translucent crayfish, to salamanders.

The bridge between the Emerald Pools trail and Zion Lodge is once again open to hikers.

Ponderosa pine trees are widespread in western and southwestern units of the National Park System. These trees with their red-yellow bark that looks like jigsaw puzzle pieces exudes a pleasant aroma on a warm, sunny day of vanilla, butterscotch, cookies, cinnamon, or coconut, depending upon the perception of the person smelling the tree bark. That’s right – smelling the bark.

More than 100 environmental and conservation groups are urging U.S. lawmakers to reject a renewed proposal to allow the sale of public lands.