While there are many long-distance hikes you can take in Joshua Tree National Park, sometimes the heat can just be too much. But even if it's the middle of the day, a stroll down the Cholla Cactus Garden path is well-worth your time to learn about these curious cacti.

Interested in saving some money while enjoying the national parks? Click over to Eastern National from the Traveler and you can save 10 percent on your entire purchase of maps, guidebooks, and other interpretive materials.

An early spring snowstorm that accelerated the threat of avalanches was slowing search efforts in Grand Teton National Park's backcountry for two men who failed to return from a weekend trek as planned.