A ballistic vest protected a Rocky Mountain National Park ranger from serious injury Wednesday morning during an exchange of shots with two suspects who were involved in a vehicular pursuit outside the park.

Come the end of the year, the National Parks Traveler will be releasing its 3rd Annual Threatened and Endangered Parks package of stories that examine parts of the National Park System where the original motivations for protecting some units are in danger.

Earlier this year there was an incident in Asheville, North Carolina, where a black bear attacked a couple and their dog. Black bears have become a common sight in the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and a recent study found that not only are bears near Asheville larger than in more remote areas but also give birth earlier than other bears. In the following article, David Frey, managing editor at The Wildlife Society, goes through the details of the study.

Fans of Big Bend, Carlsbad Caverns, and Guadalupe Mountains national parks can take a deep dive into the history of these three amazing places in Texas thanks to NPSHistory.com. The site this month has made roughly 30 studies for these three parks available to the public.