It very likely will be a bit more costly to enter Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Acadia, Shenandoah and the other 126 units that charge entrance fees by the time the National Park Service's centennial arrives in 2016, and you also should brace for slightly higher fees to camp, shower, paddle, and participate in boat and cave tours.

Open-air painting can be one of the most challenging, and beautiful, forms of the art. And later this month you'll have the opportunity to watch painters in action as they work to capture the fall at Rocky Mountain National Park.

A couple weeks ago we shared the logo that was chosen to brand the National Park Service's centennial in 2016. What do you think of it?

Fall is a season of transition in the National Park System, from long, hot days with crowded roads and trails, to cooler, crisper weather that beckons you to make a few more trips before winter sets in. Here is the second of four suggestions to jump on now, or to add to your to-do list.