Starting October 1, 2007, the annual fall brown bear hunting season will open for three weeks in Alaska’s Katmai National Preserve. I bet you’re surprised. Brown bear hunting in a national park site?! Yep, here in Alaska national preserves are just like national parks with one exception: sport hunting is allowed. For three weeks in the Fall, hunters may take as many bears as they want.

Nature, particularly that preserved in the national parks, is being celebrated by the U.S. Postal Service with a plate of stamps capturing the alpine beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park.

For those planning a Yellowstone vacation in the immediate future, know that the East Entrance to the park currently is closed due to forest fires burning in the area.

If you're planning to be in Grand Teton National Park on Saturday, you'll be sharing the park with the vice president of the United States, the Department of Interior secretary, and the National Park Service director. All will be at Moose to dedicate the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center.