While spring in some parks (mostly those in the Rockies, Sierra, and Pacific Northwest) is rightfully described as “mud season,” there are some great early season hikes—and some wonderful camping—to be found across the National Park System. Here’s a rundown of some of the highlights.

Millions of winter-weary residents of the Upper Midwest and Northeast hope they can soon put away their snow shovels for the current season, but in a number of national parks, the job of clearing snow from roads in preparation for the upcoming summer season is just getting underway. It's a mammoth job indeed, and these videos offer some interesting views from the cabs of the plows.

Recent political skirmishes involving the National Park Service, from calls for some parks to be returned to the states to the U.S. House vote to gut the Antiquities Act, are signs that the national parks are losing relevancy with Americans, believes Park Service Director Jon Jarvis.

I had two job offers the summer before my junior year of high school. I chose the job that came with new boots.