We head to national parks for relaxation and recreation, but we can't forget that these destinations can be dangerous places.

It’s an 85-step climb to the hilltop home of Frederick Douglass in D.C.’s predominantly African American Anacostia neighborhood. For me, it’s just a brief cardio challenge. For Douglass, it must have served as a constant reminder of his journey from enslaved child to leading voice in the abolitionist movement, equal rights advocate and statesman.

The approach of Tropical Storm Ernesto has placed the U.S. Virgin Islands under a tropical storm warning, prompting the National Park Service to begin to batten down Virgin Islands National Park and other park units in the islands for the storm.

Wildfires continued to plague units of the National Park System, with Lassen Volcanic National Park still closed due to the proximity of the Park Fire to the west, multiple backcountry fires burning in Yosemite National Park, and two fires impacting North Cascades National Park.