How can the National Park Service, whose mission hinges predominantly on the preservation of the resources that fall within the National Park System, turn its back on 40,000 acres it deemed suitable for wilderness designation? That question is being investigated by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility at Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida.

For more than a decade the debate over how winter in Yellowstone National Park should be enjoyed has dragged on. The latest comment period on the park's proposal for winter-use comes to an end next month. Here are some numbers to keep in mind when studying this issue.

With summer officially getting under way tomorrow, more and more folks will be heading out to the national parks for some summer fun. Just be sure to be careful out there so you don't find yourself added to a search-and-rescue report as these folks were.

While the bountiful winter is recharging both reservoirs and lakes in the Rockies and High Sierra, it also has lengthened the avalanche season for potential slides. In Grand Teton National Park the especially huge snowpack has officials warning backcountry travelers to be cognizant of avalanche conditions.