While some national parks are so busy that they require reservations, others make it easy to get off the beaten path – like Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas.

Below average snowpack, an ongoing drought, and invasive species continue to plague the Colorado River as it flows out of Rocky Mountain National Park, past Arches National Park, through Canyonlands National Park, and into Lake Powell at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. How have those factors affected both the recreational experience at Lake Powell, and the resources there?

Climbers heading to Yosemite National Park for overnight trips will need to obtain a wilderness climbing permit beginning on May 21.

You could find the going slow on parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway this summer as roadwork is scheduled for more than 80 overlooks and parking areas and five picnic areas along the parkway in Virginia. The work is to involve resurfacing of the roadway as part of the park’s pavement preservation program.