Yellowstone has its magnificent log cabin, Yosemite its blue-blooded Ahwahnee, Grand Teton its charming Jenny Lake. These are just three of the many lodges, hotels, and inns that can be found throughout the National Park System. Which is your favorite, and why?

Cedar Breaks National Monument has one of the most colorful amphitheaters of the National Park System, but you're going to have to work a little bit to see it in the coming months as the road to the Utah monument has been closed by snow for the winter.

December can be an intriguing month in Olympic National Park. Crowds are non-existent, stormy seas can kick up incredible waves that explode against sea stacks, while in the high country deep snows can accumulate. And through December 30 you can catch a break on lodging at either Kalaloch or Lake Quinault lodges.

With all the information that lies just a click away these days, it's easy to overlook some of the best resources when it comes to exploring the backcountry of our national parks: the backcountry offices of the parks themselves.