Soggy meadows and mile-heavy days in Yellowstone National Park were the perfect testing grounds for KEEN's Erickson PCT, a hiking boot best suited for cranking out backcountry miles with a full pack.

True, the entrance fees at national parks are a tiny part of the overall cost of visiting a park. But if you can schedule your 2012 trip to get in free during one of National Park Service's entrance-fee-free days, why not?

A substantial, three-year renovation project will involve much of Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt's home on Long Island, New York, beginning next spring. As a result much of the home will be closed to visitors, although events and activities on the grounds will continue.

Exploring the backgrounds of the settlers who lived in the hills and hollows that today fall within the boundaries of Mammoth Cave National Park will be the focus of workshops scheduled for October 22 and October 29.