Keith Diakiw deftly wraps a red-striped Métis sash over my winter coat and around my waist, tying it loosely on the left to signify that I’m taken and not single. One of my fellow “geo-explorers” opts to have her sash tied in the middle as a hard-working Voyageur would have during the fur trade era. Another chooses to be a Métis princess with the sash wrapped over her left shoulder across her heart.

Lying on a beach gazing at stars, spotting the Milky Way during a cruise, or scanning the universe through a powerful telescope is how you can celebrate International Dark Sky Week at Cape Lookout National Seashore in North Carolina.

With around 30 inches of snow on the ground, it may not yet look like spring at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. Nevertheless, the park is busy with preparations to reopen seasonal facilities, extend hours and resume shuttle service. No advance reservations are required to enter Bryce Canyon at any time, but park staff encourage planning ahead for the best experience during the park’s centennial year.

The Wetherill Mesa area of Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado will be closed for the 2023 season to accommodate the demolition and construction of a new visitor contact station in the Wetherill area. The existing contact station was damaged by the Pony Fire in August 2000 and needs to be replaced.