Ahh, summers in the Rocky Mountains. They're gorgeous and always surprising. Why, just last night a brief reprise of winter closed the Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park.

As with so many of the footpaths in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Anthony Creek Trail doesn’t hesitate much before pulling you up into that landscape.

One of the most gorgeous areas in Yellowstone National Park is the area surrounding Yellowstone Lake. There a mix of wilderness-quality vistas and the self-contained Lake Village offer a varied experience for park visitors. How should the Park Service manage this mix in the years to come?

Irony can't be overlooked when one considers the move by Wyoming officials to hold up the federal government for millions of dollars for two square miles of land surrounded by Grand Teton National Park.