The past year was very kind to me in terms of getting out to visit some of the incredible units of our National Park System. Here's a look back at a year in national parks.

John Muir, perhaps the best friend the national parks ever had, died on Christmas Eve, 1914. Here are some numbers that tell the story of the National Historic Site created to preserve and interpret the place he called home for the last 24 years of his life.

Stories passed down about the harsh Continental Army encampment at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78 often note the brutally cold, snowy weather and the under-equipped and hungry troops. Should we be surprised that some of the soldiers were "fond of strong liquor"?

Plans to replace a defective bridge on the Congaree River call for rebuilding a causeway system crossing a flood plain in Congaree National Park. The plan's critics insist that modifications are needed to minimize environmental impacts and improve recreational access.

Six years after a Government Accountability Office review found poor coordination between federal land managers and Border Patrol officials tasked with combating illegal border crossings in the Southwest, a new analysis finds not much has changed.

Despite two Government Accountability Office reports that say environmental regulations are not impeding the work of the Border Patrol, Republicans on the House Natural Resources Committee are standing by that claim.

Is Cumberland Island National Seashore harboring a secret, or is it merely the victim of bad karma? Or is it just a coincidence that three powerful men connected with the island died in their prime? What about the three structures, each named Dungeness, that burned under mysterious circumstances?

Debris from an enormous trash-laden vortex in the North Pacific is delivered to Hawaiian Archipelago shorelines, making beach cleanups a never-ending task at Kalaupapa National Historical Park.

Colorado's Mount of the Holy Cross was once a national park.

The 150th Anniversary of the Civil War is nearly here and a recent event at Petersburg National Battlefield underscored a bit of history that often escapes much notice—the role of American Indians in the conflict.

Should controversy surround the decision by the Appalachian Mountain Club to pursue sustainable logging in northern Maine? A group pushing to see the area designated as a national park is furious over the club's move.

Though summer draws the bulk of Bryce Canyon National Park's 1.2 million annual visitors, a strong argument can be made that winter is a more fascinating time to visit this red-rock icon. The sharp contrasts between fresh-fallen snow, cerulean skies, and the park's red-hued amphitheaters are spectacular. If you can manage a winter escape, here are some tips for touring Bryce Canyon.

A snowy November has created a good base throughout Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks for the upcoming winter season, which kicks off on Wednesday.

Andersonville National Historic Site in southwest Georgia preserves the remains of the Civil War's deadliest prisoner of war camp.

We are on our way to Key West, where the weather is more accommodating to those of us past middle age. In truth, Key West is a fun place for people of any age. Warm weather, a fun atmosphere, strange people, wild chickens roaming the streets, and the ghost of Ernest Hemingway looking over your shoulder all make for an enjoyable vacation.

Many long have dreamed of the day that the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park would be drained of its reservoir and allowed to mirror the more-renowned Yosemite Valley. Those dreams are kept alive by the folks behind Restore Hetch Hetchy.

With the holiday season ramping up, more than a few special events are planned across the National Park System. Here's a glance at some of them.

A permit system implemented for hikers heading to the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park does not appear to be improving safety conditions, according to a report that analyzes this past summer's hiking numbers.

This popular park situated in the Cleveland-Akron urban region of northeastern Ohio offers a nice selection of scenic delights and outdoor recreational pursuits.

If you visit Bryce Canyon National Park in winter, and there is snow on the ground and blue sky overhead, the one hike you must take is the Queen's Garden-Navajo Loop Trail.