As the effects of climate change intensify in the Southwest, future visits to Arches and Canyonlands national parks could coincide with more dust storms than what currently is considered usual, according to a joint study by U.S. Geological Survey and University of California scientists.

One of the fascinating sides of Olympic National Park is its coastal reach, one replete with cobbled shorelines, sea stacks, and tidal pools rich with marine life. As this video shows, researchers can explore everything from biological diversity to climate change in those tidal zones.

While the Obama administration's America's Great Outdoors initiative calls for creation of a Conservation Service Corps to connect youth with nature, the Yosemite Conservancy already has a similar program that brings youth into Yosemite National Park to learn about the outdoors.

Clingman's Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park can claim some impressive superlatives. At 6,643 feet, the area is not just the highest point in the park and in the state of Tennessee, it's also the second-highest point in the country east of the Mississippi River. If you enjoy a long-range view, this is also the only location in any national park which offers the potential to see into parts of seven different states…but only if the visibility is exceptionally good.