Most points along the Atlantic shorelines of the United States are polluted by the lights of crowded cities when the sun goes down. When sitting beneath the stars on the fine sands of Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland, you can become distracted by the gleam of lights from Ocean City to the North. But if you peak above, the sky is a pure midnight black with the constellations brightly shining.

While there are nearly 400 units of the National Park System, there are only about 150 groups today that view themselves as friends groups working to benefit the parks. Interested in creating a friends group, or need help getting your organization out of the blocks? The National Park Foundation is there to help.

Is a campsite reservation system needed at Voyageurs National Park? That's the question park officials are asking, and in light of the fact that you need a boat to reach the park's campsites, it might be a good one.