How many hats should we expect national park rangers to wear? Already we expect them to cover law enforcement, interpretation, and backcountry patrols, and to be quick to put on their "search and rescue" hat when need arises. Should they also be lifeguards or, perhaps more generally, safety officers to protect park visitors, at times from themselves?

Citing serious safety hazards, the National Park Service has barred public access to the abandoned Keane Wonder Mine site at Death Valley National Park. The old mine site, which has already claimed one visitor’s life, is loaded with hazards of many kinds.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park came into being as a component of Hawaii National Park in 1916, but it it wasn't until September 22, 1961, that it became a stand-alone unit. The fireworks for its 47th "stand-alone birthday" are being provided by Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. An eruption that began March 19 has yielded half a dozen explosive eruptions, a roiling lake of lava, and a mile-high ash plume.

The new Tribal Connections interpretive site at Devils Tower National Monument features a dramatic sculpture by renowned Japanese artist Junkyu Muto. Muto’s Wind Circle/Sacred Circle of Smoke sculpture, the third in his world “peace sculpture” series, symbolizes Devils Tower as a sacred place for Native Americans.