It might not look so good to a beaver these days, but once upon a time the landscape in and around John Day Fossil Beds National Monument kept beavers happy.

For those fortunate enough to make the trek to the far side of the world to visit the National Park of American Samoa, one animal you can look for is the Spinner dolphin, also known locally as mumua.

A 64-year-old man from North Carolina was injured in a fall during a solo hike in a remote section of Canyonlands National Park last week. Unable to walk, he faced long odds, since no one was aware of his plans or location. What followed was a tale combining grim determination and alert work by rangers.

Climate change and mountain pine beetles are just two elements that are leading to heightened fire danger, and bigger wildfires, in the national parks. At Rocky Mountain National Park, officials are revising their fire management plan in light of those, and other, challenges they face in the park's forests.