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.

YVO just released an updated version of its response plan for geological hazards in Yellowstone National Park. The plan describes how Yellowstone Volcano Observatory scientists will monitor and communicate information about any future hydrothermal, seismic, and volcanic activity.

Home to the Dena’ina for thousands of years, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska is a 4-million-acre landscape born of fire and sculpted by glacial ice. Host to world-class bear viewing thanks to the over 350,000 sockeye salmon who return to Lake Clark to spawn, this national park I rich in history as well as cultural and natural resources.

The National Park Service recently announced it is seeking proposals for operation of a popular snack bar in Cape Cod National Seashore.