Two weeks in Mount Rainier National Park left Russ Aquilar dirty, tired, and sore. But it also left him with a life-changing decision, to share the natural world with others.

Spring break is commencing at colleges around the country, and for more than 200 students that means a trip not to the beach, but to a national park to participate either in the National Park Service Academy or an "Alternative Spring Break" program in parks.

The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias has been attracting visitors to what is now Yosemite National Park for 150 years. Much has changed since Abraham Lincoln signed a bill setting aside the Grove as a protected site, and the National Park Service is accepting public comments on plans to restore the area.

With all the winter storms pummeling the nation, it's hard to believe that spring really isn't too far off for many parts of the country. At Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area that will be evident next weekend when the National Park Service and the Millbrook Village Society present a maple sugaring demonstration at Millbrook Village.