A joint effort by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Friends of the Smokies has made it a wee bit safer for backcountry travelers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

While many national park lodges are on the National Register of Historic Places, not all lodges reflect the preservation and well-maintained appearance you might expect for such properties. In this, the second of our two-part series, the Traveler looks at why some properties are not as well-maintained as you might expect.

Recent snow storms have led to the closure of some roads at both Dinosaur National Monument and Cedar Breaks National Monument for the rest of the winter.

Eight days are left in 2012, and then we'll be off to a brand new year in the National Park System. To all our readers, more than 1 million strong, we thank you for visiting the Traveler and, when the urge moved you, leaving your thoughts.