As sprawling, mesmerizing, and intriguing as the U.S. National Park System is, it’s no surprise that it harbors a rich trove of stories and experiences. Stories about the scenery, the environment, the wildlife, the culture, and the history of the United States. Experiences such as hiking the Appalachian National Scenic Trail from end to end, paddling into the backcountry of Yellowstone Lake, standing in awe in the darkness of night while watching the flaming eruption of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater on the top of the Kīlauea at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

So far this year three houses have been claimed by the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Hatteras National Seashore on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, polluting the seashore with construction materials, furnishings, sewage from septic tanks, and more. While more houses could be pulled down by the ocean, the National Park Service is searching for a solution but has yet to order homeowners to relocate their houses before they collapse.

It's probably save to say that politics is not something most of the 300 million people who visit the National Park System each year think of when they’re planning their vacations, but politics can definitely impact those vacations.

It is that time of year when ʻuaʻu (Hawaiian petrel, Pterodroma sanwichensisreturn to the summit of Haleakalā National Park.To spot them for yourself, join wildlife biologists and park rangers at ʻUaʻu Night on Saturday, May 21, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. outside of the Haleakalā Visitor Center at 9,740 feet.